METHOD OF CREATION OF AIRPLANE TYPE AIRCRAFT FORCES SYSTEM AND AIRCRAFT - GROUND-AIR AMPHIBIAN FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to vehicles of airplane's type which are intended for short-haul and lean-haul operation routes for passengers and freights traffic transportation. More precisely, it relates to Methods of enhancing of the aerodynaiic and transport characteristics of aircrafts of airplane's type which use the wing-in-ground effect when they are travelling over water and hard surfaces, and which are called "ground-air aiphibians" (GAA) because of their lotion's features due to the use of new constructional eleients and also because of the provision with stability and control characteristics on take-off, cruise flight and landing. Such aircrafts are capable of take-off and landing on aerodroies of any category or even aerodroies are not available. These aircrafts are capable of carrying on board enlarged quantity of passengers or freights by leans of iiproved carrying and operating characteristics and transportation econoiy is provided
PRIOR ART
Known in the prior art is a lethod of enhancing the lift-to drag (L/D) ratio of an aircraft and this aircraft construction for its iipleientation ( cf.
HO ft 96/33896, Int. Cl. B 60 ϋ i/08. International
Publication Date: 3i October 1996).
The known lethod of enhancing of lift-to-drag (L/D) ratio of the aircraft resides in the fact that an increased pressure zone is created between its wing and the supporting surface during the aircraft flight. On reaching a flight speed which exceeds the aircraft fligft's speed in the vicinity of the supporting surface this increased pressure zone air portion is taken outside. The air portion reioved is accelerated to a speed that is lore than a rai air speed and then this air is exhausted on the wing top surface in the direction of the wing's reaπost edge. The aircraft coiprises the wing having a cross and longitudinal load- bearing leibers and also ducts disposed between the longitudinal load-bearing leibers.
A drawback of the known lethod and a drawback of the aircraft intended for its iipleientation resides in the fact that the L/D ratio drops its values which are close to the aircrafts ones while the speed of a flight is increasing. It occurs due to a lifting dynaiic component enhancing during the flight speed increase, that, in turn, results to the flight height increase. In this case a surface lift component decreases.
Known in the prior art is a lethod of optiiization of aerodynaiic and transport characteristics of the ground-effect vehicle by leans of the aircraft new constructional eleients change (cf. HO 97/17241, Int.Cl. B 60 ϋ 1/08, International Publication Date: 15.05.97). The ground-effect vehicle coiprises a body, a tail and wings disposed on both sides of the body and profiled in the foπ of a triangle at the plan view. The wing incidence is variable and on approach nearer to the body its value increases.
However, such a ground-effect vehicle is only adapted for flights in the vicinity of the supporting surface where a ground effect exists and such a vehicle is unable to fly over the limits of it.
In the technical essence one of the nearest
analoques discovered is the lethod of increasing of airplane's type aircraft aerodynaiic and transport efficiency which is iipleiented, for exaiple, in passenger airplane's construction of the YAK-42M type or in its analogue in the foπ of the Boeing-737-300 passenger airplane. In their own construction the known vehicles coiprise the lost advanced technical solutions, which are designed for the aerodynaiic and transport characteristics enhancing. In particular, these planes use high-lift devices wing, which provides the cruise flight's lift-to-drag ratio K, value of which aiounts to 19. It allows to carry 150 to 170 passengers over the range of 2500 to 4000 ki when a specific fuel consumption is 18,5 - 21 g per passenger per kiloieter. The vehicle coiprises a fuselage, wings with controls, tail stabilizer, gas turbine powerplant. Such an aircraft has its take-off weight of 63,6 tons.
Drawback of the known aircrafts of airplane's type is a high cost of transportation due to the low transport efficiency of devices theiselves that is explained by necessity to have or to create for their operation the following:
1) expensive take-off and landing airfields with the ■ost sophisticated navigation systeis and proiotion's services,
2) steps of shifting - trans-Shipient of freights to the other vehicles,
3) construction of power consuiing and expensive airports and access ways which, in turn, require the alienation of significant land area and destruction of forests and vegetation,
4) requireient of high professional knowledges, practical skills, good health of staff in order to operate an airplane with high sophistication degree, in particular, it concerns the piloting during take-off and landing due to their traditional sophisticated lethod of realization,
5) high factor of danger to which people are exposed
on their travelling at large heights and also during the take-off and landing,
6) high degree of airplanes power-to-weight ratio requiring large specific consumptions of hydrocarbon fuels per transported weight's unit; in such a case payload's share in total weight of aircraft with the lost iiproved construction accounts for only 20-25% on transportation over declared range,
7) lasting tens of airplanes self-repayient related with high priie cost of their developient and construction and lasting tens of creation and also with high opertion's price.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INUENTION
The object of the present invention is to work out an airplane type aircraft forces systei in order to enhance its aerodynaiic construction and transport characteristics, to iiprove a lethod of its lotive control and also to provide with stability and lanoeuvrability characteristics to flight both in the vicinity of the supporting surface and over the limits of it. The offered lethod of forces systei creation coiprises lift, thrust and control forces, which provide the aircraft take-off, landing, lotion and lanoeuvre operaion.
