Tiltwing aircraft
An aircraft includes a fuselage defining an aircraft attitude axis. The fuselage houses an engine fixed relative to the aircraft attitude axis. A rotor assembly is operatively connected to rotate back and forth relative to the aircraft attitude axis from a first position predominately for lift to a second position predominately for thrust. The rotor assembly includes a rotor that is operatively connected to be driven by the engine.
1. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage defining an aircraft attitude axis and housing an engine fixed relative to the aircraft attitude axis;
a first empennage extending from the fuselage, the first empennage being hingedly mounted to the fuselage and including a first exhaust system connected to the engine;
a second empennage extending from the fuselage, the second empennage being hingedly mounted to the fuselage independent of the first empennage and including a second exhaust system connected to the engine, the first and second empennages pivotable to reduce a length of the aircraft; and
a rotor assembly operatively connected to rotate back and forth relative to the aircraft attitude axis from a first position predominately for lift to a second position predominately for thrust, wherein the rotor assembly includes a rotor that is operatively connected to be driven by the engine, the rotor assembly including a plurality of rotor blades articulated so as to be operable for cyclic and collective rotor control.
2. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the rotor assembly is a first rotor assembly and further comprising:
a second rotor assembly operatively connected to rotate back and forth relative to the aircraft attitude axis from first position predominately for lift and a second position predominately for thrust, wherein the second rotor assembly is opposite the first rotor assembly across the fuselage.
3. The aircraft as recited in claim 2 , wherein the engine is a first engine wherein the fuselage houses a second engine, and wherein the second rotor assembly includes a rotor that is operatively connected to be driven by the second engine.
4. The aircraft as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:
a cross shaft operatively connecting the rotor assembly and the engine and second cross shaft operatively connecting the second rotor assembly to the second engine.
5. The aircraft as recited in claim 4 , wherein each cross shaft is operatively connected to a respective engine by way of a respective transmission that receives rotational power from the respective engine along a transmission axis substantially parallel with the aircraft attitude axis and outputs rotational power to the respective cross shaft along a cross-shaft axis substantially perpendicular to the aircraft attitude axis.
6. The aircraft as recited in claim 5 , wherein the transmissions are connected to each other by a third cross shaft for single engine operation of both of the first and second rotor assemblies.
7. The aircraft as recited in claim 2 , further comprising:
a wing operatively associated with corresponding ones of the rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly, wherein the wing is operatively connected to the fuselage for rotation in common with the respective rotor assembly relative to the fuselage.
8. The aircraft as recited in claim 7 , wherein a pivot connects each wing to the fuselage, wherein the pivot is concentric with the respective cross shaft of the respective rotor assembly.
9. The aircraft as recited in claim 8 , wherein each of the respective cross shaft passes through the respective pivot.
10. The aircraft as recited in claim 2 , further comprising:
a wing tip mounted to corresponding ones of the rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly opposite the fuselage, wherein the wing tip is mounted to the respective rotor assembly for rotation in common therewith relative to the fuselage.
11. The aircraft as recited in claim 10 , wherein each wing tip is hingedly mounted to the respective rotor assembly for folding the wing tip for storage of the aircraft.
12. The aircraft as recited in claim 2 , wherein each of the rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly include a plurality of rotor blades, wherein at least one of the rotor blades includes a folding mechanism for folding the at least one of the rotor blades for storage of the aircraft.
13. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein the first empennage and the second empennage shield corresponding ones of the first exhaust system and the second exhaust system from line of sight exterior of the aircraft.
14. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the first empennage supports a first stabilizer and a first rudder and the second empennage supports a second stabilizer and a second rudder.
15. The aircraft according to claim 14 further comprising: a gap extending between the first empennage and the second empennage.