Vertical Take Off and Landing Powerplant for aircrafts

Author: Liviu Giurca

Introduction
Aircraft design has numerous desiderates and one of them remains to achieve the Vertical Take Off and Landing in a safe and reliable manner.

Problems to be solved
1. Creation of a new class of aircraft and propulsion system combining characteristics of helicopters and airplanes. 2. Creation of effective, reliable and safe aircraft that do not require special places for takeoff and landing and for which the contact with obstacles would not lead to disasters. 3. Creation of an aircraft for a wide range of everyday tasks and emergency situations.

State of the art

Helicopter

Disadvantages: -Too complex and expensive; -External dangerous open rotors; -Difficult to be controlled. Only for very talented pilots; 1

-Low flight efficiency.

Tail sitting VTOL aircraft

Disadvantages: -Launching and landing only in vertical position; -Limited size; -Too complex; -External dangerous open rotors. Ducted fan

Disadvantages: -Low efficiency because a big amount of energy which is lost by the reverse flow effect achieved doe to the centrifugal forces of the airscrews in ducted fans. -Limited autonomy (big fuel consumption) -Noisily solution; -Also complex.

New VTOL Powerplant for aircrafts VTOL -PP

The VTOL Powerplant uses a revolutionary design, without airscrews, and generates lift within a relatively small diameter body by employing a unique combination of lifting surfaces. This is primarily because it allows the creation of an extremely compact aerial vehicle which has VTOL capabilities and high lifting efficiencies. VTOL-PP uses less power to create lift than any other method currently employed. On the other hand a VTOL Powerplant can employ the Hybrid Opposed Piston Engine - HOPE (described in www.hybrid-engine-hope.com) as primemover, because it offers a huge power density and 3

consequently a low weight, which is essential for aircraft performances. The high efficiency of HOPE generates low fuel consumption and therefore a big autonomy. The high durability and simplicity of HOPE (without friction between piston and cylinder and without cylinder head) are other major advantages. The proposed VTOL Powerplant can be installed in many aircraft configurations. Area of application can include Commercial and Industrial Lifting and Transport Crafts, Defense Platform, Personal and Family VTOL Crafts, UAVs, Toys, etc. The new VTOL-PP makes Vertical Take Off and Landing affordable for a larger market because simplifies use and maintenance of aircraft. Two aircraft configurations are shown bellow: -A Compound VTOL Aircraft; -A Personal VTOL Aircraft. The Compound VTOL Aircraft uses a longitudinal fuselage which has the VTOL Powerplant located in the center of gravity. The VTOL Powerplant can be obviously used for vertical take off and for landing. Two wings are attached to be employed for horizontal flight. An enveloped propeller is used also for horizontal flight. Unlike conventional helicopters, The Compound VTOL Aircraft does not have any dangerously exposed rotors, making it safer than helicopters or airplanes in this respect. Furthermore, the external ducts create a protective barrier in the event of contact with obstacles. Therefore the Compound VTOL Aircraft could potentially operate safely near vertical obstacles, within urban environments, forests or mountains. A Compound VTOL Aircraft can be launched and landed almost anywhere.

The Personal VTOL Aircraft has a VTOL Powerplant located above the pilot, which is suspended from it directly or within a frame (not shown). This aircraft can take off from a small space, so is easy to deploy anywhere.

As opposed to the mechanically complicated cyclic swash-plate and mechanically coupled tail rotor found in a conventional helicopter, these aircrafts implements a simple and low weight construction. This system uses fewer and simpler parts than a conventional helicopter, which should ultimately make it less expensive to manufacture and maintain. Intellectual Property status: Patent pending

URL: http://www.hybrid-engine-hope.com/vtol_aircaft_with_hope e-mail : lgiurca@hybrid-engine-hope.com