Patent Application
20220411049
The invention relates to a personal flying machine or aircraft.
The prior art of this invention includes personal, one-person Vertical Takeoff and Landing or VTOL flying machines such as:
1. The Williams WASP (Williams Aerial Systems Platform) X-Jet which was developed in the 1970s. It was nicknamed “The Flying Pulpit” because of its cylindrical shape wherein the pilot stood inside it and controlled it using both hands.
2. The Zapata Ezfly (https://www.zapata.com/air-products/ez-fly), which is called a “jet-powered aerial Segway”. Its form factor is that of a flat grilled platform with a railing around the pilot and a bar up front. It is flown with both hands similar to the Williams WASP.
3. A “Safety flier” having U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,488. This invention has a fixed wing and has multiple control sticks.
4. A “Personal flight vehicle” having U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,239,615 and 10,464,671. This invention does not have a single center located vertical control stick and instead, has the pilot controlling the aircraft using legs and feet.
5. A “Single passenger aircraft” having U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,232. This invention does not have a single center located vertical control stick, no center located base frame, has wheels, is a much larger, and has the engines above the pilot.
Neither of these inventions have a single center located vertical control stick.
This invention is a jet powered personal flying machine composed of a customizable framework of separate bolt-on parts or sections that can be swapped out or switched, including a base containing a collection of jets, a shell or fuselage, a fuel tank, a flight computer, a plurality of electronic buttons and controls, a parachute, footstands on both sides for the user to place their feet and a single control stick consisting of a metal or carbon fiber tube attached at the front and center of the base, and protruding upwards and slightly forward from the base, of which contains electronic buttons and controls for the user to use in flying the machine.
This invention is a jet powered personal flying machine composed of a customizable framework of separate bolt-on parts or sections that can be swapped out or switched.
These parts or sections include:
1. A base frame
2. A telescoping control stick
3. An instrument cluster panel
4. A plurality of electronic buttons and controls
5. A plurality of gauges such as a fuel meter & altimeter
6. A wiring harness
7. A pair of footstands with straps or foot pockets to secure the pilot's feet
8. A plurality of mini jet engines
9. A plurality of sliding panels that fit into the base frame
10. A fuel tank and fuel lines
11. An optional reserve fuel tank
12. A flight and engine management computer
13. An optional parachute
14. A shell, cowling, fairing or fuselage
The base frame functions as the central component to which the other parts or sections attach or fasten to. Fasteners include but are not limited to: bolts, nuts, screws, rivets, glue, welds, etc. Sliding panels, to which the mini jet engines are attached via a clamp or bracket, slide in and out of the frame to facilitate the installation or removal of said jet engines.
The customizability allows the construction and configuration of the flying machine to be tailored to fit the user or pilot. The standard control stick can be replaced with a longer one for taller pilots. The standard jet engines can be replaced with more powerful ones or instead of the standard configuration of 4-5 engines, 6-8 engines can be installed. The shell, cowling, fairing or fuselage can be customized with different shapes, colors and designs.
The single, center located, vertically positioned control stick is one of the unique features of this invention which differentiates it from other flying machines. It consists of a metal or carbon fiber tube attached at the front and center of the base, and protruding upwards and slightly forward from the base, of which contains electronic buttons and controls for the user to use in flying the machine. The forward angle of the control stick from the base can also vary and be adjusted. This control stick, along with the footstands located on the left and right sides of the base, helps control the tilt of the base frame and the entire machine, which in turn determines the thrust vector of the jets. This control stick is comprised of two separate tubes, one inside the other, and has a telescoping ability which allows it to be shortened or lengthened by adjusting a knob. A telescoping adjuster knob is located where both tubes are joined together and either tightens or loosens the grip and friction between both tubes.
The pair of footstands on each side of the base frame function to secure the pilot's feet from moving or shifting. This functionality can be implemented via the use of straps or foot pockets that the pilot's feet can slip into. These foot pockets would be similar to slip-on shoes or moccasins where the pilot can easily slip their feet into them but still have enough grip or friction to hold the pilot's feet in flight. They will have the capacity to hold not only bare feet but also feet with shoes on.
The mini jet engines are of the type used in model airplanes and drones. Examples of these mini jet engines include JetCat P200-RX and the PBS Aerospace TJ40-G1 (see Figure X). These engines are typically 4-6 inches in diameter and around 10-12 inches in length.
The shell, cowling, fairing or fuselage made of hard and durable material such as metal, carbon fiber, fiberglass or plastic can be attached to cover the frame.
The instrument cluster panel is located at the upper end of the control stick and contains buttons such as an on/off button & horn and gauges such as a fuel meter & altimeter.
