Patent ID: 6817571
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: B64C,B64D,Y02T

Abstract:
An aircraft, comprising:an aft-swept wing having a first portion on a first side of an aircraft centerline and a second portion on a second side of the centerline; a fuselage portion coupled to the wing, the fuselage portion being configured for sustained cruise flight at subsonic Mach numbers of at least 0.85, the fuselage portion including a cab portion, the cab portion including: an external flow surface having a generally rounded nose portion with a forward extremity, the external flow surface further having a windshield aperture positioned only above and aft of the forward extremity of the rounded nose portion; and a windshield disposed in the windshield aperture, wherein a contour of the external flow surface and the windshield extending from a position on the external flow surface beneath the windshield, aft over the windshield to a position on the external flow surface aft of and above the windshield has a generally continuously smooth unkinked shape; landing gear depending from at least one of the wing and the fuselage portion; and a propulsion system having a plurality of turbofan engines providing the sole propulsive force for sustained cruise flight at subsonic Mach numbers of at least 0.85.