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Method and apparatus for retrieving a hovering aircraft

  • US 7,954,758 B2
  • Filed: 08/13/2007
  • Issued: 06/07/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system for capturing an aircraft in principally thrust-borne flight, said capturing system comprising:

  • (a) a fixture interceptor, the fixture interceptor being attached to a tension element of the aircraft;

    (b) a linear or curvilinear fixture configured to be suspended across a flight path of the aircraft in a principally horizontal orientation which is not parallel to the flight path of the aircraft, the fixture being rotatable about a vertical or substantially vertical axis;

    (c) a suspension support configured to suspend the fixture such that the aircraft in principally thrust-borne flight can approach and employ the fixture interceptor to contact the fixture;

    (d) a fixture interceptor capturer attached to the fixture and configured to engage the fixture interceptor; and

    (e) an aerodynamic surface attached to the suspension support and configured to passively adjust a rotational position of the fixture about said axis to orient the fixture interceptor capturer relative to the wind direction.

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