Leonardo S.p.a.

Matteo Pizzagalli

Riccardo Bianco Mengotti

Fabio Nannoni

Luca Medici

Paolo Brughera

Carlo Cassinelli

Luca Sampugnaro

Luca Riviello

Andrea Cogliati

Marco Braghiroli

Marco Ernesto Tamborini

Lorenzo Masellis

Tiziano Frattini

Alessandro Scola

A method for controlling an aircraft capable of hovering is described, comprising a first engine; a second engine; at least one rotor; and a transmission interposed between the first and second engine and the rotor; the transmission comprises a first and a second inlet connected respectively to a first outlet member of the first engine and to a second outlet member of the second engine; the method comprises step i) of placing the in a first configuration, in which the first and second engine make available a first and a second power value; or in a second configuration, in which the first engine makes available a third power value greater than the first power value to the first inlet, and the second engine delivers a nil power value to the second inlet; the method also comprises, characterised in that it comprises the steps of ii) detecting a series of parameters associated with the operating conditions of the aircraft; and iii) enabling the transition of the aircraft from the first configuration to the second configuration, when the parameters assume respective first values.

Method for controlling an aircraft capable of hovering and relative aircraft

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

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Samarate, Italy

Matteo Pizzagalli