BACKGROUND

Aircraft capable of long-distance, efficient cruising flight typically require long runways for take-off and landing. This limits the locations from which the aircraft can take-off and at which the aircraft can land, since many locations—such as ships at sea—don't have sufficient space for a runway. There is a need for new systems and methods that eliminate the need for these aircraft to use long runways to take-off and land.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for launching a fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight. In various such embodiments, the method includes: attaching a fixed-wing aircraft to a rotorcraft; releasing the fixed-wing aircraft from the rotorcraft into wing-borne flight; dropping a flexible member from the rotorcraft such that a free end of the flexible member is positioned within an area swept by one or more movable arms that force the flexible member to engage a haul in device; and operating the haul in device to draw the rotorcraft downwardly toward the haul in device. In various such embodiments, the haul in device includes a drum of a winch. In various such embodiments, the haul in device includes a drum of a winch, and operating the haul in device to draw the rotorcraft downwardly toward the haul in device includes operating the winch to rotate the drum. In various such embodiments, dropping the flexible member below the rotorcraft results directly from the releasing the fixed-wing aircraft into free wing borne flight. In various such embodiments, one of the movable arms includes a handheld gaffe hook. In various such embodiments, the flexible member is forcibly engaged through a pulley block or fairlead, and which includes drawing the free end of the flexible member away from the pulley block or fairlead, thus forcing the rotorcraft downward toward the haul in device. In various such embodiments, the haul in device is partially manually operated. In various such embodiments, the haul in device is mounted to a deck of a ship, and the rotorcraft tracks along a path of the ship as it is hauled downward toward a surface of the deck. In various such embodiments, the haul in device includes a drum, and wherein a length of one or more of the movable arms is reduced from a first length to a second length, the first length sufficient to sweep a target area sufficient to engage the flexible member with the drum, and the second length sufficient to force subsequent wraps of the flexible member around the drum without interfering with landing gear of the rotorcraft as the rotorcraft touches down onto a surface.

Various other embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight. In various such embodiments, the method includes: controlling a rotorcraft to ascend above a first winch and to station-keep relative to the first winch such that a first portion of a flexible member extends between the rotorcraft and the first winch and a second portion of the flexible member extends between the rotorcraft and a second winch; capturing the fixed-wing aircraft with part of the first portion of the flexible member; descending the rotorcraft until the fixed-wing aircraft contacts an aircraft landing structure; and thereafter, controlling the second winch to retract the second portion of the flexible member to draw the rotorcraft toward the second winch. In various such embodiments, the first winch and the second winch are mounted to a ship, and wherein the rotorcraft tracks along a path of the ship throughout a retrieval sequence. In various such embodiments, the first winch is configured to absorb a portion of the kinetic energy of the arriving fixed-wing aircraft by paying out length of flexible member while maintaining predetermined tension on the flexible member.

Various other embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight. In various such embodiments, the method includes: controlling a rotorcraft to ascend above a winch and to station-keep at a position relative to the winch such that a portion of a flexible member extends between the rotorcraft and the winch, and holding this position while capturing a fixed-wing aircraft; descending the rotorcraft until the fixed-wing aircraft arrives at a surface; and thereafter, controlling the rotorcraft to land elsewhere. In various such embodiments, the winch is mounted to a deck of a ship, and the rotorcraft tracks along a path of the ship throughout a retrieval sequence. In various such embodiments, the winch is configured to absorb a portion of the kinetic energy of the arriving fixed-wing aircraft by paying out length of the flexible member while maintaining predetermined tension on the flexible member.

