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ByFrankTinsle

y

TOMORROWSmagiccarpetmaybeacompact

flyingplatformthatoperateson

cheaplow-octanefuel,requiresneitherdriveshaftnorgears,andwhose

structure,m

echanismsandcontrolsareassimpleas

thoseoftheoldTinLizzie.

ItisaVTO

Laircraftsmallenoughtofitintothe

averagetwo-cargarage.Itcan

takeofffrom

anylawnordrivewayandflyinanydirectionforward,

backwardor

sideways

andcansetdownonanyclearpatc

hofground,water,marshor

snow.

Thiswondercraftisstillalongwayfromthedea

lersshowroombutconsidering

thefantastic

speedoftodaystechnologicalprogressa

ndtherapiddevelopmentsinthe

turbinefield

,thefamily-sizeflyingcompactmayno

tbe

AERIALCOMPACTletsdownoveravacationsite.It

canalsolandonwaterorsnow.

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too far off as practical transportation.While there is nothing particularly

new about dueted-fan flying platforms,to date all have relied on con-ventionalbelts, shafting or gear trains to transmittorque to their lifting fans

Recently, however, an entirely newconcept has appearedthe idea of fit-ting the fan-blade tips with buck-ets

and turning the whole lifting unit intoa king-size gas turbine that is an inte-gral part of the jet engine powerplant.Hence, at a single stroke, the oldtorque-transmitting hardware is re-placed with a simplegas duct that islight and vibration free. There is noth-ing to get out of order and nothing towear out. The only thing that spins is abalanced fan with bucket-tipped blades.

General Electric engineers are es-pecially interested in the possibilities ofthis system. The company has devel-

oped a number of turbine lift-fan mod-els and now has a working proto-typethat has passed its static tests and isnow undergoing wind tunnel tryouts.According to the engineers working onthis project, the system shows greatpromise.

Incorporating jet power and a varia-tion of this GE fan with the advantagesof a compact car, MI has designed a fam-ily-size flying compact. The vehicle isbasically simple, consisting of a smallcentrally located engine that feeds its

powerful exhaust to three ducted fansgrouped in an enclosing triangle. Thisairplane-like configuration providesmaximum stability on all flight axesand permits the use of a vertical versionof stand-ard airplane controls. Pressur-ized gas collected in a plenum chamberat the lower end of the verticallymounted jet engine is distributedequally to all the fans. By means of adiverter valve this gas flow to the fanscan be regulated or cut off entirely.Thus the engine can be switched on andrun independently of the lift system.

In this neutral setting the gas isexhausted through a bottom, nozzle.For take-off, the valve is graduallyopened and an increasing portion of thegas flow is diverted into the ple-numchamber and thence to the fans.

As the latter rev up, the craft eases offthe ground and begins its climb. At thedesired altitude the valve is set at Cruiseand the control vanes moved to the full

ahead position.Recently, however, an entirely new

concept has appearedthe idea of fit-ting the fan-blade tips with bucketsand turning the whole lifting unit into aking-size gas turbine that is an integralpart of the jet engine powerplant.Hence, at a single stroke the old torque-

Two of these vane units are mounted

below the fans in the lower end of eachfan duct. One unit is set in a fore-and-aft line and the other laterally. In oper-ation, air is sucked into the upper inletof the duct, compressed by the fans anddischarged in a high-speed, downwardstream. As the stream passes the vanesthey function as vertical rudders and di-vert the airflow in the desired .direction.The resulting pressures drive the ma-chine on its course. By setting the lat-eral vanes at a rearward angle, the caris driven forward; by tilting the longi-

tudinal units the craft moves to one sideor the other. A combination of the twopositions can propel themachine toward any point of the com-pass.

The structure consists of a cruci-form frame of welded steel tubing.The cabin sits at the forward end ofthe frames longitudinal memberwith the engine and tail fan-ductassembly behind it. The two wingducts are mounted in the ends of thecrosspiece. Enclosing the fan ducts

and structural elements is a stream-lined life-ring of molded Styrofoamwhich acts as flotation gear and alanding pad. At low power the ma-chine skims over the ground on acushion of compressed air, so nowheels are necessary.

The craft has a full-visibility, glass-enclosed cabin, bucket seats, ampleleg room and capacious luggage com-partments. A pair of powerful head-lights can be tilted downward fornight landings, and combination navi-gation lights on the wing-tips auto-matically signal stops and turns.Packed in a quick-opening casing atthe rear end of the cabin enclosureis a parachute capable of lowering thevehicle in event of engine failure.

The savings achieved by eliminat-ing transmission, springs, runninggear, etc., from these craft may soonput flying compacts within the reachof the average American family.