The hybrid dirigible craft belongs to the category of flying vehicles which use an air cushion and take off and land at any type of airfield. The air of the invention is to design an improved dirigible craft capable of taking off from and landing on water and low-load bearing surfaces. To that end, the hybrid dirigible craft comprises the following elements: a discoid body (1) with a central passage (2) in which is mounted to a flow-permitting body (5) with a rotor (6) on its upper part and secured to the walls by radial partitions (7) which have an aerodynamic profile, the pilot-passenger and cargo compartments (9 and 10, respectively); a propulsion unit with propellers (8), units for landing on an air cushion in the form of an inflatable toroidal bag (11) and wheel-skid supports (12, 13) mounted on the lower surfaces; rotating flaps (3) mounted at the inlet into the central passage (2); control and stabilizing elements (4) mounted at the outlet of the central passage (2); outer wing units (14) and a tail assembly with stabilizer (19) and two or more fins (17) mounted on the rear part of the hull; airflow flaps (21) on the rear flaps of the outer wing elements and hull (22); and airflow control surfaces (20) on the stabilizer and outer wing elements. The dirigible craft also has elevons (22) on the stabilizer and a flexible guard element (23) mounted on and underneath the forward part of the toroidal bag (11). It also has a gear for taking off from water including gliding surfaces (28) underneath the compartment (9) and a hydrofoil (30).

FIELD OF INVENTION 
This invention relates to the field of aviation, namely to flying vehicles 
which use an air cushion and take off and land at any types of airfields 
or even if there is no airfield. To be more precise it relates to hybrid 
dirigible crafts. 
The hybrid dirigible craft relates to flying vehicles with a combined 
principle of flying and can be used for lifting and transporting heavy and 
big size cargo. 
STATE OF THE ART 
A hybrid dirigible craft is known (see "Technical molodezhi" Magazine, No 
2, 1987; Patent of France No 2366989, B 64 B I/06, 1976) comprising a 
discoid body with a central passage in which is mounted a flow-permitting 
body with a rotor on its upper part and secured to the walls by radial 
partitions which have an aerodynamic profile, pilot-passenger and cargo 
compartments, draft propulsion units. 
However the given dirigible craft is observed to lack stability and 
controllability in the process of flying as well as on land and this 
results in the aggravation of service properties of this dirigible craft. 
Another known dirigible craft (see Application RF No 92012238/II (0575 81), 
B 64 B I/06, 1992) comprises a discoid body with a central passage in 
which is mounted a flow-permitting body with a rotor on its upper part 
secured to the walls by radial partititions which have an aerodynamic 
profile, pilot-passenger and cargo compartments, a propulsion unit with 
propellers, units for landing on an air cushion in the form of an 
inflatable toroidal bag and wheel-skid supports mounted on the lower 
surfaces, rotating flaps mounted at the inlet of the central passage, 
control and stabilizing elements mounted at the outlet of the central 
passage, outer wing units and a tail assembly with a stabilzer and two or 
more fins mounted on the rear part of the hull, airflow flaps mounted on 
the rear flaps of the outer wing elements and the hull, airflow control 
surfaces mounted on the stabilizer and the outer wing elements. 
A disadvantage of the given dirigible craft is the lack of stability and 
controllability when flying as well as when taking off and landing 
particularly on water and low-load bearing surfaces: snow, marsh, etc., 
and this results in the aggravation of service properties of the dirigible 
craft. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the present invention is to develop a dirigible craft with 
better service properties which allow to perform taking off and landing on 
water and low-load bearing surfaces. 
