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An aircraft includes a cockpit permanently connected to a fuselage base. At least one fuselage segment is detachably mounted to the support. In case of an imminent crash the segment is detachable from the remainder of the aircraft and can float to safety after being detached by having at least one parachute and an airbag secured to the segment.

Inventor: Stefan Chalupa
Primary Examiner: Virha Lissi Ansley
Current U.S. Classification: 244/139; 244/2; 244/100.00A; 244/107; 244/118.2; 244/137.3
International Classification: B64D 112; B64D 2518; B64D 2512

View patent at USPTO
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Citations

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US5031860Dec 8, 1989Jul 16, 1991Integrated capsulized cabin for passenger aircraft
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Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US5826827May 5, 1997Oct 27, 1998Air-chute safety system
US5921504Apr 21, 1998Jul 13, 1999Aircraft passenger extraction system
US5975464Sep 22, 1998Nov 2, 1999Scaled Composites, Inc.Aircraft with removable structural payload module
US6042051Nov 10, 1997Mar 28, 2000Jon C. HagertyEmergency self inflating aircraft landing assist system
US6102332May 28, 1998Aug 15, 2000H-C Designs, Inc.High capacity air transport system and method
US6382563Dec 20, 1999May 7, 2002Aircraft with severable body and independent passenger cabins
US6494404Aug 14, 2001Dec 17, 2002Passenger airplane container system
US6511018Oct 13, 2000Jan 28, 2003Air drop container assembly
US6554227Feb 22, 2000Apr 29, 2003Flight apparatus
US6682017Sep 9, 2002Jan 27, 2004Aircraft with a detachable passenger escape cabin and an aircraft with airbags
US6761334May 28, 2003Jul 13, 2004Aircraft passenger safety module
US6776373Apr 7, 2003Aug 17, 2004Aircraft escape cabin
US6817579Aug 6, 2002Nov 16, 2004Astrium GmbHPassenger transport module system for supersonic aircraft
US7234667Dec 9, 2004Jun 26, 2007Modular aerospace plane
US7350614Aug 25, 2005Apr 1, 2008United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmySystem and method for vehicle cab with landmine protection
US7735781Jul 18, 2005Jun 15, 2010United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyMethod and system for deployment of ordnance from an aircraft in mid-flight
US7909287Nov 24, 2005Mar 22, 2011Airbus FranceSuper-transporter aircraft
US7946530Feb 2, 2006May 24, 2011Modular adaptive configured helicopter
US7954752Nov 8, 2006Jun 7, 2011Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Crash attenuation system for aircraft
US7967238Sep 5, 2006Jun 28, 2011The Boeing CompanyComposite air vehicle having a heavier-than-air vehicle tethered to a lighter-than-air vehicle
US8186625Aug 9, 2006May 29, 2012The Thin Red Line Aerospace Ltd.Flexible vessel

Claims

1. In an aircraft having a fuselage with a cockpit portion at one end and a tail section at the other end, the improvement being in that said fuselage includes a fuselage base support, said fuselage further including at least one segment detachably mounted to said base support, sealing means for selectively sealing said segment during emergency conditions to create a sealed compartment, means for moving said segment away from said base support during emergency conditions to cause said segment to separate from the remainder of said aircraft, at least one parachute mounted to said segment for opening during emergency conditions to float said segment in descent, a generally longitudinal guide fixedly mounted on said base support, and said segments riding on said guide to facilitate each segment being separated in a longitudinal direction away from said cockpit portion.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 including at least one air bag mounted to said segment to render said segment more floatable and to cushion the landing of said segment and to comprise float means when said segment lands on water.

3. The aircraft of claim 2 including a plurality of said segments, one of said segments being a tail segment located in the tail section of said aircraft, and at least one further segment forwardly of said tail segment.

4. The aircraft of claim 3 wherein said segments are interconnected by cable means.

5. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein said guide is elevatable to facilitate each segment being separated from the remainder of said aircraft.

6. The aircraft of claim 5 including a cockpit portion at the front of said aircraft, said guide being pivotably mounted at said cockpit portion, and the end of said guide opposite said pivotal mounting being elevatable.

7. The aircraft of claim 6 including a propulsion device at said tail segment to comprise said moving means.

8. The aircraft of claim 7 wherein a parachute storage compartment is located at the top of each segment, said parachute being mounted in said parachute storage compartment, an openable hatch closing said parachute storage compartment, and an airbag storage compartment located at the bottom of said segment and exposed when said segment is separated from said base support.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 wherein each of said segments includes an outer skin and an inner skin, and reinforcing cables being located between said outer skin and said inner skin and extending around said segment.

10. The aircraft of claim 9 wherein said cockpit portion includes ejection seats for the crew in said cockpit portion.

11. The aircraft of claim 10 including movable doors for selectively sealing said segment to comprise said sealing means.

12. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein each of said segments includes an outer skin and an inner skin, and reinforcing cables being located between said outer skin and said inner skin and extending around said segment.

13. The aircraft of claim 19 wherein a parachute storage compartment is located at the top of each segment, said parachute being mounted in said parachute storage compartment, an openable hatch closing said parachute storage compartment, and an airbag storage compartment located at the bottom of said segment and exposed when said segment separated from said base support.

14. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein said segment includes two of said parachute cased in webbing material, and said two parachutes including a drag parachute.

15. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein said segment includes means for feeding a muscle affecting gas into said segment.

16. In an aircraft having a fuselage, the improvement being in that said fuselage includes a fuselage base support, an elevatable generally longitudinal guide fixedly mounted on said base support, said fuselage further including at least one segment for carrying cargo, said segment being movably mounted on said guide to permit said segment to be selectively detached from said guide and said base support and to be replaced by a different segment, and said aircraft being flyable with and without any segments mounted to said base support.

17. In an aircraft having a fuselage, the improvement being in that said fuselage includes a fuselage base support, said fuselage further including at least one segment detachably mounted to said base support, sealing means for selectively sealing said segment during emergency conditions to create a sealed compartment, means for moving said segment away from said base support during emergency conditions to cause said segment to separate from the remainder of said aircraft at least one parachute mounted to said segment for opening during emergency conditions to float said segment downwardly, and feed means in said segment for feeding as muscle affecting gas into said segment.

18. The aircraft of claim 17 wherein said muscle affecting gas is a muscle relaxant to minimize shock to passengers in said segment.

19. The aircraft of claim 17 wherein said muscle affecting gas is to render immobile passengers including any hijackers in said segment.

20. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein said cockpit portion includes ejection seats for the crew of said cockpit portion.

Drawings