Retrieving and/or launching system

Claim 1

The method of launching an aircraft in a system for launching and/or retrieving an aircraft, said system including: (i) gantry means having a base portion for attachment to a surface station and a distal portion, (ii) a longitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted on said distal portion, (iii) first actuation means operable to effect extension and contraction of said extensible member, (iv) second actuation means operable to effect pivotal movement of said extensible member with respect to said distal portion, (v) first complementary engagement means provided on the end region of said extensible member remote from the distal portion, (vi) an aircraft capable of hovering in a substantially stationary horizontal position with respect to said gantry means, (vii) second complementary engagement means provided on the aircraft in the region of its center of gravity adjacent the normal axis of the aircraft and being adapted for releasable engagement with said first complementary engagement means, (viii) control means for sensing the position of the second complementary engagement means when the aircraft is hovering in a predetermined acquisition region, and for operating said first and second actuation means to guide said first complementary engagement means into engagement with said second complementary engagement means, and (ix) location means against which the aircraft is drawn for substantially rigid location subsequent to carrying engagement by the complementary engagement means: the steps comprising: effecting a flight controllable condition of the aircraft while carried in the gantry means and drawn against the location means; actuating said first actuation means to cause the aircraft to be lowered to clear the location means while still maintaining the complementary engagement means engaged; effecting a hovering thrust supported condition of the carried aircraft; disengaging the complementary engagement means; and subsequently causing the aircraft to fly clear of the gantry means.

Claim 2

The method of launching an aircraft in a system for launching and/or retrieving an aircraft, said system including: (i) gantry means having a base portion for attachment to a surface station and a distal portion, (ii) a longitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted on said distal portion, (iii) first actuation means operable to effect extension and contraction of said extensible member, (iv) second actuation means operable to effect pivotal movement of said extensible member with respect to said distal portion, (v) first complementary engagement means provided on the end region of said extensible member remote from the distal portion, (vi) an aircraft capable of hovering in a substantially stationary horizontal position with respect to said gantry means, (vii) second complementary engagement means provided on the aircraft in the region of its center of gravity adjacent the normal axis of the aircraft and being adapted for releasable engagement with said first complementary engagement means, (viii) control means for sensing the position of the second complementary engagement means when the aircraft is hovering in a predetermined acquisition region, and for operating said first and second actuation means to guide said first complementary engagement means into engagement with said second complementary engagement means, and (ix) location means against which the aircraft is drawn for substantially rigid location subsequent to carrying engagement by the complementary engagement means: the steps comprising: effecting a flight controllable condition of the aircraft while carried in the gantry means and drawn against the location means; actuating said first actuation means to cause the aircraft to be lowered to clear the location means while still maintaining the complementary engagement means engaged; effecting a hovering thrust supported condition of the carried aircraft; disengaging the complementary engagement means; and subsequently causing the aircraft to fly clear of the gantry means.

Claim 3

The method of retrieving an aircraft in a system for launching and/or retrieving an aircraft, said system including: (i) gantry means having a base portion for attachment to a surface station and a distal portion, (ii) a longitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted on said distal portion, (iii) first actuation means operable to effect extension and contraction of said extensible member, (iv) second actuation means operable to effect pivotal movement of said extensible member with respect to said distal portion, (v) first complementary engagement means provided on the end region of said extensible member remote from the distal portion, (vi) an aircraft capable of hovering in a substantially stationary horizontal position with respect to said gantry means, (vii) second complementary engagement means provided on the aircraft in the region of its center of gravity adjacent the normal axis of the aircraft and being adapted for releasable engagement with said first complementary engagement means, and (viii) control means for sensing the position of the second complementary engagement means when the aircraft is hovering in a predetermined acquisition region, and for operating said first and second actuation means to guide said first complementary engagement means into engagement with said second complementary engagement means: the steps comprising: flying the aircraft to approach the gantry means; flying the aircraft to temporarily adopt a generally horizontal in-flight thrust-supported position within said acquisition region; operating said control means to sense the position of said second complementary engagement means and to actuate said first and second actuation means to cause said first and second complementary engagement means to be engaged; and terminating the supporting thrust.

Claim 4

The method of retrieving an aircraft in a system for launching and/or retrieving an aircraft, said system including: (i) gantry means having a base portion for attachment to a surface station and a distal portion, (ii) a longitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted on said distal portion, (iii) first actuation means operable to effect extension and contraction of said extensible member, (iv) second actuation means operable to effect pivotal movement of said extensible member with respect to said distal portion, (v) first complementary engagement means provided on the end region of said extensible member remote from the distal portion, (vi) an aircraft capable of hovering in a substantially stationary horizontal position with respect to said gantry means, (vii) second complementary engagement means provided on the aircraft in the region of its center of gravity adjacent the normal axis of the aircraft and being adapted for releasable engagement with said first complementary engagement means, and (viii) control means for sensing the position of the second complementary engagement means when the aircraft is hovering in a predetermined acquisition region, and for operating said first and second actuation means to guide said first complementary engagement means into engagement with said second complementary engagement means: the steps comprising: flying the aircraft to approach the gantry means; flying the aircraft to temporarily adopt a generally horizontal in-flight thrust-supported position within said acquisition region; operating said control means to sense the position of said second complementary engagement means and to actuate said first and second actuation means to cause said first and second complementary engagement means to be engaged; and terminating the supporting thrust.