To solve this task the hybrid dirigible craft comprising a discoid body 
with a central passage in which is mounted a flow-permitting body with a 
rotor on its upper part secured to the walls by radial partititions which 
have an aerodynamic profile, pilot-passenger and cargo compartments, a 
propulsion unit with propellers, units for landing on an air cushion in 
the form of an inflatable toroidal bag and wheel-skid supports mounted on 
the lower surfaces, rotating flaps mounted at the inlet of the central 
passage, control and stabilizing elements mounted at the outlet of the 
central passage, outer wing units and a tail assembly with a stabilizer 
and two or more fins mounted on the rear part of the hull, airflow flaps 
mounted on the rear flaps of the outer wing elements and the hull, airflow 
control surfaces mounted on the stabilizer and the outer wing elements; 
also has elevons on the stabilizer and a flexible guard element mounted on 
and underneath the forward part of the WO toroidal bag. It also has gear 
for taking off from water in the form of gliding surfaces underneath the 
pilot-passenger compartment and the hydrofoil in the rear part of the 
hull; and the flexible guard is a cone-type skirt made of dense fabric 
with pockets in which in radial direction is additionally mounted 
resilient cuirasses with rollers and braids with the ends secured to the 
lateral walls of the toroidal bag. 
This construction allows to increase the controllability of the proposed 
dirigible craft because the elevons function as an aileron--a transverse 
control surface and an elevator. The equipment of the dirigible craft with 
the elements in the form of the gliding surface underneath the 
pilot-passenger compartment will allow to increase the stability when 
taking off from water and other low-load bearing surfaces because the 
abovementioned gliding element takes at this moment an inclined position 
of 3-5 degrees by the toroidal bag inflation and leans the rear part 
against it. While a flying vehicle is moving the gliding surface creates 
the lift which pushes the flying vehicle out of water and decreases its 
resistance. The mounting of the hydrofoil in the rear part of the hull 
creates when taking off from water an additional hydraulic lift and 
provides the transverse control by decreasing and increasing its angle of 
incidence. The equipment of the dirigible craft with the guard element, so 
called skirt, with the toroidal bag inflated will allow to restrict the 
air flow forward and aside and direct the air from the air cushion 
backward thus stabilizing the vehicle on its course line when it is moving 
near the land and creating an additional draft traction. 
On the basis of the information available the aggregate of essential 
features of the claimed hybrid dirigible craft is not known from the state 
of the art and this allows to make a conclusion of the correspondence of 
the invention to the novelty criterion. 
To the Applicant's opinion the subject of the claimed invention does not 
mainly result from the state of the a because it does not show up the 
abovementioned influence upon the achieved technical result--a new 
property of the object--the aggregate of the features which differ the 
claimed hybrid dirigible craft from a prototype and this allows to make a 
conclusion of its correspondence to the invention level criterion. 
The aggregate of essential features characterizing the essence of the 
invention can have multiple application in the manufacture of flying 
vehicles with a combined principle of flying with obtaining the increase 
of stability and controllability when taking off and landing on water and 
low-load bearing surfaces that allows to make a conclusion of the 
correspondence of the hybrid dirigible craft to the industrial application 
criterion.

BEST EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION 
A hybrid dirigible craft comprises a discoid body 1 with a central passage 
2 in which are mounted rotating flaps 3 at the inlet, control and 
stabilizing elements 4 at the outlet of the central passage, and in which 
is mounted a flow-permitting body 5 with a rotor 6 on its upper part 
secured to the walls by radial partititions 7 which have an aerodynamic 
profile, a propulsion unit with propellers 8, a pilot-passenger 
compartment 9 and a cargo compartment 10, units for landing on an air 
cushion in the form of a toroidal bag 11 and wheel-skid supports 12 and 13 
mounted on the lower surfaces, outer wing units 14 with airflow transverse 
control surfaces 15 and ailerons 16 on their ends, a tail assembly with 
two fins 17 mounted on tail beams 18 and stabilizers 19 with an airflow 
longitudinal control surface 20, airflow flaps 21 mounted on the rear 
flaps of the outer wing elements and the hull. On the lateral sections of 
the stabilizer are mounted elevons 22 which simultaneously function as an 
aileron--a transverse control surface and an elevator. Underneath the 
foward part of the toroidal bag 11 is mounted a flexible guard element 23. 
