Variable-geometry graduated surface-foil for wing-in-ground effect vehicles

Abstract

A new form of water plane interface device for maritime base ground effect craft that minimizes power requirements, automates wave action response, and controls flight attitude and altitude. A ground effect craft requiring no active aeronautical control surfaces, thus radically simplifying operation. Mounted to a high performance blended-wing lifting-body, having retractable, variable geometry, and graduated surface plane appendages which are shock dampened to enhance passenger comfort (FIG. 1; 13,15,16). Forward appendages (FIG. 1; 13) are independently operable and provide for coordinated bank turns, and powered lift assist during transition from water-to-air born operation. Aftermost appendage (FIG. 2,16) replaces conventional high drag horizontal tail surfaces and provides anti-blow over characteristics (FIG. 2;8). Utilizes conventional race boat type propulsion systems and rudder control (FIG. 26,7). A simple tail dragger plan form provides pilot-passive stability at operational speeds nearly as fast as a helicopter but as cheap to operate as an offshore powerboat.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to marine wing-in-ground effect vehicles, specifically to flight control and air/water interface devises.

[0004] 2. Description of Pror Art

[0005] Experimental marine based wing-in-ground effect vehicles have proven their theoretical efficiency and speed advantages over conventional boats and ships for years. Speeds exceeding those of a helicopter, but with transoceanic capability, have been demonstrated. The former Soviet Union for example built three very large wing-in-ground effect vehicles capable of four hundred miles per hour, and to this day holds the world heavy lift record for ‘aircraft’.

[0006] The problem with existing art is extreme complexity in both construction and operation. Needless complexity results in very high purchase, maintenance, and operations costs. High cost and complexity has prevented wide spread use of marine wing-in-ground effect vehicles as a viable alternative to our crowded highways and airport facilities.

[0007] Dozens of inventor's designs have attempted to solve the three main problems associated with the simple, efficient, and safe operation of marine based wing-in-ground effect vehicles. The three main problem areas are; (one): overcome the large drag hump as the vessel attempts transition from waterborne to airborne cruise, (two): maintain stable flight altitude and wing angle of attack, (three): respond to variable sea state; i.e., rogue waves.

[0008] The Soviets installed fourteen fuel-guzzling engines to get out of the water and become airborne. Of course this meant huge up front capitol cost and more power than needed at airborne cruise, so too much fuel burned. Other inventors such as: Manor (1990) U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,773; Gue (1983) U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,721; and Brubaker (1978) U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,922 have approached the problem with various types of hydrofoils. This solves the problem of transition from water to efficient airborne cruise but then leaves the craft no way to respond to variable sea state. As conventional hydrofoils will always maintain a fixed ride height. Rouge waves, and every seventh wave is on average fifty percent higher than normal, become a dangerous accident waiting to happen.

[0009] Hovercraft type lift assist devices have been incorporated into marine wing-in-ground effect vehicles such as U.S. patent, Bixel (1992), U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,069 Gifford (1995). But adding extra hovercraft fan engines, weight, and further complexity still do nothing to allow the craft to operate safely in real world variable sea state conditions. Some designers have attempted to overcome this problem through computer controlled fly-by-wire control systems and/or active aeronautical controls. These craft have no sea surface interaction device while in fast cruise mode. U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,495 Reslein 1998 is an example of an active aeronautical controlled vessel. Such an approach works great at 30,000 feet where an operator would have several minutes to regain manual control following a system failure. But at mere meters off the sea surface any failure of such a complex flight system while in ground effect would have certain catastrophic consequences. At one hundred miles per hour and two meters off the sea surface an operator would have less than one quarter of one second to regain manual control, not enough time to manually react. Human reflex time is too slow to randomly pop a high speed ground effect craft up and over random wave heights. A better self leveling/auto response system is needed.

[0010] Most inventor/designers of wing-in-ground effect craft vehicles incorporate neither transitional lift assist devices, nor design-integrated flight control hardware other than conventional type systems designed for pure aircraft. They rely purely upon traditional aeronautical engineering principals for operation and control. Albeit with improved wing design for best performance in ground-effect. Note the original marine ground-effect craft patent; Lippisch (1965) U.S. Pat. No. 3,190,582. This was essentially a conventional aircraft, but also with airfoil plan optimized for ground effect. The current problem with the application of the traditional aeronautical engineering approach to marine based wing-in-ground effect vehicles is that there is currently no widely available civilian technology to produce a vehicle structure light enough to operate in complete free flight, yet sturdy enough to withstand the potential forty-g impact of hitting an eight foot wave at one hundred miles per hour. Thus, certain death in failure. Unacceptable for passenger safety or commerce.

