Patent ID: 6848650
Filing Date: 2005-02-01
Classification: B60V,B64C,B64D,Y02T

Abstract:
1. An aircraft comprising: a fuselage defining a central storage cavity, the central storage cavity having a length of at least 100 feet, a height of at least 16 feet and a width of at least about 24 feet; a wing assembly extending through and fixedly coupled to the fuselage in an unswept manner and providing the aircraft with a wingspan of at least 300 feet, the wing assembly defining a pair of wing storage cavities each of which being located on an opposite side of the fuselage, the wing assembly having a moderate aspect ratio of at least 3.5 to permit the aircraft to be flown efficiently in and out of ground effect; an altitude control system for controlling the altitude of the aircraft when the aircraft is flown in ground effect, wherein the altitude control system is operable in an active mode for maintaining an altitude of the aircraft at about a predetermined altitude above a surface over which the aircraft is traveling; and a plurality of independent and steerable landing gear coupled to the fuselage and operatively distributing the weight of the aircraft over substantially an entire length of the central storage cavity; wherein the central storage cavity and the wing storage cavities are configured to receive a cargo that includes intermodal re-usable cargo containers.