Asymmetric aircraft and their launch and recovery systems from small ships

Abstract

An asymmetric aircraft and an aircraft that can operate from small ships and be stored in high density with three aircraft or more in one helicopter hangar without needing a landing gear or wing fold. These aircraft slide into and out of the hangar on dollies like circuit boards in a computer and are launched and recovered using a large towed parafoil.

1 . A method of recovering an aircraft onto a water vehicle comprising using a lifting apparatus to recover the aircraft, and using the same lifting apparatus to generate forward thrust for the water vehicle when not recovering the aircraft. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the lifting apparatus is also used to launch the aircraft. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the method of launching the aircraft is to drop the aircraft and let it pick up speed in a dive and then do a pull up into level flight. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the lifting apparatus is also used to carry at least one of a decoy device to protect the water vehicle and a sensor package to achieve situational awareness for the water vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the lifting apparatus is connected to the water vehicle by a line. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the line is a tow line and the lifting apparatus uses relative wind to generate lift. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the lifting apparatus comprises one or more parafoils. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  where said one or more parafoils is steerable and can vary its lift independent of relative wind and direction of travel. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the lifting apparatus is connected by a line to the water vehicle, said connection not being behind the superstructure of the water vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aircraft can control at least one of its pitch or roll attitude without use of relative wind over its aerodynamic control surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aircraft is recovered by engaging a line from the lifting apparatus and swinging the line to dissipate the kinetic energy of the aircraft. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein a hook on the aircraft is used to establish a load path to the line. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the hook engages a loop of line on the end of the line. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the leading edge of the aircraft is utilized to engage the aircraft with the line. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the lifting apparatus is also used to carry cargo from one ship to another while moving. 
     
     
         16 . A method of using a lifting apparatus to generate forward thrust for a ship and to also carry at least one of a decoy device to protect the water vehicle and a sensor package to achieve situational awareness for the water vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . A method of capturing and storing a fixed wing aircraft on a water vehicle, the aircraft not being equipped to perform runway takeoffs and landings, the method comprising capturing the aircraft with a lifting apparatus, using the lifting apparatus to transport the aircraft to a dolly, attaching the aircraft to the dolly, the dolly being secured to a track attached to the water vehicle from a flight deck of the water vessel to a floor of a hangar on the water vehicle, transporting the aircraft on the dolly from the flight deck to the hangar with the aircraft in more of a vertical plane than a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein at least two dollies with associated aircraft can fit side by side in a hangar on said water vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein a winch is used to pull said aircraft to said dolly.