Another objective of the present invention is to work out the airplane' type new aircraft, which is deprived of the airplane - prototype drawbacks and which is equipped and based on the principle of the ground - air aiphibian (GAA), which allows to iipleient:
- take-off and landing on unprepared surfaces;
- lotion not only in the near-the-ground lode, but also under a free flight condition with a high lift-to- drag ratio:
- flight stabilization and aircraft lotion Simplified control in all lodes, including take-off and landing;
- passengers and freights transportation econoiy over significant ranges and flight safety enhancing;
To solve these probleis the ground-air aiphibian characteristics are iiparted to the aircraft of airplane type and its lift, thrust and control forces systei is created by the following steps of:
- providing fth gasdynaiic power transfer froi gas generators to lift propulsors-fans, cruise propulsor and to a device which is designed to create a gas jet curtain;
- additional freight and passenger lodules arrangeient on the wing tips;
- these lodules and fuselage laking in the foπ of aerodynaiic airfoils; - creation of gas jet curtains and static air cushion creation under the bottoi lift surface of the aircraft;
- boundary layer blowing off the upper surfaces;
- lift propulsors-fans arrangeient in the vicinity of the vehicle bottoi;
- creation of jet directed to a supporting surface and provision with aicraft lift off and lanoeuvre ιode in the vicinity of the supporting surface;
- redistribution of energy supply between the lift propulsors and cruise propulsor and the vehicle lotion realization;
- the lift propulsors-fans cutting-off and the whole power transfer to the cruise propulsor drive, cruise flight realization in the vicinity of the supporting surface at the height, which is less than the wing lean chord and provisionwithhigh lift-to- drag ratio of aircraft upon the whole;
- rudders and elevators arrangeient in the action area of the jet. which is discharged by cruise propulsor and provision of aircraft control in the whole range of lotion speeds;
- aircraft incidence change, noiinal power supply to the cruise propulsor drive and airplane
free flight realization at the heights, which are lore than lean wing chord;
- distribution of created lift forces on the vehicle construction leibers by leans of creation of additional lift forces in places of strenght load concentration, i.e. provision with positive incidence of the fuselage and the suspended Modules.
As a variation of the aicraft lift systei creation ■ethod the aircraft center of gravity is arranged inside of a periieter of a geoietrical figure, which is foried by points of carrying forces application, which act on airfraie leibers and provide the vehicle with stable lotion including a lotion with siall speeds. In such a case the center of gravity is disposed in front of resulting lift application's point and it provides the aircraft controllability. Lift propulsors- fans blades are lade with a large chord and foried, for exaiple, sabre-like ones. In the vicinity of the supporting surface the wing-in-ground effect is used. Speeds of rotation of the blades tips are led to their values which are closed to the sound speed and additional lift is obtained. In addition, at least static air cushion is created in three chaibers, which are separate and independent. Forces applications centers of these chaibers are syiietrically disposed relative to the aicraft's longitudinal axis and they do not arranged on one straight line, but, for exaiple, their disposition is based on the principle of three-support carriages that provides with the aircraft stability on air cushion operation ιode. The wing area is enlarged by forward extension of flaps. The air cushion is created under the wing, which increases the wing lift. Additional forces created on inlet and / or outlet devices of lift propulsors-fans, which are perpendicularly oriented in the direction of the aircraft lotion and in the plane, which is parallel to the supporting surface. The aircraft is loved in one of these directions.
The aircraft of airplane type is lade in the fori of ground-air aiphibian (GAA), in which the disclosed ■ethod of creation of forces systei is realized. This aircraft coiprises a fuselage with passenger cabin and / or additional coipartients, lift wing, powerplant with gas generators provided with air intakes, keel, stabilizer, flap-ailerons, elevators and rudders. In such a case the wing is lade with end plates, to which suspended reiovable lodular sections are secured. The fuselage and the suspended lodular sections are lade in the fori of carrying airfoils with the large lean aerodynaiic chord (MAC). They have own the bottoi carrying surfaces with an incidence which is lore than zero but its valueis less than the lift wing incidence. The wing is lade with siall aspect ratio and enlarged chord. Said wing is provided with flaps, flap-ailerons and slat- spoiler.Through annular ducts are vertically disposed at the fuselage and the wing junction. The lift propulsors-fans with free turbines drive are lounted in these ducts. These fans are ιade as carrying ones and they are lounted in the wing-in-ground effect area.
