Flat Oblong Fuselage for Wing-in-Ground Effect
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large aircraft with cylindrical fuselages face inefficiencies in flight due to lack of elevating force, requiring long runways, high approach speeds, and unsafe water landings, along with inconvenient passenger boarding and emergency evacuation challenges.
Innovation Solution
The aircraft is redesigned with a flat, oblong fuselage generating elevating force, eliminating the cargo hold under the cabin, and mounting the main landing gear within the fuselage, allowing for safer takeoffs and landings on various surfaces and improved passenger access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a cylindrical fuselage is used for large aircraft, then the structure can accommodate cargo and passengers, but the fuselage does not generate elevating force in flight, requiring large airfoil area and long overhanging length
Solution Approach 1:
The fuselage body is merged with the airfoil structure to form an integrated lifting body. The flat oblong fuselage cross-section is designed to generate elevating force during flight, combining the functions of structural containment and aerodynamic lift generation, thereby eliminating the need for separate large airfoils and reducing overall aircraft length.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuselage is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a cargo and passenger container, generates aerodynamic elevating force during flight, and provides structural support for the undercarriage mounting. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the fuselage both a structural vessel and a lifting surface.
2Quantity of substance
If the cargo hold is placed under the passenger cabin in a cylindrical fuselage, then cargo storage is achieved, but the cargo hold has wide top and narrow bottom making it inconvenient for use, and the cabin floor has raised ground clearance
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional arrangement of placing cargo hold underneath the passenger cabin is inverted. Instead, the cargo hold is positioned laterally adjacent to the passenger cabin within the same fuselage cross-section. This inversion allows both cargo and passengers to access their respective areas at the same floor level, eliminating the need for raised ground clearance and improving cargo accessibility.
3Device complexity
If the fuselage is narrow and cylindrical, then the structure is simple, but the passenger cabin becomes like a corridor with long walking distance for stewardess, and the main undercarriage cannot mount on the airfoil base
Solution Approach 1:
The fuselage cross-section transitions from a symmetric cylindrical shape to an asymmetric flat oblong shape. This asymmetric design provides sufficient lateral width within the fuselage to accommodate aisles and allow the main undercarriage to mount on the airfoil base, while maintaining structural simplicity through the streamlined flat surfaces.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the airfoil and fuselage form a cross in narrow shape, then the aircraft can be designed, but the fuselage becomes long with wide wingspan and high empennage height, resulting in tremendous investment in construction
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft design transitions from a narrow fuselage configuration to a wide fuselage configuration. By increasing the fuselage width and reducing length, the overall aircraft dimensions are optimized, reducing the wingspan and empennage height requirements, thereby reducing construction investment while maintaining structural adaptability.
5Ease of operation
If the undercarriage bay has large bulge in existing aircraft, then the main undercarriage can be accommodated, but the atmospheric drag in flight is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The undercarriage bay is designed with smooth curved transitions integrated into the fuselage contours, eliminating sharp angles and protrusions. The flat oblong fuselage cross-section provides sufficient space for undercarriage accommodation while maintaining streamlined surfaces that minimize atmospheric drag during flight.
6Reliability
If wing-in-ground effect is low in existing aircraft, then takeoff and touchdown can be achieved, but the approaching speed is high and runway distance is long
Solution Approach 1:
The fuselage cross-sectional parameters are changed from cylindrical to flat oblong shape. This geometric parameter change enhances the wing-in-ground effect during takeoff and touchdown, allowing for lower approach speeds and shorter runway distances while maintaining reliable takeoff and landing capability.
7Device complexity
If cylindrical fuselage is used, then the structure is conventional, but landing on water is generally unsafe and only forced landing on water in emergency may cost tremendous loss
Solution Approach 1:
The fuselage cross-section is designed with locally optimized flat oblong shape that provides enhanced buoyancy and stability characteristics for water landings. The flat bottom surface and widened cross-section distribute the impact load more effectively during water contact, improving safety while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances flight efficiency by 30-40%, reduces manufacturing costs, and ensures safer and smoother operations on both land and water, with reduced risk of injury and damage in emergency situations.
Implementation Method 1
with its flat and oblong fuselage, said amphibious large aircraft has wing-in-ground effect in addition to generating elevating force in flight
Data Source
AI summary
An amphibious large aircraft without traditional airstairs is disclosed. With its flat and oblong fuselage, said amphibious large aircraft has wing-in-ground effect in addition to generating elevating force in flight. Thus, said amphibious large aircraft has smooth takeoff and touchdown on the runway as well as on broad water area. The flight efficiency is increased by 30-40%. The fuselage has only one floor, wherein the passenger cabin is set in the front of the fuselage, and the cargo hold is mounted above the rear. The wings are extended towards two sides from upper side of the fuselage. A jet engine is mounted above the rear of the fuselage and adjacent to the tail wing. Passengers can go on and off the amphibious large aircraft directly without the need of airstairs and can escape from the aircraft directly without the need of an inflator slide during an emergency.