Fixed wing aircraft with trailing rotors and t-tail

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026084811-A1
Application number	US-202519404695-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 1, 2025
Priority date	Aug 2, 2019
Publication date	Mar 26, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aircraft that includes a canard having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a forward swept and fixed wing having a trailing edge, and a plurality of tilt rotor submodules, a dovetail, and a T-tail. The plurality of tilt rotor submodules are coupled to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing. The dovetail is attached to an underside of a fuselage. The T-tail is located above the dovetail. A horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than a horizonal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft, comprising:
a canard having a trailing edge; a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge, wherein the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing is at a height that is higher than a horizontal plane of the canard; a plurality of tilt rotors, wherein:
at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the canard; and
at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing; and
a T-tail having a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

2 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the leading edge of the canard is at a position within a range of 40% to 60%, inclusive, relative to a front tip of a pylon.

3 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the canard further includes a trailing edge and the trailing edge of the canard is at a position within a range of 55% to 80%, inclusive, relative to a front tip of a pylon.

4 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one tilt rotor is attached to the trailing edge of the canard via a pylon.

5 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one tilt rotor is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing via a pylon.

6 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , further comprising a dovetail attached to an underside of a fuselage.

7 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , further comprising a dovetail attached to an underside of a fuselage, wherein the dovetail pushes a nose of the aircraft down during a deep stall.

8 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , further comprising a dovetail attached to an underside of a fuselage, wherein:
the dovetail pushes a nose of the aircraft down during a deep stall; and the fuselage rests on the dovetail when the aircraft is on the ground.

9 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the aircraft has two tilt rotors attached to the trailing edge of the canard and six tilt rotors attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing.

10 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing includes a curved section that is parallel to a curve of one of the plurality of tilt rotors when said one of the plurality of tilt rotors is in a hovering position.

11 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the canard stalls before the forward swept and fixed wing and before the T-tail.

12 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein an outboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing stalls after the canard, after the rest of the forward swept and fixed wing, and after the T-tail.

13 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein:
an inboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of −5° to 0°, inclusive; a middle section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of 0° to 5°, inclusive; and an outboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of −5° to 0°, inclusive.

14 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the forward swept and fixed wing has a relative lifting force within a range of 80% to 100%, inclusive, during a cruise mode.

15 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the forward swept and fixed wing has a relative lifting force within a range of 80% to 100%, inclusive, during a cruise mode; and the horizontal plane of the T-tail and the canard have relative lifting forces that are greater than or equal to 0%.

16 . The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the forward swept and fixed wing is tapered.

17 . A method, comprising:
providing a canard having a trailing edge; providing a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge, wherein the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing is at a height that is higher than a horizontal plane of the canard; providing a plurality of tilt rotors, wherein:
at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the canard; and
at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing; and
a T-tail having a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

18 . The method recited in claim 17 , wherein the canard stalls before the forward swept and fixed wing and before the T-tail.

19 . The method recited in claim 17 , wherein an outboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing stalls after the canard, after the rest of the forward swept and fixed wing, and after the T-tail.

20 . The method recited in claim 17 , wherein the forward swept and fixed wing is tapered.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Sinha Pranay
• Vander Lind Damon

Classifications

• B64C39/12

  Canard-type aircraft · CPC title

• B64C5/02

  Tailplanes · CPC title

• B64C11/46 Primary

  Arrangements of, or constructional features peculiar to, multiple propellers {(B64C11/306 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C23/069

  using one or more wing tip airfoil devices, e.g. winglets, splines, wing tip fences or raked wingtips · CPC title