The fuselage and wing have the bottoi surface divided into sections by leans of skegs, flaps and flap-ailerons and said sections liiit three separate chaibers of air cushion disposed on the principle of three-wheel landing gear and they are provided with a device, which is designed to create an adjusted gas jet curtain. The fuselage is equipped with leading edge flaps and trailing edge flaps, which are ιade with nozzles in order to retain the air cushion by leans of gas jets exhausted out of these nozzles in the fori of continuous curtain. The every of two lift propulsors - fans is disposed over two said air cushion chaibers, naiely: over the wing's chaiber and the fuselage's chaiber. This technical solution allows to create the largest air cushion chaiber under the fuselage by leans of two fans simultaneously.
The powerplant consists of gas generators, cruise
propulsor and two lift propulsors-fans with actuators which are lade , for exaiple , in the fori of free turbines. All said lechanisis are connected with each other by means of gas conduits with gas distributors. The powerplant is made with developed flow duct disposed both at the gas generators inlet and outlet. The flow duct has space bends. Inside and outside surfaces of this flow duct are covered with adhesive and heat- reflecting layer which provides the gas conduits with thermostatical control. The gas generators are disposed inside the fuselage in the region of the aircraft center of gravity. The fans air intakes are united in common air-induction channel and disposed at the fuselage front area where boundary stall may be existed.The air intakes of said fans, which are built-in into the wing, are provided with louver grids.
As a variation of the ground-air amphibian construction's realization the air-induction channel may be made the right-angled one in its cross section and it may be disposed along the whole span of the upper airfoil section. Inside the air-induction channel is provided with air-cleaning device, which is made, for example, in the form of separator. The flap- ailerons, flaps and skegs are provided with calibrated nozzles along the whole their perimeter. These nozzles are disposed in some staggered rows with constant spacing. These nozzles are connected by gas conduit with outlets of fans drives. In such a case the nozzles are disposed so that they discharge exhaust gases at the angle relative to the vertical line on the slant to the area of air cushion's increased pressure. The every fan has Six blades. The every blade of said lift propulsor - fan is made with enlarged chord and it has the sabre-like form in a plan view and a variable incidence along the span. The flap-ailerons and flaps with calibrated nozzles are disposed across between longitudinal skirts of skegs designed to be a device to lock the air cushion
chambers. Leading edge flaps may be turned on the angle relative to the horizontal plane which is more than 90 degrees. The flaps and flaps-ailerons designed to create the air cushion chambers gas jet curtain are made adjustable relative to the vertical plane. The slat-spoiler, which forms an adjustable slotted nozzle is disposed along the whole span on the wing front part.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompaning drawings, wherein: FIG.l is a plan view of the ground-air amphibian (GAA) type aircraft;
FIG. is a lateral view of the aircraft;
FIG.3 is a front view of the aircraft;
FIG.4 is a rear view of the aircraft; FIG.5 is a lateral view of the GAA type aircraft with extended freight ramp;
FIG.6 is a plan view of the aircraft with extended ladders;
FIG.7 is a cross section taken on the lift propulsor-fan axis;
FIG.8 is a cross section taken on line A-A, which shows the air cushion's gas jet curtain;
FIG. is a powerplant arrangement fragment, which shows the gas generator, gas distributor, lift propulsor-fan and gas conduit in plan view;
FIG.10 is a lateral view of the same devices shown in FIG.9;
FIG.il is a bottom view of the same aircraft shown in FIG.l. FIG.12 is a diagrammatic drawing of the lift propulsor-fan blades arrangement in plan view;
FIG.13 is a diagrammatic drawing of the GAA type aircraft, its deck in plan view and diagram of passenger
seats arrangement;
FIG.14 is a comparative plot of various aircrafts characteristics;
FIG.15 is a diagram of arrangement of lift forces application points and disposition of center of gravity of the GAA.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The aircraft of airplane type, for example, the ground-air amphibian comprises a fuselage 1 with passenger and/or freight compartments 2 and cruise propulsor 3. A lift wing 4 is made with small aspect ratio. Passenger or freight suspended modular sections 5 are secured to end plates 6 of the wing tips. A take-off and landing gear is made in the form of carrying lift propulsors-fans 7 disposed at the fuselage 1 and the wing 4 junction. The fuselage 1 and the bottom carrying planes of modules 5 are limited by lateral longitudinal skegs 8 have a determined incidence which is more than zero but its value is less than the wing incidence. The lift wing 4 has a leading edge sweep and a trailing edge sweep, the wing is provided with flap-ailerons 9. Movable flaps 10 and slat-spoiler 11 are mounted on the front part of the fuselage 1 and lift wing 4. The flap-ailerons 9, flaps 10 and skegs 8 are provided with calibrated nozzles 12 disposed in some staggered rows with constant 10 spacing and connected by gas conduit 13 with the gas generator 14. A combination of said nozzles on the flaps 10, skegs 8 and flap-ailerons 9 with the gas conduits for exhaust gases and with their operation control system is a device which is designed to create an adjustable gas jet curtain 15, which limits along the perimeter three separate chambers I, II and III of air cushion. Due to the movable flap-ailerons 9 and flaps 10 the gas jet curtain 15 may be adjusted relative to the vertical plane's position. A gas exhausted out of the calibrated nozzles 12 is
directed at the angle relative to the vertical line on the slant to the area of the air cushion increased pressure.
