Abstract: An aircraft structure has an arrangement of aircraft components that provide inherent directional stability for a flight vehicle throughout an angle-of-attack range, even at very high angles-of-attack where conventional means of stabilization are ineffective. Components attached to an aircraft fuselage include a wing, horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizers. The wing is mounted forward of the horizontal stabilizers and is carried high on the fuselage. The horizontal stabilizer is mounted toward the rear of the aircraft and is attached near the bottom of the fuselage. The wing and horizontal stabilizers are joined on either side of the aircraft by forwardly sweeping aerodynamically shaped surfaces serving as the vertical stabilizers. The inclination of the vertical stabilizers preferably ranges from 45 degrees (top edge canted outboard) to 90 degrees (panels vertical).

Abstract: An airplane has a control device for providing a directional moment to control yaw during high angles of attack. The control device includes a chine support member carried at the forward end of the airplane forward of the fuselage. The chine support member rotates about a chine axis which is parallel or coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the airplane. A chine is mounted to the chine support member, the chine having a pair of substantially flat, thin, flight control surfaces rigidly mounted on opposite sides of the chine support member. These flight control surfaces rotate with the chine support member to control vortices formed on the chine during flight to provide directional moments. A drive motor will rotate the chine support member to control the angle of the chine. A control means including the aircraft computer controls the drive motor.