Ultra-light aircraft with freely rotating rigid wing

Abstract

An ultra-light aircraft of light-weight minimal construction includes a rigid wing from which a hang cage is suspended by a main hinge assembly. Rotation of the wing without pilot intervention induced by positive or negative wind gusts striking the wing causes the angle of pitch between the wing and hang cage to vary via the hinge so that the wing presents a relatively constant angle of attack to relative wind enabling the aircraft to be essentially stall free during flight. Twist and/or dihedral of the wing is maintained by first and second sets of tensioned cables or landing wires connecting leading and trailing wing edges to a kingpost projecting upward from the wing, and by first and second sets of flying wires connecting the wing to the hang cage. Each first and second set of flying wires is a stress distributing arrangement including a pair of tubes respectively connected at upper ends thereof to leading and trailing wing edges and at lower ends to a plate suspended between the wing and hang cage. A pair of tensioned cables in each set connect the plate to the hang cage. The point of attachment of the cables to the plate establishes a pivot point located collinear with the hinge axis. The tubes are free to rotate about the pivot point during co-rotation of the wing while maintaining proper dihedral and wing twist as well as tension transmitting bending stress acting on the wing to the hang cage.