Claim 5

The method of retrieving an aircraft in a system for launching and/or retrieving an aircraft, said system including: (i) gantry means having a base portion for attachment to a surface station and a distal portion, (ii) a longitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted on said distal portion, (iii) first actuation means operable to effect extension and contraction of said extensible member, (iv) second actuation means operable to effect pivotal movement of said extensible member with respect to said distal portion (v) first complementary engagement means provided on the end region of said extensible member remote from the distal portion, (vi) an aircraft capable of hovering in a substantially stationary horizontal position with respect to said gantry means, (vii) second complementary engagement means provided on the aircraft in the region of its center of gravity adjacent the normal axis of the aircraft and being adapted for releasable engagment with said first complementary engagement means, (viii) control means for sensing the position of the second complementary engagement means when the aircraft is hovering in a predetermined acquisition region, and for operating said first and second actuation means to guide said first complementary engagement means into engagement with said second complementary engagement means: the steps comprising: flying the aircraft to temporarily adopt a generally horizontal in-flight thrust-supported position within said acquisition region; operating said control means to cause said first and second complementary engagement means to be engaged; maintaining a flight controllable condition of the aircraft; actuating said first actuation means to draw the aircraft toward and locating it against the location means; and terminating the supporting thrust and flight controllable condition of the aircraft.

Claim 6

The method of retrieving an aircraft in a system for launching and/or retrieving an aircraft, said system including: (i) gantry means having a base portion for attachment to a surface station and a distal portion, (ii) a longitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted on said distal portion, (iii) first actuation means operable to effect extension and contraction of said extensible member, (iv) second actuation means operable to effect pivotal movement of said extensible member with respect to said distal portion (v) first complementary engagement means provided on the end region of said extensible member remote from the distal portion, (vi) an aircraft capable of hovering in a substantially stationary horizontal position with respect to said gantry means, (vii) second complementary engagement means provided on the aircraft in the region of its center of gravity adjacent the normal axis of the aircraft and being adapted for releasable engagment with said first complementary engagement means, (viii) control means for sensing the position of the second complementary engagement means when the aircraft is hovering in a predetermined acquisition region, and for operating said first and second actuation means to guide said first complementary engagement means into engagement with said second complementary engagement means: the steps comprising: flying the aircraft to temporarily adopt a generally horizontal in-flight thrust-supported position within said acquisition region; operating said control means to cause said first and second complementary engagement means to be engaged; maintaining a flight controllable condition of the aircraft; actuating said first actuation means to draw the aircraft toward and locating it against the location means; and terminating the supporting thrust and flight controllable condition of the aircraft.

Claim 7

A system for launching and/or retrieving an aircraft said system including: (i) gantry means having a base portion for attachment to a surface station and a distal portion, (ii) a longitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted on said distal portion, (iii) first actuation means operable to effect extension and contraction of said extensible member, (iv) second actuation means operable to effect pivotal movement of said extensible member with respect to said distal portion, (v) first complementary engagement means provided on the end region of said extensible member remote from the distal portion, (vi) an aircraft capable of hovering in a substantially stationary horizontal position with respect to said gantry means, (vii) second complementary engagement means provided on the aircraft in the region of its center of gravity adjacent the normal axis of the aircraft and being adapted for releasable engagement with said first complementary engagement means, (viii) control means for sensing the position of the second complementary engagement means when the aircraft is hovering in a predetermined acquisition region, and for operating said first and second actuation means to guide said first complementary engagement means into engagement with said second complementary engagement means, whereby for retrieval of the aircraft, said first complementary engagement means may be brought into releasable aircraft-carrying complementary engagement with said second engagement means, irrespective of the location of the aircraft within said acquisition region, to support a major portion of the weight of the aircraft, and the system being arranged such that a carried aircraft when released by disengagement of the engagement means can adopt an in-flight, self-supported position.

Claim 8

A system for launching and/or retrieving an aircraft said system including: (i) gantry means having a base portion for attachment to a surface station and a distal portion, (ii) a longitudinally extensible member pivotally mounted on said distal portion, (iii) first actuation means operable to effect extension and contraction of said extensible member, (iv) second actuation means operable to effect pivotal movement of said extensible member with respect to said distal portion, (v) first complementary engagement means provided on the end region of said extensible member remote from the distal portion, (vi) an aircraft capable of hovering in a substantially stationary horizontal position with respect to said gantry means, (vii) second complementary engagement means provided on the aircraft in the region of its center of gravity adjacent the normal axis of the aircraft and being adapted for releasable engagement with said first complementary engagement means, (viii) control means for sensing the position of the second complementary engagement means when the aircraft is hovering in a predetermined acquisition region, and for operating said first and second actuation means to guide said first complementary engagement means into engagement with said second complementary engagement means, whereby for retrieval of the aircraft, said first complementary engagement means may be brought into releasable aircraft-carrying complementary engagement with said second engagement means, irrespective of the location of the aircraft within said acquisition region, to support a major portion of the weight of the aircraft, and the system being arranged such that a carried aircraft when released by disengagement of the engagement means can adopt an in-flight, self-supported position.