Patent ID: 7510139

Claim:
An aircraft comprising: an airframe having a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end; a power plant mounted on the airframe producing exhaust during operation thereof; a stoppable rotor/wing including a plurality of blades connected to a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the airframe, wherein the plurality of blades are positioned for providing thrust, lift, or both for selectively facilitating aircraft hover or forward flight; and a radial inflow turbine mounted on said airframe in fluid communication with said power plant for receiving exhaust from the power plant, said turbine including: a body forming an annular vortical chamber having an upper portion and a lower portion; a hub rotatably connected to the body and operatively connected to the drive shaft; a plurality of vanes extending radially outward from said hub, the hub and the vanes being positioned in said vortical chamber; an inlet for receiving the exhaust from the power plant, wherein said vortical chamber is in fluid communication with said inlet; an aft outlet downstream from said inlet; a chamber outlet downstream from said vortical chamber; and a valve positioned adjacent to said inlet, the valve selectively allowing the exhaust to pass through the turbine to the aft outlet or diverting the exhaust through the vortical chamber and out of the chamber outlet.