Long range convertible helicopter

Claim 1

A HELICOPTER TYPE AIRCRAFT DESIGNED PRIMARILY FOR HELICOPTER TYPE FLIGHT WHICH IS CONVERTIBLE ON THE GROUND TO ADAPT THE SAME FOR FIXED WING TYPE FLIGHT, INCLUDING FIXED WING TYPE TAKE-OFF AND LANDING, SO THAT SAID AIRCRAFT MAY BE FERRIED OVER LONG DISTANCES GENERALLY AS A FIXED WING TYPE AIRCRAFT, WHEREBY THE NEED TO EMPLOY AUXILIARY TRANSPORT VEHICLES TO TRANSPORT SAID AIRCRAFT OVER LONG DISTANCES IS PRECLUDED: SAID AIRCRAFT COMPRISING A FUSELAGE INCLUDING A TAIL STRUCTURE HAVING MECHANISMS THEREON FOR CONTROLLING SAID AIRCRAFT DURING BOTH HELICOPTER AND FIXED WING TYPE FLIGHT, SAID MECHANISMS INCLUDING YAW CONTROL MEANS FOR COMPENSATING FOR YAW MOMENTS PRODUCED DURING HELICOPTER TYPE FLIGHT AND DURING TAKE-OFF AND LANDING DURING FIXED WING TYPE FLIGHT; A ROTOR HEAD SURMOUNTING A ROTOR SHAFT ABOVE SAID FUSELAGE; A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DIRECTED AIRFOIL CONTOURED ROTOR WINGS EXTENDING FROM SAID ROTOR HEAD, EACH OF SAID WINGS BEING ROTATABLY CONNECTED WITH SAID HEAD SO THAT THE PITCH OF SAID WINGS MAY BE SELECTIVELY MODIFIED DURING HELICOPTER TYPE FLIGHT, EACH OF SAID WINGS HAVING DISSIMILAR LEADING AND TRAILING EDGES, THE LEADING EDGES OF SAID WINGS NORMALLY BEING OPPOSITELY ORIENTED TO FACE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FOR HELICOPTER TYPE FLIGHT; MEANS MOUNTING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WINGS WITH SAID ROTOR HEAD FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS AT LEAST ABOUT 180*, SO THAT THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH SAID WINGS MAY BE BROUGHT INTO SIMILAR ORIENTATION FACING IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION FOR FIXED WING TYPE FLIGHT, SAID MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING MECHANISM OPERATIVELY AND DISENGAGEABLY CONNECTING SAID ONE WING WITH SAID ROTOR HEAD SO THAT SUCH WING MAY BE OPERATIVELY DISENGAGED FROM SAID HEAD AND ROTATED AT LEAST ABOUT 180* AND OPERATIVELY REENGAGED WITH SAID HEAD WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF SUCH WING SIMILARLY ORIENTED WITH RESPECT TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE OTHER WING; AIRCRAFT PROPELLING THRUST MEANS MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID WINGS ADJACENT THE OUTBOARD END THEREOF, SAID WINGS PROVIDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE PRINCIPAL AIRFOIL LIFT SURFACES FOR SAID AIRCRAFT DURING BOTH FIXED WING AND HELICOPTER TYPE FLIGHT OF SAID AIRCRAFT; AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID WINGS WHEN THE LEADING EDGES THEREOF ARE SIMILARLY ORIENTED IN A POSITION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID FUSELAGE WITH SAID WING LEADING EDGES FACING FORWARDLY OF SAID FUSELAGE, WHEREBY SAID AIRCRAFT MAY BE OPERATED AS A FIXED WING TYPE AIRCRAFT DURING LONG DISTANCE FERRYING OPERATIONS.