A rotor concept is described that enables the generation of a controlled thrust vector in any direction within the rotor’s sphere of action. It is suggested that a rotor of this kind might replace the entire tail unit of the ‘conventional’ single-rotor helicopter to provide a lighter, more compact layout of improved performance. An active control system might be required for the ‘flying-tail’ layout envisaged.

Some of the structural and mechanical design problems that are posed by a vectored-thrust (VT) rotor are briefly discussed and are seemingly tractable by exploiting the potential of advanced composite materials.

No assessment is made of the aerodynamic performance of a VT rotor, nor of the helicopter configurations or operational scenarios where a VT rotor might prove advantageous. Some limited assessments of this kind seem merited.