| 摘要 |
An aircraft power plant for vertical take-off and landing comprises a jet propulsion unit having an air inlet and an exhaust outlet and incorporating a combustion chamber, a high pressure compressor for supplying air from the air inlet to the combustion chamber, a fuel inlet for supplying fuel to the combustion chamber, and a turbine coupled to drive the compressor and arranged to be driven by the exhaust gases passing from the combustion chamber to the exhaust outlet. Swivelling front nozzles are provided for selectively directing a proportion of air from a fan arrangement downwardly in front of the propulsion unit and swivelling rear nozzles are provided for selectively directing at least a proportion of the exhaust gases from the exhaust outlet downwardly to the rear of the propulsion unit, in order to effect lift on take-off or landing. The fan arrangement comprises a first fan for supplying air to the front nozzles and a second fan, positioned rearwardly of the first fan, for supplying air to the air inlet of the propulsion unit, as well as a shaft having a length which is chosen to position the front nozzles sufficiently far forward to produce the required moment about the aircraft centre of gravity. Such an arrangement provides a highly efficient power plant which can be accommodated within a narrow cross-section, and which can be implemented without requiring gearboxes, clutches or hot ducts.
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