Leonardo S.p.a.

Luca Sampugnaro

Riccardo Bianco Mengotti

Paolo Brughera

Carlo Cassinelli

Alessandro Scandroglio

Matteo Pizzagalli

Andrea Bavetta

Riccardo Pirrello

Tommaso Marzi

A convertiplane is described that comprises: a fuselage, having a first longitudinal axis and, in turn, comprising a nose and a tail portion; a pair of wings arranged on respective opposite sides of the fuselage, carrying respective rotors and generating a lift value; and a pair of engines operatively connected to respective rotors; each rotor comprising a mast rotatable about a second axis between a helicopter configuration and an aeroplane configuration; each rotor is interposed between the fuselage and the relative rotor along the direction of extension of the relative wing.

Convertiplane

A method is described for the folding of a convertiplane with a fuselage having a first axis, a pair of wings and a pair of rotors arranged on respective mutually opposite sides of the respective wings; each rotor comprises a mast rotatable about a second axis and a plurality of blades; each wing comprises a first portion fixed with respect to the fuselage; a second tip portion opposite to the first portion; and a third intermediate portion, which is interposed between the associated first portion and second tip portion; the mast of each rotor is integrally tiltable with the second axis and associated second tip portion about a third axis transversal to the second axis and the fuselage so as to set said convertiplane between a helicopter configuration and an aeroplane configuration; the method comprises the steps i) of arranging the convertiplane in the helicopter configuration and ii) rotating a pair of assemblies of respective wings with respect to the fuselage and the associated first portion about respective fifth axes, so as to arrange the convertiplane in a stowage configuration.

Convertiplane and associated folding method

A convertiplane is described that comprises a fuselage, having a first longitudinal axis, with a nose and a tail portion; a pair of wings arranged on respective opposite sides of said fuselage, carrying respective rotors; a pair of engines operatively connected to respective said rotors; at least one first lifting surface arranged on said tail portion; and a pair of canards arranged on said nose of said fuselage and defining respective second lifting surfaces adapted to generate a third lift/negative lift value; each rotor comprising a mast rotatable about a second axis and about an relative third axis transversal to said second axis and with respect to the fuselage, so as to set said convertiplane between a helicopter configuration and an aeroplane configuration; each second axis, in use, being transversal to the first axis of said convertiplane in said helicopter configuration and being parallel to said first axis in said aeroplane configuration.

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Samarate, Italy

Luca Sampugnaro