The gas generator 14 has a developed flow duct disposed both at the gas generators inlet and outlet. The flow duct has space bends and its surface is covered with adhesive and heat-reflecting layer providing with thermostatic control.
The flaps 10 and flap-ailerons 9 are disposed across between skeg skirts 8. The disposition gives them functions of device, which locks the air cushion chambers I, II, III along the whole their perimeter. In such a case the chambers I, II, II are disposed so that they based on the principle of three- wheel landing gear. It imparts the stability to the vehicle on the motion mode with the use of air cushion. The gas generators 14 are disposed inside the fuselage 1 in the area of a center of the vehicle gravity. The gas generators 14 are provided with air intakes 16 which are introduced into the front area of fuselage 1 where a boundary stall may be existed. Said air intakes 16 are disposed along the the whole span of upper airfoil section of fuselage 1. The air intakes 16 of gas generators 14 are united in common air-induction channel 17 and they have the right-angled section. An air - cleaning device, which, for example, is made in the form of separator 18 and also a gas distributor 19, which is made in the form of movable flap are disposed in the air-induction channel 17. Blades 20 of lift propulsors-fans 17 are made with increased chord and have the sabre-like form in a plan view and variable incidence along the span. Lift propulsors-fans 7 are disposed at the fuselage and the wing junction and mounted in through annular ducts 21 which have a through outlet both on the upper and bottom surfaces of wing and fuselage. The air intakes of fans 7, which built-in into the wing are provided with 20 louver grids 22. Both the fuselage 1 and the suspended modules 5 are provided with
numerous ladders 23 and ramp 24. With the deflected flaps 10 the slat - spoiler 11 forms an adjustable slotted nozzle 25, through which boundary layer blowing off is accomplished on the upper wing surfaces. A carrying surface 26 is intended to be the air cushion's base and to create the wing-in-ground effect due to the pressure of air, which is created between the supporting surface and the aircraft airframe (i.e. the fuselage bottom, wing and suspended modules). According to the disclosed method the ground - air amphibian of 60 t take: -off weight (GAA-60) has been worked out and tested. For the first time in the project of the airplane's type GAA aircraft characteristics are realised. There are a fuselage, a stabilizer and high-lift devices wing in the aircraft. At the same time it is a passenger and freight ground-effect vehicle of UTOL. The ground - effect vehicle presents itself an all-metal free-carrying low-wing monoplane with one-fin tail of ordinary type. If the bottom wide surface of fuselage is considered as a plane with a large chord its motion into the free flight allow to get a considerable increase of lift, which is more and more increasing into the flight mode in the vicinity of the supporting surface.
The aircraft lift forces system is strenghtened by means of imparting to it the ground-air amphibian's characteristics, namely: the static multi-chamber air cushion, which is created owing to the wing-in-ground effect of the vicinity of supporting surface relative to airframe and which has the continuous gas jet curtain disposed along the perimeter of the air cushion chambers.
The ground-air amphibian modes of a take-off, a run, a manoeuvring and a braking are performed by means of the multi-chamber air cushion equipped with gas jet skirt. The wing carrying characteristics are increased and additionally imparted to the fuselage and suspended modular sections attached to the wing tips.