[0011] To produce a vessel sturdy enough for safe high-speed maritime operation in ground effect will require some sort of waterborne lift assist device. Simple ski, or water-plane type devices provide the required additional lift. U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,559 Klem utilizes a simple forward mounted ski, but will only function effectively within very limited and consistent sea states. Fun, but not very practical for regular passenger or package transport scheduling unless of massive scale. In addition, a ski-plane area large enough to provide sufficient lift at slow speed will transmit too great a shock load to the vessel's structure at high speed and likely break it apart. A ski-plane area small enough to provide proper lift assist at high speed will not have enough water-plane area to lift the vessel free and clear of the water for a clean transition to flight mode from low speed water mode. Worse, a simple ski on stilts will not have much of a chance of structural survival against severe wave impact loads.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,549, Williams addresses an excellent solution for air/water interface device for ground effect craft while in high speed cruise mode. But without variable geometry foil control, and retractable foil appendages, this design presents the opposite problem of the simple ski design. There is no bank turn ability for safe high-speed maneuvering. And, the additional drag induced by the fixed, extended foils during the critical transition phase between high drag water born operation, and low drag air born cruise mode, requires more installed horsepower than a commercially viable operation could maintain. Extra engine weight and fuel burn will be too high for economic operation. It has also been found in ocean based model tests that this, and other design's: one foil forward, two aft; tricycle gear layout also causes lateral control problems as the single forward foil launches off to either side of uneven wave crests.

[0013] Thomas A. Edison Lake, U.S. Pat. No. 1,846,602 probably had the ideal ground effect craft water interface design over 60 years ago. Mechanical and materials technology just hadn't caught up with him yet. He had the ideal two foils forward one aft tail dragger plan that tests have proven to provide the best response over variably sloping wave crests. He had a crude kind of variable geometry with freely hinged water planes. But without attack angle control, and no variable foil geometry to gradually and automatically reduce water plane area with speed increases, pounding in a seaway would be as horrendous as any flat ski design. The jet powered Convair Sea Dart design decades later drew upon Edison Lake's plan form and flat skis, but as a supersonic military fighter was just as useless for efficient passenger transport.

[0014] The solution is this invention's VARIABLE-GEOMETRY GRADUATED SURFACE-FOIL. In one integrated system; this invention solves the pounding problem of simple, flat, water plane skis with smooth entry ‘v’ shaped dead rise, and pyramid plan form of the water plane area. The curving pyramid plan form simultaneously forces the craft up and out of the water; all while gradually presenting proportionally less water plane surface area of itself—to the oncoming wave faces as speed and vessel ride altitude increase. This invention's variable geometry surface foils retract up against the under-belly of the craft. Thus removing them selves from the hydrodynamic drag curve during the high drag transition from water-to-air born operation. Then, only when vessel speed through the water has increased sufficiently to provide aerodynamic lift, are the foils deployed to expose this vessel's lifting body airfoil to the slipstream. This radically reduces total installed horsepower requirements. Less required horsepower means lower construction and operations costs. Systems' integration, rather than independent problem patches, provided inspiration for this invention's ground effect craft launch, control, cruise, safety, and passenger comfort solution.

SUMMARY

[0015] This invention includes a marine based air supported lifting body vehicle, with passenger safety pod, and variable-geometry surface-foils with graduated lifting facets.

