Raymond D Whipple

US Patent:

44961227, Jan 29, 1985

Filed:

Jun 27, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/508371

Inventors:

Raymond D. Whipple - Newport News VA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

B64C 1700

US Classification:

244 75R

Abstract:

A device which corrects aerodynamic spin wherein a collapsible boom 42 extends an aircraft moment arm and an anti-spin parachute force 24 is exerted upon the end of the moment arm to correct intentional or inadvertent aerodynamic spin. This configuration effects spin recovery by means of a parachute 30 whose required diameter 32 decreases as an inverse function of the increasing length of the moment arm. The collapsible boom 42 enables the parachute 30 to avoid the aircraft wake 50 without mechanical assistance, retracts to permit steep takeoff, and permits a parachute 30 to correct spin while minimizing associated aerodynamic, structural and in-flight complications.

US Patent:

50207393, Jun 4, 1991

Filed:

Oct 25, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/603335

Inventors:

Daniel M. Vairo - Newport News VA
Raymond D. Whipple - Newport News VA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

B64C 1700

US Classification:

244 75R

Abstract:

An emergency spin recovery parachute is housed within a centrally mounted housing on the aft end of an aircraft and is connected to a ring fitting within the housing. Two selectively latching shackles, connected to separate towlines are openly disposed adjacent the ring fitting. The towlines extend in opposite directions from the housing along the aircraft wing to attachment points adjacent the wing-tips, where the other end of each towline is secured. Upon pilot command, one of the open shackles latches to the ring fitting to attach the towline connected thereto, and a second command signal deploys the parachute. Suitable break-away straps secure the towlines to the aircraft surface until the parachute is deployed and the resulting force on the towline attached to the parachute overcomes the straps and permits the towline to extend to the point of attachment to exert sufficient drag on the spinning aircraft to permit the pilot to regain control of the aircraft. To employ the parachute as a drag chute to reduce landing speeds, both shackles and their respective towlines are latched to the ring fitting.