The static increased pressure is created under the wing and fuselage. The jet force of air mass discharged by carrying lift propulsors-fans is used. The carrying fans blades are provided with aerodynamic lift. Transfer and distribution of power from the gas generators to the actuators made in the form of free turbines of cruise propulsor and in the form of lift propulsors-fans are performed by use of gasdynamic method. The boundary layer suction from the top of airfoil section of wing is arranged . The suction air flow is directed into the vertical through annular ducts of the fans. The top wing surface is blown off by means of the slotted nozzle of the slat - spoiler. All places of strength loads concentration, namely: the fuselage and the suspended modular sections disposed on the wing tips are unloaded by use of creation of their additional lift by means of forming their aerodynamic profiles. In FIG.15 it can be seen that the aircraft center of gravity is disposed inside of ABCDE geometric figure's perimeter. Said figure is formed by points of application of carrying forces. These forces have an effect on the airframe members. In such a case said center of gravity is disposed in front of resulting lift force application point. Above mentioned complex of operations provides with the aircraft controllability and its stable motion including a motion with low speeds.
The disclosed aircraft motion is controlled by means of lift and thrust forces variation. In such a case there are three motion modes, which are various in principle. The first one is the cruise flight on the wing - in - ground effect of supporting surface. The second one is transitional motion for the aircraft tare-off from the supporting surface, maneuvering, run operation, braking and landing. And the third is airplane flight over the limits of the wing-in-ground effect. Said three flight modes are controlled by use of the natural interaction of three motion parameters, namely: speed, weight and height taking into account
additional carrying characteristics of wing-in-ground effect obtained in the aircaraft operation. In such a case the gas generators operation is boosted for simultaneous provision with the cruise propulsor's reverse mode and the lift propulsors-fans operation during braking to zero speed. After braking manoeuvering is realised by means of partial transfer of power on the cruise propulsor and in landing mode the cruise propulsor is completely cutted off and the gas generators are smoothly transferedtάhe minimal power mode until their cut off when the aircraft touches down the supporting surface.
Hithin the zone of the wing-in-ground effect the aircraft cruise flight at airplane speeds is performed without of the air cushion use at the height up to 3 meters. The flight is realized with a high lift-to-drag ratio K obtained by means of a relative small flight height and the large aerodynamic chord not only of the wing but the fuselage and the suspended modular sections as well, which have the bottom carrying surface positive incidence. In FIG.14 a plot of the aerodynamic lift- to- drag ratio K dependence on relative flight height is shown for ground-effect vehicles (GEU). Existing GEUs have these values K as follows: the GEU "Orljonok" value K equals 14, the GEU "Lun" value K is 13,8. And the present ground-air amphibian GAA-60 has a value K equals 25. Experimental curves K = f (h) are plotted for various speeds of flight. At real flight heights of GAA-60 prospects of increase of lift-to-drag ratio at large speeds have been confirmed by models testing in a wind tunnel.
On transitional modes of motion including a stable hovering mode, contactless manoeuvering, run and braking operations are performed by use of carrying forces complex. It is used the multi-chamber air cushion with gas jet skirt created by means of increased static pressure under the wing and the fuselage. It is used the jet force of air mass discharged out of lift
propulsors-fans. Also the carrying aerodynamic force of fans blades operating in the area of the wing-in- ground effect and in the area of increased air cushion pressure is used. The wing top surface lift is formed by boundary layer suction directed to the through annular ducts of said fans and by blow off the wing top surface through the slat-spoiler slotted nozzle and this lift is also used.
At low speeds of motion (when the air cushion is used) the aicraft control is realized by use of organized discharge of working medium masses out of the air cushion space under the wing consoles. Hhen the working medium is forward discharged the aircraft is braking. Hhen the working medium is backward discharged the aircraft is moving forward. If the working medium is backward discharged from under one console and such a medium is . forwards discharged from under another console it means that the aircraft turns to the right or to the left. The working medium masses discharge is accomplished by use of slackening of air cushion chambers skirt and also by means of adjusted flaps, flap-ailerons and gas jet curtain.
The transitional modes motion are performed by use of air cushion at small heights up to 2 leters. In case of unevenness of a supporting surface, for instance, in forms of waves, hummocks, barkhans, etc. the flight mode choice can be realized by use of two methods, namely: by speed increase when the aircraft is trimmed at increased height over the supporting surface, or by forced ascend to increased height up to 1000 meters by use of pitch change or by extension of the wing's high-lift devices. The airplane flight out of the wing-in-ground effect area is realized at heights, which allow to get over obstacles at a route at the expence of gas generators reserves, which makes up about 40% and then the incidence is changed by means of elevators up to 10 degrees and then the GAA necessary
ascend is performed. After that the incidence is decreased to 4- 5 degrees and the horizontal flight over obstacle is realized. Thereupon the height is decreased and the aircraft enters into the supporting surface wing-in-ground effect area. In such a case the motion is controlled by use of natural interaction of motion three parameters, namely: speed, weight and height with the additional carrying characteristics of the supporting surface wing-in-ground effect area.
