A method for authorizing the flight of an aircraft provided with a hybrid power plant having at least one heat engine and at least one electric motor electrically connected to an electrical energy source comprising several electrical accumulators. The method comprises extracting (STP1), while on the ground, an electrical energy or an electrical power to be extracted from the electrical energy source during a predetermined time period and determining (STP2) for the electrical accumulators, respective initial values of an operating parameter, calculating (STP3) an average value from the initial values, determining (STP4) a minimum value from the measured initial values, issuing an authorization when a difference between the average value and the minimum value is less than a threshold and a prohibition when said difference between the average value and the minimum value is greater than or equal to the threshold.

A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft using a hybrid electric propulsion system and a control method therefor according to an embodiment of the present invention: performs control such that, during vertical takeoff and landing of an aircraft (1), a generator (20), a power management device (4), and a battery management system (60) simultaneously provide power to a motor (80); and performs control such that, during a cruise flight or transition flight of the aircraft (1), the thrust of a second propeller (82) is increased and a battery (62) of the battery management system (60) is charged with redundant power generated by the generator (20).

An aircraft includes a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end. An aft engine is mounted to the aft end of the fuselage, the aft engine defining a centerline. The aft engine further includes a nacelle having a bottom section, the bottom section having a forward lip. The forward lip of the bottom section defines a camber line. The camber line, in turn, defines an angle relative to the centerline of the aft engine greater than or equal to at least about five degrees.

An aircraft includes a fuselage and a pair of channel wings which may vary incidence with respect to the fuselage and a pair of channel canards which can also vary incidence with respect to the fuselage and that can move independently of each other for the purpose of vertical takeoff and landing as well as forward and reverse flight. The wings may have multiple channels and may be powered by single propeller or contra-rotating propellers. The thrust to the propellers may be provided with an internal combustion engine or electric motors or a turbo prop or hybrid system. The channel wing allows the fuselage to maintain a level pitch with respect to the horizon. The aircraft will also have increased maneuverability in hover because it can independently vary the incidence of the wings and canards and be able to tightly turn about a point.

An aircraft includes a fuselage and a wing assembly attached to or formed integrally with the fuselage. The aircraft also includes a hybrid electric propulsion system having a port propulsor and a starboard propulsor, with the port and starboard propulsors attached to the wing assembly on opposing sides of the fuselage and rotatable between a forward thrust position and a vertical thrust position. The hybrid electric propulsion system additionally includes an electric power source including a combustion engine and an electric generator, with the electric generator being driven by the combustion engine. The electric generator is in electrical communication with each of the port and starboard propulsors for powering the port and starboard propulsors.

An aircraft includes a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end. The aircraft additionally includes a propulsor mounted to the fuselage at the aft end of the fuselage, the propulsor including an outer nacelle and the outer nacelle defining an inlet. Additionally, the aircraft includes a deployable assembly attached to at least one of the fuselage or the outer nacelle, the deployable assembly movable between a stowed position and an engaged position. The deployable assembly alters an airflow towards the propulsor or into the propulsor through the inlet defined by the outer nacelle when in the engaged position to increase an efficiency of the aft fan and/or of the aircraft.

A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. The rotary component is rotatable with the compressor section and the turbine section. The gas turbine engine additionally includes an electric machine rotatable with the rotary component and positioned coaxially with the rotary component at least partially inward of the core air flowpath. The electric machine is flexibly mounted to a static frame member, or flexibly coupled to the rotary component, or both, such that the electric machine is mechanically isolated or insulated from various internal and external forces on the gas turbine engine.

A propulsion system includes an electric propulsor and a gas turbine engine. The propulsion system also includes an electric machine coupled to a rotary component of the gas turbine engine generating a voltage at a baseline voltage magnitude during operation of the gas turbine engine. An electric communication bus is provided electrically connecting the electric machine to the electric propulsor. The propulsion system additionally includes a means for providing a differential voltage to the electric propulsor equal to about twice the baseline voltage magnitude.

A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. Additionally, a rotary component is rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and at least a portion of the turbine section. An electric machine is mounted coaxially with the rotary component and positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. An electric communication bus is electrically connected to the electric machine and extends through the core air flowpath to, e.g., electrically connect the electric machine to one or more systems of the gas turbine engine or a propulsion system including the gas turbine engine.

A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an electric propulsion engine configured to be mounted at an aft end of the aircraft. The electric propulsion engine includes an electric motor and a fan rotatable about a central axis, the fan driven by the electric motor. The electric propulsion system additionally includes a cooling system operable with an airflow over the aft end the aircraft when the electric propulsion system is mounted to the aircraft. The cooling system is configured to cool the electric motor during operation of the electric propulsion engine.