A simple, safe, and inexpensive flight control system in an aircraft. An anti-torque system for a rotary-wing aircraft has an airfoil with a first surface extending from a first trailing edge and a leading edge, and a second surface extending from a second trailing edge to join the first surface at the leading edge. The airfoil has a first moveable deflector panel pivotally coupled to the first trailing edge, and a second moveable deflector panel pivotally coupled to the second trailing edge. Means are provided to pivot the deflector panels in unison about their respective pivot axes to alter the direction of travel of the airflow downstream of the pivot axes over the surfaces of the deflector panels, thereby producing a lift in a direction perpendicular to the airflow to counteract the torque applied on the aircraft. The flight control system may be arranged within a fixed-wing aircraft.

A coaxial rotor system for a rotorcraft includes a mast, a top rotor assembly and a bottom rotor assembly. The top rotor assembly is coupled to the distal end of the mast. The bottom rotor assembly includes a motor configured to provide rotational energy to the mast, thereby rotating the top rotor assembly. The bottom rotor assembly experiences a torque reaction force responsive to the motor rotating the mast such that the top and bottom rotor assemblies counter rotate.

A method for optimizing the operation of at least one first propeller and of at least one second propeller of a hybrid helicopter. The method comprises the following step during a control phase: deflection, with an autopilot system, of at least one aerodynamic stabilizer member into a setpoint position having, with respect to a reference position, a target deflection angle that is a function of a setpoint deflection angle, the setpoint deflection angle being calculated by the autopilot system in order to compensate for a torque exerted by the lift rotor at zero sideslip.

A linear thruster aircraft includes: an airframe, including an elongated mounting nacelle and a main body; an aircraft control unit with a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an input/output component; and at least one linear thruster arrangement with at least four thrusters mounted along at least one elongated axis of the elongated mounting nacelle, such that the thrusters are configured to provide lift, pitch, roll, and yaw movement. Optionally, the linear thruster arrangement can include alternating lateral and vertical offsets of the thrusters from the elongated axis, and pairs of thrusters can be vertically overlapping.

A tail rotor assembly coupled to a tailboom of a helicopter includes a tail rotor gearbox having top, bottom and aft sides and a shroud surrounding the tail rotor gearbox. The shroud includes a shroud airframe having top and bottom portions. The tail rotor assembly includes a tail rotor gearbox support assembly configured to support the tail rotor gearbox within the shroud. The tail rotor gearbox support assembly includes a support column coupling the aft side of the tail rotor gearbox between the top and bottom portions of the shroud airframe, an upper support crossbar coupling the top side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe and a lower support crossbar coupling the bottom side of the tail rotor gearbox between the support column and the tailboom airframe.

A simple, safe, and inexpensive flight control system in an aircraft. An anti-torque system for a rotary-wing aircraft has an airfoil with a first surface extending from a first trailing edge and a leading edge, and a second surface extending from a second trailing edge to join the first surface at the leading edge. The airfoil has a first moveable deflector panel pivotally coupled to the first trailing edge, and a second moveable deflector panel pivotally coupled to the second trailing edge. Means are provided to pivot the deflector panels in unison about their respective pivot axes to alter the direction of travel of the airflow downstream of the pivot axes over the surfaces of the deflector panels, thereby producing a lift in a direction perpendicular to the airflow to counteract the torque applied on the aircraft. The flight control system may be arranged within a fixed-wing aircraft.

The invention is for a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) rotorcraft with the annular contra-rotating rotary wings and auxiliary propulsor. The rotary wing of the annular contra-rotating rotary wings is driven by a plurality of tangential forces applied at multiple locations of the inner hub or at the tip of the blade. The annular contra-rotating rotary wings can be shrouded with a nacelle for the improvement of propulsive efficiency, reduction of noise and protection of the rotary wing. The fuselage is mounted along the center axis of the rotary to be outside of the thrust slipstream. The auxiliary propulsor includes a quad independent pusher propeller to propel the rotorcraft to reach faster forward speed.

A coaxial rotor system for a rotorcraft includes a mast, a top rotor assembly and a bottom rotor assembly. The top rotor assembly is coupled to the distal end of the mast. The bottom rotor assembly includes a motor configured to provide rotational energy to the mast, thereby rotating the top rotor assembly. The bottom rotor assembly experiences a torque reaction force responsive to the motor rotating the mast such that the top and bottom rotor assemblies counter rotate.

A system to prevent or limit resonance in a rotocraft. The system comprises an airframe, a rotor system having a natural frequency and including a rotor and a mast attached to the airframe, and a non-linear spring positioned between the rotor system and the airframe. The rotor system and the airframe are operable to move relative to each other as the rotor system begins to oscillate. The non-linear spring is configured to be deformed when the rotor system and the airframe move relative to each other such that the deformation of the non-linear spring causes the natural frequency of the rotor system to change. Also disclosed is a related method for preventing or limiting resonance in a rotorcraft.

A stoppable rotor, which includes a first and second blade and rotates about a substantially vertical axis, is stopped with the first blade pointing forward and the second blade pointing backward while the aircraft is mid-flight. Anti-torque is provided using a set of one or more combination rotors in a first mode of operation in order to counter torque produced by the stoppable rotor when the stoppable rotor is rotating where the set of combination rotors rotate about a substantially longitudinal axis. Forward thrust is provided using the set of combination rotors in a second mode of operation when the stoppable rotor is not rotating.