AIRCRAFT WITH FREEWHEELING ENGINE
An aircraft may have a fuselage, a left wing extending from the fuselage, a right wing extending from the fuselage, a tail section extending from a rear portion of the fuselage, and a first engine and a second engine operably connected by a common driveshaft, wherein the first and second engines are configured for freewheeling such that if one of the first and second engines loses power the other of the first and second engines continues to power the aircraft.
1 - 14 . (canceled)
15 . An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage having a longitudinal axis;
a first engine disposed in said fuselage;
a second engine disposed in said fuselage;
said first and second engines being operably connected to a common driveshaft traversing through said first and second engines and having an axis of rotation oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage;
a first propeller operably connected to said common driveshaft; and
a second propeller operably connected to said common driveshaft;
wherein said first and second engines are configured for freewheeling such that if one of said first and second engines loses power the other of said first and second engines continues to power said first and second propellers.
16 . The aircraft of claim 15 wherein each of said first and second propellers comprises a ducted fan.
17 . The aircraft of claim 16 wherein said ducted fans are tiltable to facilitate VTOL and forward flight.
18 . The aircraft of claim 17 wherein each of said ducted fans is mounted to a wing extending from said fuselage.
19 . The aircraft of claim 16 wherein each of said ducted fans comprises counter-rotating blades.
20 . The aircraft of claim 15 wherein each of said first and second engines is operable at a selected power level.
21 . The aircraft of claim 20 wherein said first and second engines are selectable such that the hours on each of said first and second engines are maintainable at a similar level.
22 . The aircraft of claim 15 further comprising a nose section having an extendable and retractable ramp.
23 . The aircraft of claim 15 further comprising a retractable canopy.
24 . The aircraft of claim 15 further comprising a parachute attached to said fuselage.
25 . The aircraft of claim 24 wherein said parachute is mounted in a rear portion of said fuselage.
26 . The aircraft of claim 24 further comprising one or more rockets configured for deploying said parachute.
27 . The aircraft of claim 24 further comprising cables configured for attaching said parachute to said fuselage, wherein said cables are concealed in a recessed channel under a non-protruding breakaway covering which is aerodynamically flush with said fuselage.
28 . The aircraft of claim 27 wherein said cables are attached to said fuselage at four attachment points.
29 . The aircraft of claim 24 wherein said parachute is automatically deployable by a computer if said aircraft becomes unstable.
30 . The aircraft of claim 24 wherein said parachute is manually deployable by a lever.
31 . The aircraft of claim 24 further comprising an airbag expander configured for expanding said parachute into a fully deployed condition.
32 . The aircraft of claim 31 wherein said airbag expander comprises elongated tubes embedded in canopy cords and outer edges of said parachute.
33 . The aircraft of claim 31 further comprising computer controlled air sensors configured for determining whether to apply or delay deployment of said airbag expander.
34 . The aircraft of claim 24 wherein said parachute is steerable via controls inside said aircraft.