SK432023U1 - Modification of the aircraft to ensure floating after an emergency landing on the water surface - Google Patents

Abstract

Modification of the aircraft to ensure floating after an emergency landing on the water surface. The solution includes boxes (3) for storing the bags (4) on the aircraft when folded, a valve on the bottle (5) in the cabin to start the inflation of the bags (4) through the hoses (6) and to seal the cavities (1) and (2) of the tail section aircraft. The bags can be transported as emergency floats when folded and only activated in the event of an emergency landing on water.

Description

The field of technology

Aeronautics, Small aircraft, Ultralight aircraft, General aviation.

Current state of the art

Inflatable bags are used as a means of landing on the surface of water in small aircraft and helicopters. The use of inflatable bags in helicopter landing gear is not new and has been known for several decades. The bags provide a cushioning effect during water landings, reducing impact and protecting the helicopter from damage.

In the past, floats with a complex hydrodynamic shape were commonly used on airplanes to facilitate landing on water. However, in helicopters, these floats were not a practical solution due to their size and weight, which would affect the aircraft's performance. Therefore, the use of inflatable bags was developed as an alternative landing gear solution for helicopters.

Inflatable water landing bags can either be permanently inflated and attached to the helicopter's airframe, or they can be carried as collapsed emergency floats and activated only in the event of an emergency water landing. Both of these methods have been tested and used in helicopters.

In aerodynamically controlled aircraft, emergency airbags were also tested in the 1930s and 1940s in US Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft.

However, despite the previous use of air bags for emergency landings on aircraft, there are still limitations and disadvantages to their use. For example, bags may not provide enough lift for larger aircraft. These factors must be taken into account in the development and implementation of airbag emergency landing systems in fixed-wing aircraft.

The essence of the technical solution

In the event of an emergency landing on water, the bags stored in boxes on the sides of the hull are activated (inflated) with compressed air. The bags are firmly attached to the airframe. The swimming of the tail part is ensured by sealing the cavities in the keel. The inflation of the bags is initiated by the pilot using a valve on the bottle in the cabin.

Overview of images on drawings

Figure 1 shows the location of the flotation bags and watertight cavities on the aircraft.

Implementation examples

Figure 1 shows the location of the waterproof cavities 1 and 2 in the tail part of the aircraft and the location of the boxes 3 for folded bags 4, which are located in the transition of the leading edge of the center plane. The pressure cylinder 5 is located on the central tunnel in front of the pilot and is connected by hoses 6 to the bags.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS FOR PROTECTION An aircraft modified to ensure floating after an emergency landing on the water surface, characterized by the fact that it is equipped with waterproof cavities (1) and (2) in the tail part and compartments (3) for 5 folded bags (4) which are located in the passage of the leading edge of the wing into the fuselage and is further equipped with a pressure bottle (5) for inflating bags (4) through connected hoses (6) located on the central tunnel in front of the pilot's seat.