Aircraft

Abstract

The invention provides according to one aspect an aircraft, comprising a fuselage, an airfoil mounted to the fuselage and a flap for steering the aircraft. Furthermore, connecting means articularly connect the flap to the airfoil such that the flap is allowed to rotate around a rotation axis substantial parallel to the trailing or leading edge of the airfoil between a retracted position and an extended position and to translate in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation axis. A rod articularly connect the flap to the airfoil or to the fuselage, wherein the rod defines the translation of the flap in the direction parallel to the rotation axis. Hence, by way of one aspect of the invention, forces acting of the flap in a direction parallel to the rotation axis can be taken up by the rod. Consequently, there is no need for using locating bearings having negative aerodynamic effects due to their by comparison large dimensions in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of flight of the aircraft.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.