Patent ID: 7900868
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: B64C,B64D,Y02T

Abstract:
1. An aircraft comprising: a generally tubular fuselage; a first wing and a second wing mounted to the generally tubular fuselage and configured for aerodynamically supporting the aircraft during flight, wherein the first and second wings each comprise at least two distinct wing portions including a shorter chord outboard wing portion and a longer chord inboard wing portion, wherein the shorter chord outboard wing portion has an average chord length that is less than the average chord length of the longer chord inboard wing portion, wherein the longer chord inboard wing portion has a minimum chord length that is greater than the maximum chord length of the shorter chord outboard wing portion, and wherein the first and second wings are configured such that the longer chord inboard wing portion is adjacent to the shorter chord outboard wing portion resulting in a planform step from the longer chord inboard wing portion to the shorter chord outboard wing portion in at least a portion of the wing; a horizontal stabilizer mounted to the generally tubular fuselage rearward of the first and second wings, the horizontal stabilizer being separate and distinct from the first and second wings; an engine; and an engine mounting system configured to attach the engine to the aircraft such that the engine is positioned in major part over the longer chord inboard wing portion of at least one of the first and second wings so that an area below the aircraft is at least partially shielded from the sound of the engine by the longer chord inboard wing portion.