Method and arrangement for providing safe vertical landing of airplanes and extrinsically supported zero-run takeoff of airplanes

• US 4,757,959 A
• Filed: 02/17/1987
• Issued: 07/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Barbel Schroder, Gunter Schroder
• Original Assignee: Barbel Schroder, Gunter Schroder
• Inventors: Schroder, Gunter, Schroder, Barbel
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corl, Rodney
• Application Number:
  US07/015,304
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 244/2, 244/3, 244/6, 244/137.4, 244/135 A
• US Class Current: 244/2
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 3/00 Aircraft adaptations to facilitate towing or being towed B64D39/00 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method and arrangement for providing safe vertical landing of airplanes, which are not provided with VTOL equipment or which are hindered with respect to their actual flight capabilities, as well as for providing extrinsically supported zero-run takeoff of airplanes. An airplane equipped with lower takeup means is coupled in flight to upper takeup means carried by a rotary wing aircraft flying above the airplane. The rotary wing aircraft generates the propulsion necessary to transport the airplane and the lifting force and sets it down vertically. Zero-run takeoff is initiated by lifting the airplane and accelerating it into its direction of flight by the rotary wing aircraft. When sufficient height, speed against wind and self-propulsion are gained, the airplane releases the connection to the upper takeup means and flies without assistance.

Claims

1. Arrangement for taking up an airplane, which has a fuselage and is at rest on the ground or in controlled flight, with the aid of a rotary wing aircraft, the arrangement comprising:

lower takeup means mounted on the airplane;

upper takeup means carried by the rotary wing aircraft;

remotely-controlled guidance means for guiding said upper takeup means relative to the rotary wing aircraft;

coupling-uncoupling means for coupling and decoupling said upper takeup means and said lower takeup means;

said lower takeup means being mounted on said fuselage;

said coupling-uncoupling means being configured so as to cause said upper takeup means to be coupled with said lower takeup means in a form-tight manner; and

,

said upper takeup means including;

an aerodynamically maneuverable unit remotely guided by said guidance means so as to be movable in three translatory axes and in three rotational axes relative to the rotary wing aircraft; and

, flexible supporting means for supporting said aerodynamically maneuverable unit from the rotary wing aircraft.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, comprising means for remotely actuating said coupling-uncoupling means to couple and uncouple said upper takeup means and said lower takeup means.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the rotary wing aircraft includes energy supply means and control means, said maneuverable unit being a small airplane suspended from the rotary wing aircraft;

and, the arrangement further comprising transmitting means for transmitting energy and signals to said small airplane from said energy supply means and said control means.

4. The arrangement of claim 3, said flexible supporting means comprising a variable length towline for suspending said small airplane from said rotary wing aircraft;

and, hoist means mounted on said rotary wing aircraft for changing the length of said towline.

5. The arrangment of claim 3, comprising a TV camera system mounted in said small airplane for transmitting video images to a receiver mounted in the rotary wing aircraft, on the ground or in an escort aircraft.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, said aerodynamically maneuverable unit being a small airplane suspended from the rotary wing aircraft by said flexible supporting means.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, said coupling-uncoupling means comprising release means actuable from within said airplane for opening the coupling of said upper takeup means and said lower takeup means.

8. Arrangement for taking up an airplane, which has a fuselage and is at rest on the ground or in controlled flight, with the aid of a rotary wing aircraft having a lower wall as well as energy supply means and control means, the arrangement comprising:

lower takeup means mounted on the airplane;

upper takeup means carried by the rotary wing aircraft;

remotely-controlled guidance means for guiding said upper takeup means relative to the rotary wing aircraft;

coupling-uncoupling means for coupling and decoupling said upper takeup means and said lower takeup means;

said lower takeup means being mounted on said fuselage;

said upper takeup means being carried from the lower wall of the rotary wing aircraft;

said coupling-uncoupling means being configured so as to cause said upper takeup means to be coupled with said lower takeup means in a form-tight manner;

said upper takeup means including a maneuverable unit remotely guided by said guidance means, said maneuverable unit being a small airplane suspended from the rotary wing aircraft;

transmitting means for transmitting energy and signals to said small airplane from said energy supply means and said control means;

said small airplane defining a longitudinal axis; and

, said upper takeup means including a carrying bail defining a plane and mounted on the lower side of said small airplane so as to cause a normal to said plane to be substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis;

said lower takeup means including;

frame means mounted on said fuselage of the airplane;

a lever mounted on said frame means and having a lever arm for engaging said carrying bail when said small airplane is brought into a coupling position above said fuselage;

said lever being pivotally mounted on said frame means so as to pivot in a vertical plane about a horizontal pivot axis between a locked position wherein said lever arm is inclined downwardly toward said fuselage and an unlocked position wherein said lever arm is inclined upwardly so as to point away from said fuselage; and

,

releasable locking means for locking said lever in said locked position.

9. The arrangement of claim 8, said upper takeup means including securing means for securing said carrying bail onto said lever arm.

10. The arrangement of claim 9, said securing means being a securing flap pivotally mounted on said small airplane for engaging said frame means to hold said carrying bail in place on said first lever arm.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, said lever being a two-arm lever having a second lever arm for coacting with said releasable locking means for holding said two-arm lever in said locked position.

12. The arrangement of claim 10, said arrangement comprising first electrical contact means mounted on said frame means, and second electrical contact means mounted on said securing flap for contact engaging said first electrical contact means when said securing flap engages said frame means for establishing an electrical connection between said upper takeup means and said lower takeup means.

13. The arrangement of claim 8, said releasable locking means being releasable from the cockpit of the airplane taken up by the arrangement.