An aircraft auxiliary power and thrust unit includes at least one blade mounted to a fan shaft which are mounted to a tail cone of the aircraft and rotatable relative to the tail cone. Also included is an air intake assembly which includes an opening defined by the tail cone and a channel in fluid communication with the opening and the at least one blade. A first drive shaft positioned to extend in a direction transverse to the fan shaft and engagageable to rotate with the fan shaft and first drive shaft engaged and the first drive shaft engagageable to a second drive shaft positioned transverse to the first drive shaft such that the second drive shaft rotates with the first drive shaft with the first and second drive shafts engaged. The second drive shaft is positioned outside of the channel of the air intake.