Circular fixed wing vtol aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft used for short distance flights may have very different design characteristics than VTOL designs of conventional aircraft. The aircraft defined herein is radically different from existing aircraft and is intended to be used for short distance flights. This aircraft is horizontally circular (or at least symmetrical) with a thrust generating power source in the center. The structure around the power center has a cross sectional shape like a conventional airplane wing, such that air flowing over the top surface generates lift. This main structure is shaped like a donut and acts as both the aircraft fuselage and wing. The aircraft also may utilize lighter-than-air gas within the body structure or in attached external bladders to reduce the relative weight of the aircraft, thereby artificially increasing the power to weight ratio and improving operational efficiency. The aircraft defined by this invention does not depend on horizontal speed to attain airflow over fixed wings, or rotating wings for generating lift, nor does it rely solely on downward thrust for its vertical lift capabilities. The VTOL aircraft defined by this invention are very efficient and safe, malting plausible a second component of this invention, a dynamic aircraft resource allocation and scheduling software application within a command-control-communication-computer (C4) system which can be used for mass transit application of multiple aircraft of this type in densely populated areas.

1 . A VTOL aircraft that uses lift, thrust and buoyancy forces together to achieve high flight efficiency, the aircraft comprising:
 a continuous symmetrical wing that surrounds a central void, the wing comprising a radially outer most edge, a radially inner most edge, and a top surface extending between the radially outer most edge and the radially inner most edge and comprising a peak closer to the radially outer most edge than the radially inner most edge creating a camber wing cross section so that when air is pulled over the wing low pressure is created over the wing resulting in lift,   a propulsion system that is located in the central void and moves air radially inwardly over the radially outer most edge of the wing, the top surface of the wing, and the radially inner most edge of the wing, through the center void, and downward below the aircraft resulting in thrust forces upward against the aircraft,   an air dam that is located above the central void and restricts air located directly above the central void from being a source of air flow through the central void so that air is forced to flow over the wing from the radially outer most edge resulting in continuous symmetrical lift forces on the wing, and   contained sub-atmospheric pressure gases causing a buoyancy effect resulting in additional lifting forces on the aircraft.