The airplane mode of motion is implemented by use of lift component, which is formed by means of wing, fuselage and suspended modules carrying characteristics increase and also by means of speed increase. In such a case the gas generators are switched over to the cruise propulsor operation with increased fuel consumption.
The aircraft payload increase is obtained by use of wing-in-ground effect of supporting surface and carrying characteristics of fuselage and suspended modules, incidence J- of which is 2 - 4 degrees. In such a case the motion parameters ( speed, range, height, power-to-weight ratio, etc.) are retained that make up to 50% of useful return and it radically varies the aircraft transport efficiency.
Another offered technical solution feature consists in that the GAA-60 is not only designed for take-off and landing on water surface only. That is why the GAA design standards are aviation ones and not ship's standards as for the known ground-effect vehicles. The offered vehicle can move over the water surface and may hover above it at height 0,5 - 1,5 meters for a long time if it is necessary, for example, to carry out rescue works or cargo handling by means of extended ladders and ramps, i.e. this vehicle will not be exposed to waves strokes.
To provide with possibility of the vertical get off any surface without of friction, rolling or hydrodynamic
drag overcoming the air cushion is formed into separate chambers so that a gas does not flow from one chamber to another in the cross direction. In particular, the GAA-60 has three such chambers and each of them is limited along the perimeter by means of devices producing the gas jet curtain. Such a technical solution creates the multi - chamber static air cushion. To create and to retain the increased pressure of air cushion chambers two methods of its limitation are used, naiely: mechanical method and gas jet method. The mechanical method is realized by means of flaps and flap-ailerons. They may be extended at the leading edge and trailing edge of carrying surfaces across and between skegs. In such a case, when necessary deviation and extention angle of flap-ailerons varies from zero to 45 degrees and such an angle of flaps varies from zero to 140 degrees. Each flap, flap-aileron and skeg has a multi-row disposition of calibrated nozzles at their end edges. Through these nozzles exhaust gases are blown out of free turbines of carrying fans. Gas jets are discharged under the optimal angle formed the continuous gas jet curtain, which averts air flow out of air cushion chambers and retains the increased static pressure in them. Kinetic jet energy of each jet is transferred into potential energy in the form of pressure in the air cushion chamber and the obtained energy performs its work in the lifting of the aircraft. Besides this, the carrying lift propulsors-fans blades of large diameter directly mounted in the wing-in-ground effect area allow to produce the additional lift relative to the static air cushion lift. Thus on hovering and manoeuvring mode a total component of the GAA-60 lift forces system is formed by the folowing shares: - the static air cushion lift gives 40%;
- the jet of air mass exhausted by lift propulsors- fans gives 8%;
- the aerodynamic lift of all lift propulsors-fans
blades constitutes 35%;
- the boundary layer suction from the upper airfoil section by said fans air intakes constitutes about 7%;
- the blowing off the upper airfoil section of the wing provides with up to 6%;
- the leading flaps extention at angle more than 90 degrees ( on the wing area enhancing from value Si to value S2, cf. FIG.8 ) provides with more than 4%.
Proceeding from that the whole lift of the vehicle GAA-60 constitutes 60 tons the absolute values of the whole lift component in the GAA hovering mode can be estimated as follows:
( 40 + 8 + 35 + 7 + 6 + 4 ) = 100% 24t + 4, 8t + 21t + 4, 2t + 3 , 6t + 2 ,4t = 60 t The complex of forces components allows to the vehicle GAA-60 to operate a vertical take-off with a considerable climb ( at height 0,5 - 1,5 m ) and to overcome obstacles without the application of traditional air cushion flexible skirts. The offered vehicle lift-to-drag ratio increase in comparison with the prototype creates a possibility to install suspended modular sections and to dispose an additional weight, icreasing the payload.
A transfer of vehicles GAA-60 into domain of lift- to-drag ratio K = 25 which is accomplished by offered technical solution is the new great achievement in the improvement of aircrafts of such a class as the best transport airplanes results have K = 19 - 22. A significant increase of offered aircraft transport efficiency is achieved by this.
