A method and an architecture for implementing the method for the management of a hybrid thermal/electrical propulsion aircraft in the course of its various flight phases. The hybrid propulsion receives at each instant i a total power command Ptot,com,i distributed between thermal Pth,com,i and electrical Pe,com,i power commands. The method includes steps of calculating a maximum admissible thermal power command Pth,com,max,i for compliance with acoustic objectives on the ground, selecting the thermal power command Pth,com,i in a bounded range of values, determining the electrical power command Pe,com,i. The thermal Pth,com,i and electrical Pe,com,i power commands supplied by the hybrid propulsion are thus adjusted in the course of the different flight phases depending on a height hi of the aircraft in order to make it possible to comply with acoustic requirements on the ground.

A vertical take-off and loading (VTOL) rotary aircraft or helicopter has eight propellers in a quad propeller arm configuration where each propeller arm has two counter-rotating propellers. Folding propeller arms are designed to allow storage in a single car sized garage. Each propeller may be powered by a three-phase alternating current motor. The main power plant for the aircraft is a gas combustion engine that generates electricity. If the gas engine fails, a battery backup system will safely bring the aircraft down for a controlled landing. The direct current bus is redundant in that even with a gas combustion engine failure the direct current bus battery pack will safely bring down the aircraft. Various embodiments of this invention may also include a landing gear crumple zone designed to soften a hard landing.

The present invention includes a system and method for slowing the rotation of a rotor using, for example, rotor brake system for a rotorcraft comprising: one or more generators connected to a main rotor gearbox; an electric distributed anti-torque system mounted on a tail boom of the rotorcraft comprising two or more electric motors connected to the one or more generators, wherein the two or more electric motors are connected to one or more blades; and wherein a rotation of the rotor is slowed by placing a drive load on the main rotor gearbox with the one or more generators to bleed the mechanical power from rotor into electrical power via the two or more electric motors, wherein the electric distributed anti-torque system generates thrust in opposing directions.

A flight controller system includes an electronic speed control throttle input from which an anticipated electrical power demand is determined. The flight controller system includes a controller that determines a throttle input for a generator in order to satisfy the anticipated electrical power demand. The flight controller system includes an electronic speed control throttle output providing a delayed electronic speed control throttle signal.

A propulsor (101) for an aircraft is shown. The propulsor comprises a propulsive fan (106), and an electric machine (108) configured to drive the propulsive fan. The electric machine has a casing containing electrical and electromechanical components, a shaft which extends outside of the casing and which is connected to the propulsive fan, and a seal to seal the casing around the shaft. A depressurisation system depressurises the casing below an external pressure to prevent electrical breakdown within gas in the casing of the electric machine.

An electric machine (101) for use in an aircraft is shown. The electric machine comprises a casing (104) containing electromechanical components, a shaft (106) which extends outside of the casing, a seal (107) to seal the casing around the shaft, and a depressurisation system (102) configured to depressurise the casing below an external pressure to prevent electrical breakdown within gas in the casing.

An electric machine (101) for use in an aircraft is shown. The electric machine comprises a casing (104) containing electromechanical components, a shaft (106) which extends outside of the casing, a seal (107) to seal the casing around the shaft, and a pressurisation system (102) configured to pressurise the casing above an external pressure to prevent electrical breakdown within gas in the casing.

A propulsor (101) for an aircraft is shown. The propulsor comprises a propulsive fan (106), and an electric machine (108) configured to drive the propulsive fan. The electric machine has a casing containing electrical and electromechanical components, a shaft which extends outside of the casing and which is connected to the propulsive fan, and a seal to seal the casing around the shaft. A pressurisation system pressurises the casing above an external pressure to prevent electrical breakdown within gas in the casing of the electric machine.

A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an electric generator mechanically driven by a combustion engine, with the electric generator configured to generate alternating current electrical power. The propulsion system additionally includes a power bus electrically connected to the electric generator and configured to receive and transmit the alternating current electrical power generated by the electric generator. Additionally, the propulsion system includes, an electric propulsor assembly comprising an electric motor and a propulsor drivingly connected to the electric motor, the electric motor electrically coupled to the power bus for the receiving alternating current electrical power from the power bus.

A propulsion system for an aircraft comprises at least two main gas turbine engines and a plurality of dedicated boundary layer ingestion fans. An aircraft is also disclosed.