Landing gear structure and venting for vertical take-off dual-engine aircraft
The present application discloses an aircraft. The aircraft comprises (i) a first wing and a second wing, (ii) a fuselage disposed between the first wing and the second wing, and (iii) a first landing gear system disposed at an aft of the aircraft. The first landing gear system comprises a first leg and a second leg that are configured to at least partially rotate around an axis defined by a length of the first wing when the first leg and the second leg are transitioned to a deployed state or a stowed state. The first landing gear system comprises a first actuation system comprising at least a first actuator and a first shock absorber.
1 . An aircraft, comprising:
a first wing and a second wing;
a fuselage disposed between the first wing and the second wing;
a first landing gear system disposed at an aft of the aircraft, wherein the first landing gear system comprises a first leg and a second leg that are configured to at least partially rotate around an axis defined by a length of the first wing when the first leg and the second leg are able to be transitioned to a deployed state or to a stowed state; and
a first engine system operatively mounted to the first wing, the first engine system comprising a first nacelle, and the first landing gear system disposed at an aft of the first nacelle, wherein the first leg comprises a first housing comprising a first vent configured to vent exhaust from a first engine of the first engine system when the first leg is in the stowed state.
2 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first landing gear system comprises two v-shaped actuators that are configured to transition the first leg and the second leg to the stowed state or the deployed state.
3 . The aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second engine system operatively mounted to the second wing; and
a second landing gear system disposed at the aft of the aircraft.
4 . The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein:
the second engine system comprises a second nacelle; and
the second landing gear system is disposed at an aft of the second nacelle.
5 . The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the first engine system and the second engine system are used for both (i) vertical take-off and landing, and (ii) horizontal flight.
6 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first leg and the second leg are configured to split apart when the first landing gear system is in the deployed state.
7 . The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein the first leg and the second leg are hingedly connected to the first nacelle.
8 . The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein the first landing gear system comprises one or more winglets disposed on the first leg or the second leg.
9 . The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein the first leg and the second leg are configured to bear a weight of the aircraft when the first landing gear system is in the deployed state.
10 . The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein a distal end of the first leg comprises a foot that is configured to be removably mounted to the first leg.
11 . The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein the first leg and the second leg are split apart by at least a threshold distance when the first landing gear system is in the deployed state.
12 . The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein:
the first leg comprises a foot disposed at a distal end of the first leg; and
the second leg comprises a wheel disposed at a distal end of the second leg.
13 . The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein the first landing gear system comprises a first actuator that is configured to transition the first leg to the deployed state or the stowed state.
14 . The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the first landing gear system has an aerodynamic profile when the first leg and the second leg are in the stowed state.
15 . The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the first actuator is a linear actuator.
16 . The aircraft of claim 15 , wherein the first actuator comprises a damper.
17 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first vent is moved out of an exhaust path of exhaust when the first leg is in the deployed state.
18 . The aircraft of claim 17 , wherein the exhaust is vented along a path in an opening between the first leg and the second leg when the first landing gear system is in the deployed state.