[0016] Objects and Advantages

[0017] Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the variable-geometry graduated surface foils described in my above patent, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:

[0018] (a) to provide automatically graduated waterborne lift assist; which significantly reduces installed power requirements to overcome the early high induced water drag; easing the waterborne-to-airborne cruise mode transition;

[0019] (b) to radically increase maritime transport speed and efficiency, yet reduce power requirements;

[0020] (c) to provide automatically graduated waterborne lift assist; to enable the vessel's structure to be built heavy enough to survive and protect passengers in their enclosed safety pod in the event of 100 mph catastrophic wave impact;

[0021] (d) to provide pilot-passive wave action response functions, similar to the foils' automated lift response to variable speed/power inputs-utilizing the kinetic power of an oncoming wave face; larger waves produce faster and larger lift responses, smaller waves produce appropriately smaller lift responses ultimately producing wave crest averaged flight altitude. This arching pyramid shape of the foil appendages possesses the innate ability of proportional response to the occasional rouge wave face. This provides this invention's pilot-passive automated wave action response by design. Active aeronautical and sea state controls become unnecessary because of the design's self balancing features.

[0022] (e) to provide twin independently operated variable-geometry surface foils to provide high speed bank turn ability. Essential for craft stability and passenger comfort;

[0023] (f) to provide fixed aft mounted graduated surface foil which carries a larger trailing water plane surface to provide anti ‘blow-over’ properties essential for pilot-passive pitch stability; such that, trailing water plane area is normally carried slightly higher than the tail's running surface and provides self balancing force by contacting the water surface only when the vessel pitch angle exceeds a pre-determined maximum; functions similar to a dragster wheelie bar which prevents nose up ride attitudes;

[0024] (g) to provide retractable variable-geometry graduated surface-foils for reduced water draft during port operations and improved efficiency during water surface operation, to allow the vessel's operation to and from existing ports and docks;

[0025] (h) to reduce or eliminate the need for complicated aeronautical control surfaces;

[0026] (i) to simplify and reduce manufacturing and operational costs;

[0027] (j) to provide maximum passenger comfort with the addition of shock absorbing suspension system to the foils;

[0028] (k) to further reduce manufacturing and operational costs by adapting less expensive offshore race boat components, race boat engineering principals, and race boat manufacture techniques wherever possible rather than tending towards far more expensive aircraft components;

[0029] (l) to provide innate design stability for pilot passive wing angle of attack, flight attitude and averaged altitude control from wave crest-to-wave crest;

[0030] Operations Description (Background and Summary)

[0031] This invention relates in general to wing-in-ground-effect vehicles, and in particular to a maritime based vehicle capable of pilot-passive high-speed operations over naturally variable sea surface conditions. Refinements to this vehicle with fully retractable surface-foils will yield full amphibious airborne operation. This operations description will primarily be confined to the flight envelope; which combines air and water lift, while cruising in the more efficient ground effect mode.

[0032] This invention includes an air supported lifting body vehicle with passenger safety pod; and variable geometry surface-foils with graduated lifting facets; for sea surface contact, variable sea state response, and lift assist while underway.

[0033] The basic profile of the craft's variable geometry surface skimming foil will be readily understood by those skilled in the art of offshore race boat design. Over one hundred years of offshore race boat development have yielded basic bow profiles capable of relatively seamless response to variable wave heights and sea states. This invention's variable geometry surface-foils incorporate principals of proven offshore bow profiles design. Details of the profile, various aerating steps, and graduated running pads are described and referenced in the main embodiment of this patent. The variable geometry graduated surface foil's shape could best be described as a curving pyramid in plan form and dimension. As if a curving pie shape section were cut from the bow of an offshore race boat, and then mounted solidly or on hinges, with water releasing aerating steps cut into water plane face. But the main problem of offshore race boats is when they come violently crashing back down after launching off a wave face at high speed. The hybrid design of this invention carries most of its weight with its lifting body airfoil shape. A far smaller portion of the vessel's mass is borne by variable geometry water planning surface-foils. This hybrid balance of coordinated air and water lift give the craft instant and far gentler response to oncoming wave faces at speed. Then, due to this invention's primary mass carried by its lifting body airfoil, a much softer landing into the next wave crest is experienced than would the violent impact landing of an offshore race boat. This inventor's design also overcomes one of the primary barriers to widespread public use of free-flight ground-effect craft (those with no sea surface interaction device), hovercraft, and hydrofoils. That is, these vessel's inability, unless of massive scale, to operate in real world ocean conditions. Without a means to respond to naturally variable sea surface conditions a maritime craft will be confined to operations in only calm protected waters. Perfectly steady flight attitudes achieved by whatever means will find danger in the randomly tall wave crest. This invention provides for operation at high speed in the sea-surface interaction zone while in efficient ground-effect flight; but allows for the natural variables required in flight attitude and altitude required in response to random sea surface conditions.

