Hybrid air vehicle having air-cushion landing gear mounted under the payload module/cabin

摘要

Air-cushion landing gear 3 is mounted on the underside of the payload module 2 so as to create a positive or negative air-pressure chamber 5. Additional smaller air-cushion units 4 may be located within the main chamber 5 so as to assist in take-off and landing and provide redundancy. Lift forces may be generated by both lighter-than-air gases within the hull 1 and the aerodynamic form of said hull. More than one payload or passenger module may be present (figure 2), each being provided with an air-cushion landing system. The air-cushion landing system/s may be retractable.