Vectored thrust engines for single and multiengined aircraft

Abstract

Many important advances have been made in recent years in the development of engines for V/STOL aircraft. In this paper, the application of V/STOL power plants currently being developed by Bristol Siddeley Engines is discussed, including the Pegasus vectored thrust engine that has been undergoing bench and flight development in the Hawker P.1127 strike/reconnaissance aircraft for four years and advanced developments designed to power V/STOL strike aircraft. The Pegasus engine is also suited to power V/STOL transport aircraft and the final section of the paper is devoted to this topic. First, the STOL transport aircraft is considered, where the combination of the deflected thrust capability of the Pegasus-type engine with wing/flap boundary-layer control gives extremely short airfield performance. The VTOL transport is then discussed including the development of lightweight lift engines for this application, and finally future vectored thrust engines are considered.