[0034] Rotation to Flight Mode

[0035] This invention's variable geometry graduated surface foils are an integral component of this craft's ability to transition from water surface operation to cruise flight mode. Picture a slalom water skier in the water preparing to skim across the surface. His ski tip in front of him. And, just as important, is his drag leg outstretched behind him. Forward momentum is provided from the ski boat's towline. But the ski surface alone does not provide enough lift to get him up and out of the water before the hydrodynamic drag on his body becomes so great his arms can no longer hold onto the towline. He needs additional lift to overcome his body drag because at slower speeds the ski's water plane surface is not large enough to carry his weight. This is where the drag leg comes in. As pressure is applied from the towline the outstretched leg behind him must stiffen and press hard into the water. His stiffened drag leg, in a variable geometry to the power applied, forces his body up and out of the water. Only then may his ski function within the speed envelope for which it was designed. This invention works in the same way during the transition phase from water born to air born cruise mode. However, the slalom skier's single size water plane area, and variable geometry drag leg, are incorporated into a single graduated surface water plane appendage. Thus, this invention's ‘variable geometry graduated surface foil’.

[0036] This invention's forward foils are retracted up against the belly of the craft when in slow speed harbor operations, reducing draft. As forward power is applied, the forward foils, with tips dragging behind, are pressed hard into the water stream. Just as the forward hinged water skier's drag leg previously described. Hydrodynamic lift overcomes drag and the vessel is forced up and out of the water on minimal horsepower.

[0037] Pilot-passive Flight Control

[0038] The pilot-passive automated design of this invention is a function of its graduated planning surface shape. Larger and fatter at its root where attached to the underside of said craft. Progressively smaller towards its tip which skims the water at speed. As forward speed increases, water pressure increases, producing lift. The more lift, the higher the foil is forced out of the water, the smaller the planning surface exposed. This invention produces a natural balance of lift-to-drag throughout the vessel's speed envelope. Conversely, reducing vessel velocity will automatically reduce hydrodynamic lift. Reduce lift and the foil or foils will sink deeper into the water, the greater the planning surface presented to the air/water interface. Thus equilibrium of lift is automatically maintained through a function of this invention's graduated foil shape. The foil's shape also lends itself to sturdy structural design; fatter in the area of highest stress where attached to the underside of the craft. Skinnier at its tip to absorb and transmit smaller wave impact loads. Foil performance may be further enhanced through a shock absorbing suspension system consisting of; computer, electronic, hydraulic, air-ride suspension, and/or manual control aids.

[0039] Pilot-passive wave action response functions similar to the foil's automated lift response to variable speed/power inputs. Utilizing the kinetic power of an oncoming wave face; larger waves contact a larger foil surface and produces faster and larger lift responses. Smaller waves produce appropriately smaller lift responses, ultimately producing wave crest averaged flight altitude with the innate ability of design-automated proportional response to the occasional rouge wave face.

[0040] This invention's hybrid design uses finesse instead of brute force. Gliding from wave crest to wave crest on its lifting body airfoil. With only enough mass relying on her variable geometry surface skimming hydro-foils for a gentler response to each wave crest than would be possible with a conventional vessel. Envision an expert surfboard rider with his outstretched arm behind him. His fingertips trace a trail across a wave face. The variable water pressure on his fingertips feeds back wave speed, angle of incidence, and trajectory information to his brain without having to look behind him. The moment lever of water pressure through his fingertips and outstretched arm provide real time physical trajectory changes to his body mass and surfboard without overt conscious effort. Wave trajectory or breaking angle increase, and his body mass and surfboard are forced away from the wave and accelerate. Wave speed or breaking angle decreases, and his body mass and surfboard will decelerate, and drift gently back into the wave. Substitute the surfer's jointed outstretched arm and extended fingertips for this invention's variable geometry graduated surface foil or foils. And we have a picture of pilot-passive flight control.

