Stopped rotor aircraft
An aircraft includes a wing which is configured to provide lift during a wing-borne mode of flight and a stoppable rotor which includes a first blade and a second blade. The stoppable rotor is configured to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation during a hover mode of flight and stop with the first blade pointing forward and the second blade pointing backward at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight. The aircraft also includes a combination rotor which rotates about a longitudinal axis of rotation in a first direction at least some of the time during the hover mode of flight and in a second direction at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight.
1. An aircraft, comprising:
a wing which is configured to provide lift during a wing-borne mode of flight;
a stoppable rotor which includes a first blade and a second blade, wherein:
the stoppable rotor is configured to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation during a hover mode of flight; and
the stoppable rotor is configured to be stopped with the first blade pointing forward and the second blade pointing backward at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight; and
a combination rotor, wherein:
the combination rotor is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of rotation in a first direction at least some of the time during the hover mode of flight; and
the combination rotor is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of rotation in a second direction at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight.
2. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the first blade is shorter than the second blade.
3. The aircraft recited in claim 1 further including a dedicated anti-torque rotor wherein:
the dedicated anti-torque rotor is configured to rotate at least some of the time during the hover mode of flight; and
the dedicated anti-torque rotor is configured to stop rotating at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight.
4. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first blade and the second blade includes a flap.
5. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the first blade is shorter than the second blade; and
the second blade includes a tailfin.
6. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the first blade is shorter than the second blade; and
the second blade includes a double-sided tailfin.