Patent ID: 7883051

Claim:
A ducted propulsion vectoring system for an aircraft comprising: a forward duct structure having an annular shaped interior and at a forward end adapted to receive a fluid stream from a thrust generating engine; an aft duct structure extending from an input end disposed to receive a fluid stream from the forward duct structure, wherein an upper portion of an interior of the aft duct structure has an upper conical lengthwise shape narrowing from the input end to a rear end and a lower portion of the interior of the aft duct structure has an opening extending from a position at or near the input end of the aft duct structure to a position at or near the rear end of the aft duct structure; an upper variable duct flap pivotably attached adjacent the rear end of the aft duct structure at an upper position relative to the path of the fluid stream to define an upper controlling surface for the fluid stream; a lower variable duct flap pivotably attached adjacent the front end of the aft duct structure and adjacent the aft duct structure opening at a lower position relative to the path of the fluid stream to define a lower controlling surface for the fluid stream; a movement control assembly controlling pivoting of the upper variable duct flap and pivoting of the lower variable duct flap; and a first variable guide vane having a horizontal pivot axis and mounted in the fluid stream forward of the upper and lower variable duct flaps thereby to provide deflection of the fluid stream upward and/or downward; whereby an aircraft equipped with the ducted propulsion vectoring system is enabled control flight of the aircraft to include vertical lift, hover and forward flight by control of the upper and lower variable duct flaps and of the first variable guide vane.