[0041] Variable Geometry Surface Foil

[0042] The foil profile may be straight, or curving cross section of an offshore race boat type boat-bow shape with its trailing edge arching backward in a downward sweep. Foil face may be flat, convex, deep-vee, or any combination. Smooth face, or with vented steps along it's leading edge for quicker water release, and reduced hydrodynamic drag. With fixed or moveable water planning facets to maintain proper planning surface attack angle. Foil, or, foils may be fixed, or of variable geometry to the craft's trajectory and flight attitude. Foil or foils may be mounted fore or aft vessel center of gravity, center of lift, or any combination of above. Foil design claim is not limited to maritime-based ground-effect craft; but also implies its application in seaplanes as a fully retractable water interface device.

[0043] Ultimate Objective

[0044] The ultimate objective of this invention's variable geometry surface-foil, as applied to marine based ground effect craft, is to make 100 mph+ travel over the water practical, safe, and comfortable enough for high-speed surface transport. To reduce the tremendous frictional drag of surface vessels. And allow far greater fuel efficiencies at high speed than is possible with conventional ship design. To provide speeds nearly as fast as a helicopter, but as cheap to operate as an offshore powerboat. A tremendous transport technology gap exists between high speed but expensive aircraft, and slow but cheap ships. This invention intends to fill that gap. To provide passenger and goods transport directly from city center-to-city center. Utilizing existing harbor facility infrastructure 60% of the world's population lives within 300 miles of a coastline or major river. Thus can be served well by such a craft. The world's major airport hubs are fast reaching a wall of city development blocking airport expansion, and further increases in air traffic congestion over the hub are limited. The need for such a craft is huge. In addition, market studies confirm hundreds of transport routes across North America, which cannot be served well by anything other than high-speed maritime transport. Obvious example: Manhattan-to Hamptons. There are only three ways to get there: a 14 hour automobile trip in traffic, a three hour car trip to Connecticut and then a slow boat across, or a three thousand dollar helicopter ride.

[0045] Manufacture and Maintenance Advantage

[0046] Due to an advantageous U.S. Supreme court ruling favorable to a now defunct ground-effect craft company of Florida in the early 1990's; marine ground-effect craft in general are now officially listed in the U.S. as boats and not airplanes. Also, written into the International Law of the Sea Treaty all around the world the same now holds true. The difference is millions of dollars in development costs for official government certification to manufacture and operate such a craft. The costs involved to certify a marine transport vessel are a fraction of the cost to certify and maintain a passenger carrying aircraft. This allows for the adaptation of relatively less expensive offshore race boat components, race boat engineering principals, and race boat manufacture techniques wherever possible to further reduce costs. Rather than tending towards far more expensive certified aircraft components and techniques. The time is right for this invention's advantages.

[0047] Inspiration

[0048] Prototype work and scale model tests of this invention have begun to demonstrate these objectives are within close grasp. Five years research, three years variables analysis; it suddenly occurred to this inventor most wing-in ground effect craft developers were going about their research backwards. They are trying to make an airplane stay on the ground instead of make a boat fly. This inventor observed the beautiful way a properly designed race boat will tend to find an average altitude and trajectory skipping from wave crest to wave crest. The only problem was the bone shattering pounding and horrendous fuel consumption. An aircraft light enough to operate in complete free flight, even with ground-effect assist, would not be sturdy enough to withstand the momentary 20 to 40 G impact loads race boat hulls regularly endure. At least not with existing civilian construction technology. The inspiration was to blend the best features of both race boat and airplane. The result: a craft sturdy enough to withstand wave impact loads like the race boat. A lifting body airfoil shape to carry the bulk of the craft's mass out of the high-drag water, and radically lessen G force exposure. With approximately 85% of the vessel's total mass carried on the airfoil; the tri-pod plan variable geometry surface foils are each impacting wave faces with only 5% of the vessel's total mass. Therefore total G force exposure is reduced to a minimum at its point of generation at the vessel/sea surface interaction zone. These smaller shock load forces are then further dampened by a suspension system mounted to the foils. 100 mile per hour speeds over the water will feel about like a high quality 4×4 over a bumpy road. The water foil surfaces are a distillation of a race boat's bow section to its most elemental components into this invention's shock dampened variable geometry surface-foils. This invention's means to control flight attitude and trajectory from wave crest to wave crest. Except without the pounding and high fuel consumption of the race boat

DRAWING FIGURES

[0049] FIG. 1 shows side view of craft with variable geometry-graduated surface-foils in fully deployed position.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows craft from underside.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows view from behind.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows scale model and successful tow test electronically time dated May 17, 2001.