The flexible guard is made in the form of a cone-type skirt 24 made of 
dense fabric, to diameter of the skirt in radial direction in the pockets 
are mounted resilient cuirasses 25 with rollers 26 on the end. Over the 
roller is thrown a rubber braid 27 the ends of which are secured to the 
lateral walls of the toroidal bag 11. The skirt is located on the forward 
sector of the bag, 180 degrees and more, with its height decreasing 
towards the rear sector. Underneath the pilot-passenger compartment 9 is 
mounted a gliding surface 28 which forward part is hinged to the lower 
surface of the compartment, and rear part leans against the inflated 
toroidal bag 11 with a simultaneous spring loading with tension springs 
29. Between the tail beams 18 underneath the rear part of the body 1 is 
mounted a hydrofoil 30 which is hinged to the tail beams and equipped with 
a lever 31 by means of which via the control wiring (not shown) the 
hydrofoil is controlled from the pilot-passenger compartment. 
The elevons 22 work as follows: 
During taking off or landing especially on low-load bearing surfaces due to 
the blow-out of airflows a tilting moment takes place. The airflow 
transverse control surfaces 15 and the ailerons 16 are not enough to 
supress this moment. For dampening the abovementioned moment the lateral 
sections of the elevators are deflected simultaneously upwards and 
downwards as ailerons. Being blown by the propellers 8 they create a 
necessary transverse moment (for supressing the tilting moment). 
When the toroidal bag is inflated the flexible guard 23 restricts the flow 
of air forward and aside and directs the air from the air cushion backward 
thus stabilizing a flying vehicle on its course line during its travel 
near the land. It is the cuirasses 25 and the braids 27 that gives the 
skirt the rigidity and form. When the toroidal bag is deflated the skirt 
via the rubber braids 27 is automatically pressed against the torus which 
also is pressed by its rubber braids (not shown). 
When taking off form water and other low-load bearing surfaces the gliding 
surface 28 takes an inclined position (3-5 degrees) and leans its rear 
part against it. When a flying vehicle is travelling the gliding surface 
creates the lift pushing the flying vehicle out of water and decreasing 
its resistance. After taking off when the toroidal bag is deflated the 
gliding surface via the springs 29 is automatically pulled up to the lower 
part of the pilot-passenger compartment without creating an additional 
aerodynamic resistance during the flight. When taking off from water the 
hydrofoil 30 creates an additional hydraulic lift and by decreasing and 
increasing its angle of incidence the longitudinal control is provided. 
The angle is changed via the application of control forces to the lever 
31. Upon taking off and during travelling the hydrofoil can function as an 
element for longitudinal balancing of a flying vehicle. 
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION 
The proposed hybrid dirigible craft is a stable and controllable during the 
flight as well as during taking off and landing on hard and low-load 
bearing surfaces owing to better controllability of the dirigible craft, 
by making the elevons function as ailerons. The gliding surface underneath 
the pilot-passenger compartment increases the stability during taking off 
from low-load bearing surfaces and water. 
The calculations and tests that have been made show a high level of flight 
performance of the hybrid dirigible craft implemented in accordance with 
the present invention. 
The Table given below comprises the technical data of the hybrid 
TABLE 
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Description Data 
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Gross weight, t 350 
Cargo/passenger, t/pers. 
200/800 
Flight velocity, km/h 200 
Flight altitude, m 3000 
Flight range, km 3000 
Specific fuel consumption, kg/hp h 
0.2 
Construction, t 100 
Length, m 145 
Span, m 140 
Height, m 40 
Area in plan, sq m 500 
Air cushion area, sq m 
600 
Wing load, kg/sq m 50 
Specific soil pressure, kg/sq m 
75 
Power to weight ratio, hp/kg 
0.16 
Engines Th-114 (AH-22) 
Take-off run, m 100 
Runway soil, water, ice, 
marsh 
Traction, t 60 
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