The GAA-60 energy complex is formed on the basis of gas-turbine engine units of lot production: the gas generator produces a working medium in the form of high-temperature gas and the working medium is distributed in necessary quantity by means of thermostatically controlled gas conduits to consumers, i.e. to free turbines of cruise tractor-propeller and carrying fans mounted in annular ducts. In contra-
distinction to known traditional air cushion vehicles, in which a power capacities are usually distributed by means of rigid transmission with the following standard mode: the air cushion power consumption makes up 30% and the propulsion thrust power consumption amounts to 70%, GAA-60 energy complex allows to use 100% of power for the producing the cruise propulsion thrust or air cushion. For example, in case of take-off, hovering, manoeuvring in the vicinity of supporting surface a great deal of power is used in order to create the air cushion but in case of cruise flights all gas generators power is consumed by tractor propellers ( at this time the carrying fans are de-energized ).
The gasdynamic method of power transfer and control by means of the thermostatically controlled gas conduits provides with a kinematic communication between the gas generators and the actuators and allows to distribute power as smoothly as required and said method eliminates the use of rigid mechanical power transmissions of such type as gear boxes, couplings, bearing and other units. It simplifies the powerplant construction and decreases its cost. It increases the reliability of the powerplant and decreases its weight to about 4% of the vehicle take-off weight and it, in its turn, increases the transport efficiency of the disclosed vehicle GAA - 60 according to the present invention and it also simplifies the vehicle's flight control. Furthermore, the powerplant arrangement is implemented so that the most vulnerable gas generators are disposed within the fuselage, and the air intake is removed into a ram air "pure" zone, but centripetal forces in the air intake bends realize a separation of particles (sand, water, snow, ice, biomass) the density of which is more than the air density. The GAA-60 powerplant consists of two gas turbine gas generators of TV7-117C type, each of them has equivalent heat power of 2500 H.P. with the organized distribution of working medium by thermostatically
controlled gas conduits to the free turbines of carrying lift propulsors-fans with blades and diameter of 3 meters and to the free turbine of cruise propulsor, which is made in the form of propeller with diameter of 4,2 meters and the engine AI-20D of lot production, the power of which is 5100 H.P. The gas generators are disposed inside the fuselage in the area of center of gravity and they are provided with environmental protection. The gas generators air intakes are united in total air-induction channel and disposed at the front part of the fuselage in the area where boundary layer's stall is possible. They have an active protection from outer clogging, which is made, for example, in the form of separators The air intakes are disposed along the whole span of the top airfoil section of the fuselage and a channel of air conduit has the right-angled form in its section.
In FIG. 7, 8 and 9 shown are sections, which disclose an arrangement's solutions concerning the powerplant and in FIG. 10 and 11 shown are solutions which relate to simultaneous air cushion's retaining by means of extended flaps and flap-ailerons and by use of gas jet curtain blowing. Each of fans is disposed at the fuselage and the wing consoles junction and therefore at the same time it inflates two chambers of air cushion, namely: chamber under the wing console and chamber under the fuselage. The static air cushion has a three chambers: two chambers I and III are disposed under the consoles of the wing and one chamber II has the extended form and is disposed under the fuselage i.e. three-wheel airplane landing gear principle is used ( cf. FIG. 11 ). Said air cushion provides with the static aircraft stability on hovering and manoeuvering modes when the wing and the fuselage lifts are out of operation because of small speeds motion.
Low-sited lift propulsors-fans operate in the wing- in-ground effect's area: the blade's chord approximately
equals the height of fan's disposition. Besides this said fan's blades operate in the air cushion chambers with increased pressure.
The sabre-like blades of lift propulsors-fans are made with variable section and enlarged blade chord. It allows them to produce the additional lift, which is comparable with helicopter's rotor with respect to efficiency. Their disposition in the annular duct and in area of increased air cushion's pressure ( p > 0,125 ) increases lift some more 8% and besides this the blades operate in the wing-in-effect area ( h = 0,2 ). It increases their carrying characteristics some more 50-80% as compared with the horizontal thrust propellers. The GAA-60 does not have a traditional damping undercarriage, which perceives the whole weight of the known airplane that lands with significant vertical speed while the offered vehicle accomplishes a soft landing on the air cushion and this vehicle does not have the vertical speed in practice.
The offered aicraft is provided with systems, which assure its operation and are as follows: control system, fuel system, oil system, hydraulic system, fire- prevention system, anti-icing system, heat, ventilation systei etc., including radio conunication system and radio navigation system. The complex allows the aircraft to fly including flights under complicated meteorological conditions.
The GAA-60 is equipped with extended board ladders and ramp. It provides with a fast cargo handling without use of aerodrome's aids.
The offered device of the GAA-60 functions as follows.
