A variable thrust cross-flow fan system for an aircraft comprising: a rotatable wing member having a first housing member, the first housing member having an intake region, an exhaust region, and a fan region between the intake region and the exhaust region; an actuator assembly operably coupled to the first housing member; and a variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly disposed within the fan region of the rotatable wing member, the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly having a longitudinal axis and including a first and second driver plates having a plurality of blades rotatably mounted therebetween, the plurality of blades disposed radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis such that the plurality of blades has a generally circular path of travel when the cross-flow fan assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis, the plurality of blades moveable between a plurality of pitch angle configurations, a control assembly coupled to the plurality of blades operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the plurality of blades to generate a variable thrust force, the variable thrust cross-flow fan system being characterised in that the control assembly includes: a control cam that is substantially non-rotatable relative to the first and second driver plates, and a hinge member that is fixedly connected to the control cam and to the first housing member at a hinge axis; and in that rotation of the first housing member by the actuator assembly imparts rotation of the control cam about the hinge axis, thereby changing the direction of the variable thrust force. a rotatable wing member having a first housing member, the first housing member having an intake region, an exhaust region, and a fan region between the intake region and the exhaust region; an actuator assembly operably coupled to the first housing member; and a variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly disposed within the fan region of the rotatable wing member, the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly having a longitudinal axis and including a first and second driver plates having a plurality of blades rotatably mounted therebetween, the plurality of blades disposed radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis such that the plurality of blades has a generally circular path of travel when the cross-flow fan assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis, the plurality of blades moveable between a plurality of pitch angle configurations, a control assembly coupled to the plurality of blades operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the plurality of blades to generate a variable thrust force, the variable thrust cross-flow fan system being characterised in that the control assembly includes: a control cam that is substantially non-rotatable relative to the first and second driver plates, and a hinge member that is fixedly connected to the control cam and to the first housing member at a hinge axis; and in that rotation of the first housing member by the actuator assembly imparts rotation of the control cam about the hinge axis, thereby changing the direction of the variable thrust force. the plurality of blades disposed radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis such that the plurality of blades has a generally circular path of travel when the cross-flow fan assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis, the plurality of blades moveable between a plurality of pitch angle configurations, a control assembly coupled to the plurality of blades operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the plurality of blades to generate a variable thrust force, the variable thrust cross-flow fan system being characterised in that the control assembly includes: a control cam that is substantially non-rotatable relative to the first and second driver plates, and a hinge member that is fixedly connected to the control cam and to the first housing member at a hinge axis; and in that rotation of the first housing member by the actuator assembly imparts rotation of the control cam about the hinge axis, thereby changing the direction of the variable thrust force. a control cam that is substantially non-rotatable relative to the first and second driver plates, and a hinge member that is fixedly connected to the control cam and to the first housing member at a hinge axis; and in that rotation of the first housing member by the actuator assembly imparts rotation of the control cam about the hinge axis, thereby changing the direction of the variable thrust force.