Method for the control of a jet aircraft and apparatus for performing the method

Claim 1

A method for maintaining a stabilized flight of an aircraft having propulsion means for propelling a gaseous jet rearwardly of said aircraft for propulsion of said aircraft, a wing with ailerons for aerodyNamic support and a vertical tail surface, said aircraft being free of a horizontal tail surface, the steps comprising: selectively controlling a movable nozzle adjacent the aft end of said aircraft to deflect said gaseous jet to thereby define a primary control for controlling the direction of flight of said aircraft; selectively controlling trim apparatus mounted forwardly of said aft end to trim the flight of said aircraft independently of said primary control, said vertical tail surface and said ailerons on said wing; and producing a difference in the time it takes for the movable nozzle to cause a maximum deflection of said gaseous jet and the, time it takes the trim apparatus to reach full trim effectiveness, the time for said trim apparatus to reach full trim effectiveness being greater than the time for the primary control to cause a maximum deflection of the gaseous jet so that said primary control will be able to return quickly to a position providing maximum thrust for said aircraft after said aircraft has been trimmed.

Claim 2

A method for maintaining a stabilized flight of an aircraft having propulsion means for propelling a gaseous jet rearwardly of said aircraft for propulsion of said aircraft, a wing with ailerons for aerodyNamic support and a vertical tail surface, said aircraft being free of a horizontal tail surface, the steps comprising: selectively controlling a movable nozzle adjacent the aft end of said aircraft to deflect said gaseous jet to thereby define a primary control for controlling the direction of flight of said aircraft; selectively controlling trim apparatus mounted forwardly of said aft end to trim the flight of said aircraft independently of said primary control, said vertical tail surface and said ailerons on said wing; and producing a difference in the time it takes for the movable nozzle to cause a maximum deflection of said gaseous jet and the, time it takes the trim apparatus to reach full trim effectiveness, the time for said trim apparatus to reach full trim effectiveness being greater than the time for the primary control to cause a maximum deflection of the gaseous jet so that said primary control will be able to return quickly to a position providing maximum thrust for said aircraft after said aircraft has been trimmed.

Claim 3

An apparatus for maintaining a stabilized flight of an aircraft, comprising: propulsion means for propelling a gaseous jet rearwardly of said aircraft from a nozzle rearwardly mounted on said aircraft to discharge said gaseous jet along a flow-axis for propulsion of said aircraft; a wing having ailerons for aerodynamic support and a controllable vertical tail surface, said aircraft being free of a horizontal tail surface; a movable nozzle rotatably secured to said aircraft aft of said first mentioned nozzle and being selectively operative for deflecting said gaseous jet between a first position wherein said flow axis of said jet is directed along and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and a second position wherein said flow-axis of said jet is directed at an angle to said longitudinal axis of said aircraft to thereby define a primary control for controlling the direction of flight of said aircraft and to artificially stabilize said aircraft; attitude control means mounted forwardly of the aft end of said aircraft for trimming the flight of said aircraft by controlling the attitude of said aircraft independent of the aircraft controls offered by said movable nozzle, said vertical tail surface and said ailerons on said wing by generating a movement about the center of gravity of said aircraft, said attitude control means comprising means for supporting said wing for movement forward and rearward of said aircraft to thereby effect an altering of the lift generated by said wing relative to said center of gravity of said aircraft; and aerodynamic control circuitry for interrelating the movements of said movable nozzle and said attitude control means to thereby achieve an artificial stability in said aircraft.

Claim 4

An apparatus for maintaining a stabilized flight of an aircraft, comprising: propulsion means for propelling a gaseous jet rearwardly of said aircraft from a nozzle rearwardly mounted on said aircraft to discharge said gaseous jet along a flow-axis for propulsion of said aircraft; a wing having ailerons for aerodynamic support and a controllable vertical tail surface, said aircraft being free of a horizontal tail surface; a movable nozzle rotatably secured to said aircraft aft of said first mentioned nozzle and being selectively operative for deflecting said gaseous jet between a first position wherein said flow axis of said jet is directed along and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and a second position wherein said flow-axis of said jet is directed at an angle to said longitudinal axis of said aircraft to thereby define a primary control for controlling the direction of flight of said aircraft and to artificially stabilize said aircraft; attitude control means mounted forwardly of the aft end of said aircraft for trimming the flight of said aircraft by controlling the attitude of said aircraft independent of the aircraft controls offered by said movable nozzle, said vertical tail surface and said ailerons on said wing by generating a movement about the center of gravity of said aircraft, said attitude control means comprising means for supporting said wing for movement forward and rearward of said aircraft to thereby effect an altering of the lift generated by said wing relative to said center of gravity of said aircraft; and aerodynamic control circuitry for interrelating the movements of said movable nozzle and said attitude control means to thereby achieve an artificial stability in said aircraft.

