Blended wing body tanker and method of use

1 . A blended wing body tanker comprising:

an aircraft having a blended wing body, the blended wing body comprising:

a fuselage comprising a semi-monocoque construction, wherein the fuselage comprises:

formers disposed along a length of an interior of the fuselage and forming a shape of the fuselage, wherein the formers are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft; and

stringers coupled to the formers;

an aircraft skin coupled to the stringers and the formers, wherein aerodynamic forces exerted on the aircraft skin are transferred to the stringers and wherein a volume of the aircraft is encapsulated by the formers and the stringers and comprise a same shape as the aircraft; and

vertical supports integral to the aircraft skin and a frame of the aircraft;

a first fuel store disposed within an interior cavity of the fuselage of the aircraft and configured to store a first fuel;

a fuel offloading system operatively connected to the first fuel store and configured to offload the first fuel to a second aircraft in flight, wherein the fuel offloading system comprises:

a fuel supply connection laterally aligned with a point along at least one wing, wherein the fuel supply connection comprises a flying boom, and wherein the flying boom comprises one or more flight control surfaces; and

a valve located at a distal end configured to automatically open when the flying boom is to mate with a receiving aircraft;

a second fuel store disposed within the interior cavity of the fuselage of the aircraft and configured to store a second fuel;

wherein each of the first fuel store and the second fuel store comprises at least one temperature sensor;

wherein the first fuel store and the second fuel store are positioned adjacent to one another;

a hybrid propulsion system mechanically affixed to the aircraft and comprising a fuel cell configured to combine the first fuel with oxygen to produce electricity and charge an electricity source as a function of excess produced power and the electricity, wherein the hybrid propulsion system is:

operatively connected to the first fuel store and the second fuel store;

configured to be powered by the first fuel and the second fuel;

configured to propel the blended wing body; and

such that the first fuel store is configured to be used by both the fuel offloading system for refueling the second aircraft in flight, and for powering the hybrid propulsion system; and

an auxiliary power system operatively connected with the fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell is configured to power the auxiliary power system, wherein the auxiliary power system is configured to power control surfaces.

2 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the second fuel store comprises an insulated outer wall and wherein the insulated outer wall is configured to limit heat transfer to the second fuel.

3 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , further comprising the fuel cell fueled by the second fuel and configured to electricity.

4 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises a boom control station configured to operate the flying boom.

5 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the vertical supports comprise pillars.

6 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft skin comprises a structural skin configured to bear at least a portion of the aerodynamic forces exerted on the aircraft skin.

7 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises an offload radius of at least 3,0000 nautical miles.

8 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises a fuel offloading capacity of at least 100,000 pounds.

9 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises a maximum fuel takeoff length of 7,000 feet.

10 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , further comprising a transparent panel structured to allow for a direct view of the flying boom.

11 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises a fuel to cargo ratio of at least 1.5.

12 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the first fuel store is located in a wing of the blended wing body.

13 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 12 , wherein the second fuel store is located in a main body of blended wing body.

14 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 1 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises more than one fuel supply connections, wherein each fuel supply connection comprises a separate flying boom.

15 . The blended wing body tanker of claim 14 , wherein a first flying boom of the more than one fuel supply connections is separated from a second flying boom of the more than one fuel supply connections by a distance of at least 65 feet.

16 . A method of use for a blended wing body tanker, the method comprising:

receiving an aircraft comprising a blended wing body, wherein the blended wing body comprises:

a fuselage comprising a semi-monocoque construction, wherein the fuselage comprises:

formers disposed along a length of an interior of the fuselage and forming a shape of the fuselage, wherein the formers are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft; and

stringers coupled to the formers;

an aircraft skin serving coupled to the stringers and the formers, wherein aerodynamic forces exerted on the aircraft skin are transferred to the stringers and wherein a volume of the aircraft is encapsulated by the formers and the stringers and comprise a same shape as the aircraft; and

vertical supports integral to the aircraft skin and a frame of the aircraft;

storing, using a first fuel store disposed within an interior cavity of the fuselage of the aircraft, a first fuel;

offloading, using a fuel offloading system operatively connected to the first fuel store, the first fuel to a second aircraft in flight, wherein the fuel offloading system comprises a fuel supply connection laterally aligned with a point along at least one wing, wherein the fuel supply connection comprises a flying boom wherein the flying boom comprises one or more flight control surfaces, and a valve located at a distal end configured to automatically open when the flying boom is to mate with a receiving aircraft;

storing, using a second fuel store disposed within the interior cavity of the fuselage of the aircraft, a second fuel;

wherein each of the first fuel store and the second fuel store comprises at least one temperature sensor;

wherein the first fuel store and the second fuel store are positioned adjacent to one another;

propelling, using a hybrid propulsion system mechanically affixed to the aircraft and comprising a fuel cell configured to combine the first fuel with oxygen to produce electricity, wherein the hybrid propulsion system configured to charge an electricity source as a function of excess produced power and the electricity, the blended wing body, wherein the hybrid propulsion system is:

operatively connected to the first fuel store and the second fuel store;

configured to be powered by the first fuel and the second fuel; and

such that the first fuel store is configured to be used by both the fuel offloading system for refueling the second aircraft in flight, and for powering the hybrid propulsion system; and

powering, using an auxiliary power system operatively connected with the fuel cell, control surfaces.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising, limiting heat transfer to the second fuel using an insulated outer wall of the second fuel store.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising producing electricity using a fuel cell fueled by the second fuel.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises operating the flying boom using a boom control station.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the vertical supports comprise pillars.

21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the aircraft skin comprises a structural skin configured to bear at least a portion of the aerodynamic forces exerted on the aircraft skin.

22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises an offload radius of at least 3,0000 nautical miles.

23 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises a fuel offloading capacity of at least 100,000 pounds.

24 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises a maximum fuel takeoff length of 7,000 feet.

25 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the blended wing body tanker further comprises a transparent panel structured to allow for a direct view of the flying boom.

26 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises a fuel to cargo ratio of at least 1.5.

27 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first fuel store is located in a wing of the blended wing body.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the second fuel store is located in a main body of the blended wing body.

29 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the blended wing body tanker comprises more than one fuel supply connections, wherein each fuel supply connection comprises a separate flying boom.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein a first flying boom of the more than one fuel supply connections is separated from a second flying boom of the more than one fuel supply connections by a distance of at least 65 feet.