US 11,873,085 B2
VTOL aircraft with tilting rotors and tilting ducted fans
Kirk L. Groninga, Keller, TX (US); and Daniel B. Robertson, Southlake, TX (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/366,834.
Application 17/366,834 is a continuation of application No. 16/442,288, filed on Jun. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,091,258.
Prior Publication US 2021/0331793 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64C 39/04 (2006.01); B64D 27/02 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 29/0033 (2013.01) [B64C 29/0025 (2013.01); B64C 39/04 (2013.01); B64D 2027/026 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tiltrotor aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flight mode and a forward flight mode, the tiltrotor aircraft comprising:
a fuselage;
a first wing extending laterally in a first direction from the fuselage and having a first wing tip distal from the fuselage;
a first tiltable fan coupled to the first wing;
a second wing extending laterally in a second direction from the fuselage and having a second wing tip distal from the fuselage;
a second tiltable fan coupled to the second wing;
a first boom coupled to the first wing, the first boom having a first forward boom end located forward of the first wing and a first boom aft end located aft of the first wing;
a first tiltable rotor coupled to the first forward boom end;
a first aft rotor coupled to a top side of an aft portion of the first boom between the first wing and the first boom aft end;
a second boom coupled to the second wing, the second boom having a second forward boom end located forward of the second wing and a second boom aft end located aft of the second wing;
a second tiltable rotor coupled to the second forward boom end; and
a second aft rotor coupled to a top side of an aft portion of the second boom between the second wing and the second boom aft end.