Rail recovery system for aircraft

An aerial vehicle, comprising:

• a fixed wing;
• a fuselage;
• a propulsion device;
• a top hook assembly, the top hook assembly comprising a hook portion and a retractable arm portion, wherein the retractable arm portion is hingedly coupled to a top side of said fuselage;
• an extension mechanism configured to extend and retract the retractable arm portion;
• and
• a second top hook assembly disposed forward of said top hook assembly, and engaging a different capture cable than the top hook assembly's hook portion.

An aerial vehicle recovery apparatus, comprising:

• a rail;
• a shuttle slideably coupled with said rail, wherein the shuttle comprises a first set of two stanchions, a second set of two stanchions, and wherein the shuttle is coupled with said rail via a shuttle cable;
• a first capture cable stretched across said first set of two stanchions, the first capture cable capturing a first hook on an aerial vehicle;
• and
• a second capture cable stretched across said second set of two stanchions, the second capture cable capturing a second hook on the aerial vehicle, wherein the said second capture cable reduces post-capture motion of the aerial vehicle, wherein the first capture cable and second capture cable engage different portions of the aerial vehicle.