[0053] FIG. 5 is 45<degree angle view.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows various full size fiberglass mock-up components of the turbine powered proof of concept craft now under construction.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

[0055] 1 rounded/blunt fuselage surfaces

[0056] 2 race boat style crash pod

[0057] 3 elliptical windows

[0058] 4 crowned top deck of blended wing lifting body

[0059] 5 large vertical airfoil

[0060] 6 race boat style surface piercing propeller

[0061] 7 steering rudders (×2) port and starboard

[0062] 8 anti-blow over tail assembly

[0063] 9 cupped main hull surfaces

[0064] 10 stepped main hull vents

[0065] 11 “v” shaped foil ridding surface

[0066] 12 stepped vents in variable geometry graduated surface foils

[0067] 13 variable geometry graduated surface foil assembly

[0068] 14 integral shock absorbing suspension system

[0069] 15 hydraulic, mechanical, or air operated retract/deploy/adjust mechanism for surface foils

[0070] 16 fixed drive/anti blow over tail assembly

DESCRIPTION—FIGS. 1 and 2—Preferred Embodiment and operations description

[0071] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in in FIG. 1 (side view) and FIG. 2 (bottom view). Retract and deployment mechanism 15 provides independent operation of the ‘v’ bottomed 11 hydrodynamic ride surfaces of the variable geometry graduated surface foil assemblies 13. Independent operation of port and starboard forward foil geometry provides for bank turn ability, which is essential for safe, stabile operation of the vessel, and passenger comfort at high speed. Foil assemblies 13 also greatly reduce installed power requirements of the craft due to their ability to lift the blended wing airfoil 4 up and out of the high drag water borne mode and up into proper low drag air born attitude of efficient ground effect flight. Foil tips remain in contact with water surface throughout flight envelope to automatically maintain vessel stability. Foil tips and plan form function similar to a tail dragger aircraft as it rolls down the runway. Except the ‘running gear’ never leaves the tarmac other than skipping from wave crest to wave crest. Curving pyramid shape foil assemblies progressively present a smaller water plane area of themselves to sea surface as speed, lift and vessel altitude increase. Foil assemblies 13 also provide shock dampening suspension system 14 to reduce stress loads from wave impact on passengers and structure 2, 4. Foil assemblies 13 additionally provide pilot passive automated wave action response due to their graduated surface, which is thicker at its root and thinner at its bottom tip 11. This produces larger automatic vessel reaction in response to larger wave face encounters and smaller vessel reaction to smaller waves encountered. ‘V’ shaped riding surface 11 further reduces wave impact loads. Stepped hull and foil vents 10, 12 quicken water tension release and reduce hydrodynamic drag while underway. Foil assemblies 13 and their operable components 11,14,15 also function to provide pilot passive flight altitude, wave clearance, and wing incidence control.

[0072] Rounded/blunt fuselage surfaces 1 of the race boat style crash pod 2, elliptical windows 3, and the blended wing lifting body 4 shape of the craft lend themselves well to strong, light weight composite construction. Impact loads are more evenly distributed over rounded, blunt surfaces. Laminar air-flow is improved. And, lack of sharp corners and edges leave less opportunity for the vessel to trip on the water or catch a wing edge on a wave. Round, blunt surface of lifting body 4 also increases safety factor should the vessel find itself sideways to trajectory at high speed. Vessel will skip across sea surface like a smooth stone, rather than abruptly stop. Crowned top deck 4 increases crosswind tolerance.

