| CPC B64C 25/10 (2013.01) [B64C 25/04 (2013.01); B64C 39/10 (2013.01); B64C 2025/008 (2013.01); B64C 2039/105 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |
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1. A blended wing body (BWB) aircraft with stowed landing gears outboard of a cabin, the BWB aircraft comprising:
an exterior surface of a lower airframe of the BWB aircraft;
an interior surface opposite the exterior surface of the lower airframe surrounding a payload volume and a cargo volume, wherein the payload volume comprises the cabin;
a plurality of gear wells comprising at least a main gear well and at least a nose gear well, wherein:
each gear well of the plurality of gear wells includes an opening in the exterior surface of the lower airframe of the BWB aircraft;
the at least a main gear well has a main gear well volume that is located outboard of the payload volume, wherein the at least a main gear well protrudes into an interior of the cargo volume, and wherein the at least a main gear well is disposed in a blended section of the BWB aircraft, aft of a center of gravity (CG) of the BWB aircraft and wherein the blended section comprises no strong delineation between a body and a wing of the BWB aircraft;
the at least a nose gear well has a nose gear well volume that is located outboard of the payload volume; and
each gear well is disposed about the center of gravity of the BWB aircraft;
a plurality of main gear struts, wherein at least one main gear strut of the plurality of main gear struts is mounted to the lower airframe outboard from the payload volume by a distance equal to a length of a main landing gear of at least a main landing gear of the BWB aircraft; and
a plurality of landing gears disposed at the plurality of gear wells and comprising the at least a main landing gear and at least a nose landing gear, wherein the at least a nose landing gear includes a nose linkage and the at least a main landing gear includes a main linkage and wherein the nose linkage and the main linkage are connected by a longitudinal member which is driven by both the main linkage and the nose linkage such that movement of the at least a nose landing gear and the at least a main landing gear is affected, and wherein:
at least one of the at least a main landing gear and the at least a nose landing gear comprises a jump strut and pneumatic spring assist;
each landing gear of the plurality of landing gears has a proximal end located within the gear well volume and a distal end;
each landing gear has at least a wheel journaled at the distal end;
each landing gear is movable between a deployed position and a retracted position; and
the at least a nose landing gear is configured to extend corresponding to retraction of the at least a main landing gear by tuning a suspension.
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