Extended moment arm anti-spin device

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.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device which corrects aerodynamic spin during aircraft operation comprising:

an aircraft;

extendable boom means housed completely within the aircraft;

said extendable boom means forming an extension of an anti-spin moment arm of said aircraft when extended from the tail of the aircraft;

parachute means carried by said extendable boom means at the end thereof remote from the aircraft;

means for deploying said parachute means for exerting an anti-spin force at the end of said moment arm;

said parachute means having a diameter and said extendable boom means having a length permitting relative reduction in parachute size necessary to accomplish spin correction and continued flight of the aircraft without release of the parachute means.

2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said extendable boom means includes means for extending and retracting whereby preservation of the aerodynamic design of the aircraft is maximized.

3. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said parachute means is of a diameter determined as an inverse function of the total length of the moment arm, whereby a longer moment arm permits a relative reduction in the chute size necessary to accomplish equivalent spin correction.

4. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said extendable boom means is a rigid boom, said boom extending and maintaining said parachute means beyond the wake of said aircraft and including means for housing said parachute means at the end of the boom remote from the aircraft.