[0073] Large vertical airfoil 5 provides directional safety and control in the event of water rudder 7 failure. Wide fat base, and long deck footprint of vertical tail 5 additionally provides for necessary internal elements required to support the heavy structural loads of the anti blow over tail assembly 8. Anti blow over tail 8 is a third, fixed, hydrodynamic ride surface. Similar in function to an aircraft's tail dragger wheel. It provides mounting points for twin rudders 7 and race boat style surface piercing propeller or counter rotating propellers or race boat style out drive, or waterjet unit 6. The anti blow over tail assembly 8 also helps to passively control the vessel's longitudinal stability. Molded into the aftermost tip of the assembly, above the twin rudders 7 is a larger hydrodynamic planning surface. This surface is normally ridding clear of the water as it is positioned higher than the tail's normal ‘v’ shaped ride pad. If the vessel's longitudinal ride attitude ‘noses’ up too far, the aftermost planning surface at the end of the tail will contact the water and force the bow back down. It's function in this mode is similar to a dragster's wheelie bar on a drag strip, but a wheelie bar for the water. The anti blow over tail and its aftermost riding surface replaces and improves upon the more commonly seen large horizontal aero stabilizer of most ground effect craft designs. Water; being 800 times as dense as air, this invention makes far better use of its water born operating environment, without the parasitic drag penalty of the normally neutral attack incidence of the more common horizontal aircraft style stabilizer for marine based ground effect craft.

[0074] Cupped main hull surfaces 9 and stepped vents 10 provide additional hydrodynamic lift to put main hull up on water plane faster. Vessel starts out in water born mode with forward foils 13 in retracted position. Vessel reaches water plane mode and accelerates to what in an aircraft would be considered rotate speed. But at this moment, instead of acting like an aircraft and retracting it's gear after rotation, this vessel's running gear 13 is deployed. This hydraulic, mechanical, or air powered action forces the body of the craft up and out of the water; exposing it's lifting body airfoil 4 to the air stream, sets its angle of attack, and allows the vessel to further accelerate without the overburden of hydrodynamic drag. The foil 13 deployment can be compared to a slalom water skier's drag leg, as previously described.

[0075] Main patent claim:

[0076] The primary embodiment of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is: a hydraulic, mechanical, air operated, or fixed appendage or appendages; which has either a smooth, variably faceted, pyramid, triangular, or graduated water-planning surface or surfaces which presents a progressively smaller water-plane area towards direction of travel as speed, lift, and vessel altitude increases. These variable geometry water-plane areas may be of a fixed angle of attack upon the moveable or fixed appendage, or one or more of these variable water-plane areas may themselves be capable of mechanical, hydraulic, air operated, or manual changes in attack angle upon this invention's hydrodynamic lifting appendages.

Claims

1) Multiple said water-plane appendages extending below vessel body, forward of center of gravity; are independently hinged, deployable, and retractable as means to provide bank-turn ability.

2) Computer, manual, or hydraulically operated turn coordination device between said independently controlled forward foil geometry and aftermost water-rudder angle to provide auto coordination of bank turns with simple pilot activated steering input.

3) A rounded, circular plan form airfoil shape of blended wing lifting body for use in marine based ground effect craft provides improved lift and increased structural resistance to stresses of water born operation.

4) A machine design for smooth travel over rough water by means of hydraulic, mechanical, air, or sprung suspension system mounted to said pyramid shape water-plane appendages to reduce wave generated shock loads.

5) An aircraft style tail dragger plan form layout of water plane running gear including two forward water plane appendages forward of center of gravity and single aftermost water plane appendage extending below marine based ground effect craft to provide optimal stability throughout speed range and flight envelope.

6) A fixed or operable aftermost water plane appendage with reserve water plane area slightly above and behind normal cruise mode running surface to provide design integrated means of preventing vessel blow over at high speed. Said aftermost water plane appendage does not contribute hydrodynamic drag nor does it normally contact water surface while in high speed cruise mode. Said reserve water plane area automatically performs its anti blow over function as vessel's longitudinal attack angle exceeds design specification by a simple pivot motion of the vessel.

7) Said water plane appendages in pyramid/triangular shape extending below vessel body; fatter and thicker at its mounting root and or hinge point to provide improved structural design and graduated wave action response. Fatter and thicker at its root, skinnier and thinner at its tip to improve structural load distribution over existing art.

8) A multi-passenger crash-pod for marine based passenger carrying ground effect craft built to standard single passenger unlimited hydroplane crash-pod principles.

9) A marine based ground effect flight craft with said variable geometry water plane appendages and said anti blow-over device which self balances the craft while in high speed air born cruise over a variable sea state as a means to provide pilot passive control over lateral and horizontal pitch greatly simplifying construction and operation over existing art.

10) A marine based ground effect flight craft which due to the self-balancing action of said variable geometry graduated surface foil appendages and said anti blow over device which is self balancing and requires no active aeronautical control surfaces.