US 12,134,482 B1
Aerial vehicle towing systems and methods
Grant Sharp Schlichting, Cannon Falls, MN (US)
Assigned to United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (US)
Filed by Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (US)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/899,846.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/316,164, filed on Mar. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/249,055, filed on Sep. 28, 2021.
Int. Cl. B64D 39/00 (2006.01); B60L 53/00 (2019.01)
CPC B64D 39/00 (2013.01) [B60L 53/00 (2019.02); B60L 2200/10 (2013.01)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of connecting a first tow aircraft to a second aircraft and towing said second aircraft in flight, wherein said second aircraft is a powered aircraft that has one or more engines and a nose with an aircraft connector on or adjacent to its nose, said method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a first tow aircraft with an aerial vehicle towing system comprising a flexible tow line and a tow line receiver joined to said tow line;
b) when a second aircraft is in flight and flying under its own engine power at a first location, flying said tow aircraft in front of the second aircraft;
c) extending said tow line and tow line receiver toward the second aircraft;
d) establishing a connection between said aircraft connector on the second aircraft and the tow line receiver;
e) towing the second aircraft connected to the tow line receiver with said tow aircraft while both said tow aircraft and second aircraft are airborne, wherein said second aircraft is towed to a second location that is spaced away from the first location by a distance greater than or equal to 1 mile; and
f) releasing the second aircraft from the tow line receiver, wherein second aircraft flies under its own engine power to carry out a mission at said second location and refueling the second aircraft, wherein:
said first aircraft is a tanker aircraft that is provided with a refueling line;
step d) comprises connecting said aerial vehicle towing system and said refueling line to said second aircraft;
turning off the power to at least one engine of said second aircraft after the connection is established in step d);
transferring fuel from said tanker aircraft to said second aircraft while towing said second aircraft;
restarting said at least one engine on said second aircraft prior to step f); and
step f) also comprises disconnecting said refueling line from said second aircraft.