An aircraft having a lift/propulsion unit

摘要

An aircraft comprises a lift/propulsion unit 8 which comprises a power unit such as a turboshaft engine 14 which drives a fan 10 through a transmission mechanism 16. The fan 10 discharges to vectoring nozzles 24 which can be independently swivelled to provide lift or propulsion thrust. An output shaft 20 of the transmission mechanism 16 serves as the main shaft of a motor/generator 26 of modular form. The motor/generator 26 can act as a generator to charge an electrical storage device such as a battery 32, or as a motor to drive the fan 10, either alone or to supplement the output of the engine 14. Reaction control nozzles 38 are provided at extremities of the aircraft to provide stabilising thrust. The aircraft is capable of vertical take off and hovering, with the vectoring nozzles 24 swivelled to a lift position, and forward thrust with the vectoring nozzles 24 swivelled to a propulsion position.