Patent ID: 7870720

Claim:
An aircraft, comprising: a jet engine having a compressor for compressing a primary air flow, a combustion chamber downstream of the compressor wherein a combustible fuel is injected into air compressed in the compressor, and a turbine downstream of the combustion chamber for driving the compressor, the compressor, combustion chamber and turbine being located along a longitudinal axis; a duct leading to the engine to receive the primary air flow as the aircraft is in flight, the duct directing the primary airflow parallel to the axis as the primary airflow reaches the compressor; a ducted surface upstream of the compressor over which the air flows, creating a boundary layer of slower moving air at the ducted surface; a plasma generator operable to generate a plasma in the primary air flow proximate to the ducted surface; a plurality of electrodes embedded within the ducted surface downstream from the plasma generator, wherein the electrodes are operable to generate an electric field in the boundary layer; a plurality of magnets embedded within the ducted surface adjacent and between the electrodes to generate a magnetic field in the boundary layer; and wherein the electric and magnetic fields are configured to accelerate the plasma, causing slower moving air within lower regions of the boundary layer to accelerate to reduce flow separation prior to reaching the compressor.