Katapultiervorrichtung fuer Flugzeuge

1,100,873. Launching aircraft. E. W. BLISS CO. 6 May, 1965 [6 May, 1964], No. 19238/65. Addition to 1,003,142. Heading B7G. An aircraft launching mechanism comprises a motor-driven reel 10, a flat tape 20 attached to the reel to be wound spirally thereon, and a releasable aircraft attachment 28, 30 fixed to the tape. The reel is driven through clutches by two gas turbine engines 12L, 12R and the tape passes from beneath the runway through a sheave on to the runway, and to a shuttle 28 to which an aircraft A is attached by a bridle 30. The runway may have a hold-down plate 34 to receive the shuttle before take-off. A rewind motor 42 is also provided, driving a reel 38 to which a cable 32 extending to the shuttle is fixed. The rewind motor and cable may be replaced by gas turbine engines and a tape similar to those described above to permit launching in either direction. The reels have brakes operated in response to signals from a counter on one of the reels when the shuttle nears one of the sheaves.