An aircraft having a geometrical means for revolving the nose portion thereof about an axis oblique to the normal centerline of the vehicle, resulting in a pitch-down, nonfaired configuration to increase clear field of vision in the critical area lying below and ahead of the aircraft for landing and takeoff while in one position, and an optimum aerodynamically acceptable supersonic configuration in the other position.
An airplane, such as a supersonic airplane, includes at least one viewing tunnel located behind the cockpit instrument panel for allowing the pilot to see in front of and to the side of the airplane during low speed flight. The viewing tunnel is especially useful during landing approaches and touchdown when the airplane's high angle of attack and long nose prevents the pilot from seeing the landing environment through the conventional forward cockpit windows. The viewing tunnel allows the pilot to see through a large opening in the bottom and sides of the airplane. This opening is covered by canards during high speed flight and uncovered during low speed flight when the canards are moved to the extended position to provide additional control authority for the airplane.
A camouflaged and deceptive preception distorted aircraft comprising an aircraft fuselage with nose tail top bottom and side surfaces having a real cockpit canopy on the top surface with length, width and height dimensions and a simulated cockpit canopy on the bottom surface positioned substantially in the same general area as the real cockpit canopy so that only one of the cockpit canopies is visible when the aircraft is perceived directly above the top surface or directly below the bottom surface, the simulated cockpit canopy having dimensions simulating the length, width and height of the real cockpit canopy, and at least one of the simulated cockpit canopy dimensions being greater than the corresponding length, width or height dimension of the real cockpit canopy; and the method for producing the simulated cockpit canopy.
A camouflaged and deceptive preception distorted aircraft comprising an aircraft fuselage with nose tail top bottom and side surfaces having a real cockpit canopy on the top surface with length, width and height dimensions and a simulated cockpit canopy on the bottom surface positioned substantially in the same general area as the real cockpit canopy so that only one of the cockpit canopies is visible when the aircraft is perceived directly above the top surface or directly below the bottom surface, the simulated cockpit canopy having dimensions simulating the length, width and height of the real cockpit canopy, and at least one of the simulated cockpit canopy dimensions being greater than the corresponding length, width or height dimension of the real cockpit canopy; and the method for producing the simulated cockpit canopy.
Aircraft windows and associated methods for installation. The windows can be installed in a passenger cabin of an aircraft and can include a frame that supports a pane assembly having a viewing area of at least 180 square inches. The viewing area can have a triangular shape, with the sides of the window aligned with none of the major axis of the aircraft. Alternatively, the window can have a longitudinally extended rectangular shape, a diamond shape or an elliptical shape. The window frame can have a divider portion that separates two window apertures, each of which carries a separate pane assembly. Adjacent windows can be closed out with a common bezel.
An improved fighter aircraft has three primary lifting surfaces acting as wings on the airframe. The lifting surfaces are attached 120 degrees apart on the airframe so the fighter may turn in any direction without prior movements. The pilot has means to position himself to feel only positive g's in these maneuvers. A rotatable cockpit section, for example, moves independent of the airframe with the canard wings thereon. The pilot flies the cockpit section and the airframe with wings thereon responds accordingly.