Hhen boarding and loading are over extended ladders and ramp are retracted into the aircraft. A working medium distribution's damper is placed in position "fans". The gas generators start up and idle mode is
settled. The gas generators operation is verified according to schedule of warming up. Then the flap- ailerons and flaps are extended, the jet curtain starts up and control lever of engines is put into take- off behavior. The aircraft takes-off and hovers at maximal height of static air cushion (1,0 - 1,5 m). The aircraft's trim is verified on hovering mode. Then the gas distributor's damper is settled in position "70% fans" and "30% cruise propulsor". At the beginning of cruise propulsor operation elevators and rudders are blown off by air. The aircraft is turned by means of rudder in order to set necessary course. A pitch in the form of necessary incidence is settled by means of elevators. A taxiing is performed as a longitudinal motion. Hhen take-off taxiing is over the cruise propulsor airscrew blades incidence is increased and run operation is started. Hhen speed attains a value of 110 km/h as the speed is increased a working medium distributor damper is smoothly settled in position "100% cruise propulsor" (in position "0% fans"). It is accomplished when the aircraft speed equals 230-250 km/h. At this time the jet curtain and flap-ailerons and flaps are retracted and energetic run operation continues. Hhen necessary motion parameters ( which are naturally balanced in respect of speed, height, roll and pitch ) are obtained the operation power of the gas generator is smoothly decreased to 0,5 - 0,8 of its nominal value. At this time the aircraft flies in cruise mode and it is controlled by means of flap- ailerons, rudders and elevators. At the approach to the place of destination the working medium distributor damper is smoothly settled in position "50% fans" and "50% propulsor". The aircraft speed is decreased ( the cruise propulsion airscrew rotational speed is decreased ). At the same time the cruise propulsor airscrew blades incidence is decreased. At motion speed of 200 km/h the flap - ailerons are extended, the jet curtain is started up and the aircraft is braked
until its speed is became equal 100 km/h. At this time the damper is settled in position "70% fans" and "30% propulsor" and the operation power of the gas generator is decreased to its minimal value. The GAA speed is became equal 20-40 km/h. At this speed the taxiing is accomplished towards to the landing point (by adjustment of aiscrew blades incidence). At this point the damper of the working medium distribution is settled in position "fans". The cruise propulsor operation comes to a stop and the GAA is in hovering mode. The operation power of the gas generators is smoothly decreased to 0,2 of its nominal value and landing is accomplished. Then the flaps and flap-ailerons are retracted and the jet curtain is cut off. The parking board turbine generator starts up by means of working gas generators and the board ladders and ramp are extended. By that time the gas generators and lift propulsors-fans operation is over. The vehicle is ready to unload passengers and freights. At a stopover the gas generators continue to operate, they are settled into the idle mode and the damper is settled in position "propulsor".
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The use of the disclosed methods and device for implementation thereof allows to reach invention's aim, namely: complex enhancing of aerodynamic and transport characteristics of an airplane type aircraft. The present invention object is also to create the new aircraft flight control method unknown before in aeronavigation. In addition, the GAA-60 construction vehicle represents the new highly effective transport facility capable to change and improve the whole existing transportation system.
The offered aircraft allows to increase goods traffic turnover more than four times and it Significantly saves a fuel and decreases
ecological damage. Passengers and freights transportation safety is enchanced since the aircraft flies at very small height and it avoids a possibility of stroke on the surface when the aicraft touches down the surface. A technical result is the creation of aeroplane type aircraft having the ground-effect vehicle characteristics of the ground-air amphibian. The aicraft control is performed taking into account an interaction of three motion parameters, namely: speed, weight and height and the use of the wing-in-ground effect of supporting surface. The GAA-60 aircraft is worked out as a multi-purpose one in addition to existing transport means. It relates to self-dependent type of transport which is capable to compete with the existing aiplanes of YAK-42M, Boeing 737-30 and others of this class in a sphere of basic flight and economic indices.
Comparative some characteristics of the disclosed aircraft and of the prototype vehicle are shown in Table below.
Table
Parameters Aeroplane YAK-42H GAA-60
Take-off weight, t 63,6 60,0
Operational weight, t 37,4 37
Maximum payload, t 16,5 24
- icluding suspended modules, t - 30
Cruising altitude, m iiiOO 1
Cruising speed, km/h 800-830 450-480
Table continuation
Parameters Aeroplane YAK-42M GAA-60
Range:
- with maximum payload, km 1950 3400
- with nominal payload, km 2500 4100
- with maximum fueling, km 4500 7000
Required runway length, m 2200 0
Length, l 38,0 35,6
Hing span, l 36,25 14,0
Hing area with fuselage, sq. l 120 134
Specific fuel consuiption, kg kgf/h
0,62 (H=iii00 ■) 0,33(H=i l)