Claim 7

An apparatus for maintaining a stabilized flight of an aircraft, comprising: propulsion means for propelling a gaseous jet rearwardly of said aircraft from a nozzle rearwardly mounted on said aircraft to discharge said gaseous jet along a flow-axis for propulsion of said aircraft; a wing having ailerons for aerodynamic support and a controllable vertical tail surface, said aircraft being free of a horizontal tail surface; a movable nozzle rotatably secured to said aircraft aft of said first mentioned nozzle and being selectively operative for deflecting said gaseous jet between a first position wherein said flow-axis of said jet is directed along and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and a second position wherein said flow-axis of said jet is directed at an angle to saId longitudinal axis of said aircraft to thereby define a primary control for controlling the direction of flight of said aircraft and to artificially stabilize said aircraft; attitude control means mounted forwardly of the aft end of said aircraft for trimming the flight of said aircraft by controlling the attitude of said aircraft independent of the aircraft controls offered by said movable nozzle, said vertical tail surface and said ailerons on said wing by generating a movement about the center of gravity of said aircraft; and aerodynamic control circuitry for interrelating the movements of said movable nozzle and said attitude control means to thereby achieve an artificial stability in said aircraft, said aerodynamic control circuitry includes (1) means for adjusting the position of said movable nozzle in response to a difference existing between desired attitude for said aircraft and said actual value of said attitude, (2) means for adjusting the position of said attitude control means in response to a difference existing between desired attitude for said aircraft and said actual value of said attitude and (3) time delay means for generating a difference in the time it takes for said movable nozzle to cause a maximum deflection of said gaseous jet and the time it takes said attitude control means to reach full trim effectiveness, said time for said attitude control means to reach full trim effectiveness being greater than said time for said movable nozzle to cause a maximum deflection of said gaseous jet.

Claim 8

An apparatus for maintaining a stabilized flight of an aircraft, comprising: propulsion means for propelling a gaseous jet rearwardly of said aircraft from a nozzle rearwardly mounted on said aircraft to discharge said gaseous jet along a flow-axis for propulsion of said aircraft; a wing having ailerons for aerodynamic support and a controllable vertical tail surface, said aircraft being free of a horizontal tail surface; a movable nozzle rotatably secured to said aircraft aft of said first mentioned nozzle and being selectively operative for deflecting said gaseous jet between a first position wherein said flow-axis of said jet is directed along and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and a second position wherein said flow-axis of said jet is directed at an angle to saId longitudinal axis of said aircraft to thereby define a primary control for controlling the direction of flight of said aircraft and to artificially stabilize said aircraft; attitude control means mounted forwardly of the aft end of said aircraft for trimming the flight of said aircraft by controlling the attitude of said aircraft independent of the aircraft controls offered by said movable nozzle, said vertical tail surface and said ailerons on said wing by generating a movement about the center of gravity of said aircraft; and aerodynamic control circuitry for interrelating the movements of said movable nozzle and said attitude control means to thereby achieve an artificial stability in said aircraft, said aerodynamic control circuitry includes (1) means for adjusting the position of said movable nozzle in response to a difference existing between desired attitude for said aircraft and said actual value of said attitude, (2) means for adjusting the position of said attitude control means in response to a difference existing between desired attitude for said aircraft and said actual value of said attitude and (3) time delay means for generating a difference in the time it takes for said movable nozzle to cause a maximum deflection of said gaseous jet and the time it takes said attitude control means to reach full trim effectiveness, said time for said attitude control means to reach full trim effectiveness being greater than said time for said movable nozzle to cause a maximum deflection of said gaseous jet.