Traditionally parachutes have been utilised to enable crew members to safely exit from an aircraft in flight and descend to the ground. Whilst airborne the path of the parachute is strongly influenced by prevailing wind movements and hence the crew member may have little control over where they will eventually land. After exiting an aircraft and before deploying a parachute, a parachutist can effect limited directional control by adopting a body position which acts as a rudimentary aerofoil section. The amount of directional control achievable during freefall can be increased by the use of a wing suit.

A wing suit essentially comprises a one piece jump suit having three"wings" incorporated therein. Two of the wings extend from the wrists to waist on each side of the body of the suit, while the third wing extends between the legs of the jump suit from the knees up. Each wing is made of parachute material, for example rip stop nylon, formed into cells. When in freefall the cells are filled with air which has the effect of rigidifying the wings.

An advantageous feature of the wing suit is the ability of parachutist wearing the suit to alter the shape of the wings during flight. A wing obtains various aerodynamic characteristics from its shape. By altering the shape of the wing it can be optimised for various characteristics such as, for example, lift, speed, forward flight and maximum glide distance. As the wings of the wing suit are not completely rigid, but comprise air filled cells, a wearer of the wing suit can change the shape of the wings by moving their limbs.

It has been known for a wing suit equipped parachutist to be able to"fly"for a lateral distance up to 12 miles when in free fall. It is an object of the present

invention to provide an apparatus to increase the lateral movement during free fall of a parachutist and particularly a wing suited parachutist.

According to the present invention there is provided a propulsion apparatus for a parachutist in freefall, the apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be gripped by said parachutist and propulsion means provided on said frame, said propulsion means being operable by said parachutist.

The present invention provides a propulsion apparatus with which a parachutist can effect lateral movement during freefall. The apparatus is preferably utilised in conjunction with a parachutist wearing a wing suit such that the impulse provided by the propulsion means serves to augment the lateral motion in flight imparted by the wing suit.

In a preferred embodiment the frame comprises a central spine having elongate members extending therefrom. In a preferred embodiment the elongate members comprise a pair of laterally opposed handle bars and a pair of laterally opposed foot rests. In a preferred embodiment the handle bars and foot rests are hinged to the spine. In such an embodiment the handle bars and foot rests are moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position the handle bars and foot rests may be pivoted about their hinges so as to lie against the spine. In the deployed position the handle bars and foot rests extend substantially at right angles to the spine.

The handle bars and foot rests are sized and spaced on the spine such that, in the deployed position, a parachutist gripping the handle bars and resting their feet on the foot rests adopts a spreadeagled position. The handle bars and foot rests in their deployed positions are preferably pivotable about their respective hinges. In this manner a parachutist gripping the handle bars and having their feet on the foot rests is able to adjust the position of their limbs relative to their torso while maintining contact with the handle bars and foot rests. The apparatus may include means to enable the apparatus to be

releasably secured to a parachutist during freefall. Such means may include the provision of foot straps on the foot rests.

The apparatus includes control means by which a parachutist may operate the propulsion means. The control means may include a hand operable motor activation means. In a preferred embodiment such an activation means is provided the end of one of the handle bars. The activation means may be of the"twist grip"type. Preferably the apparatus includes an instrumentation panel adapted to convey information relating to operation of the apparatus to a parachutist utilising the apparatus. The instrumentation panel may be positioned on the frame at a location adjacent the face of the parachutist.

The propulsion means may comprise a motor operable to rotate a propeller. In such an embodiment the blades of the propeller may deploy centrifugally upon operation of the motor. The propeller is provided rearwardly of the foot rests The motor may be positioned rearwardly of the foot rests. In an alternative embodiment the motor may be positioned forward of the foot rests with a transmission shaft extending to the propeller.

In an alternative embodiment the motor may be operable so as to eject a high velocity gas stream from an outlet nozzle thereof. Fuel for the motor may be stored in the frame of the apparatus.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing (Figure 1) in which there is shown a schematic plan view of a propulsion apparatus generally designated 10. The apparatus 10 comprises a central spine 12 having laterally opposed foot rests 14 and handle bars 16. The foot rests 14 and handle bars 16 are connected by hinges 18,20 to the spine 12 and thus can be folded to the spine 12 for ease of storage. The spine 12 extends forward of the handle bars 16 and terminates at an instrumentation unit 22. The instrumentation unit 22 displays information such as, for example, airspeed, altitude, heading and amount of fuel remaining. At its opposite end, the spine 12 extends a short distance beyond the foot rests 14

and is connected to a motor 24 arranged to drive a propeller 26. The motor 24 is controllable via a twist grip throttle 28.

In use, the apparatus 10 is initially stowed on board an aircraft with the foot rests 14 and handle bars 16 folded to the spine 12, and the blades of the propeller 26 folded. To use the device a parachutist wearing a wing suit deploys the foot rests 14 and handle bars 16 to the position shown. The parachutist assumes a spread-eagled flight position with his feet on the foot rests 14 and hands gripping the ends of the handle bars 16. Upon exiting the aircraft and entering freefall the parachutist can activate the motor 24 via the throttle 28 as and when required to assist in lateral movement. The folded blades of the propeller 26 are deployed centrifugally upon operation of the motor 24 and resume their folded position when the motor is not in use so as to reduce drag. The hinged connections between the handle bars 16, foot rests 14 and spine 12 of the apparatus 10 allows the parachutist to move their arms and legs during flight and hence manipulate the shape of the wings of the wing suit to a desired flight configuration.

In the embodiment shown the motor 24 is positioned behind the foot rests 14, however the motor 24 may, in an alternative embodiment, be positioned on the spine 12 between the foot rests 14 and handle bars 16 with a drive shaft extending to the propeller 26. The motor 24 may be positioned thus so as to improve the balance of the apparatus 10.

Fuel for the motor 24 is stored within spine 12. The fuel may be a combustible fuel in liquid or gaseous form. Alternatively the spine 12 may house batteries or fuel cells. Additionally fuel may be stored in the foot rests 14 and handle bars 16 with a suitable communication path provided across the hinges 18, 20.

The spine 12 may be telescopic so as to accommodate parachutists of differing stature. Extension of a telescopic portion of the spine 12 may be required in order to operate the apparatus 10. For example, so as to prevent activation of the motor 24 and propeller 26 before the apparatus 10 is clear of an aircraft, the spine 12 may require extension before the motor 24 can be operated by the

twist grip throttle 28. In such an embodiment the necessary extension of the spine 12 may be achieved by a parachutist adopting the spreadeagled flight position on the apparatus 10.

Once the apparatus 10 has been utilised by the parachutist, for example the fuel supply has been exhausted or the desired amount of lateral movement has been achieved, it can be jettisoned prior to parachute deployment.