Abstract: An aircraft comprising a plurality of fuel tanks in each wing is arranged such that each fuel tank is provided with a venting pipe connected to a single venting chamber. The venting chamber is itself located in a central fuel tank located in the wing centre-box and is thus located inwardly of at least two of the fuel tanks. The venting chamber has two venting pipes each being connected via a respective surge tank in each wing to the exterior of the aircraft.

Abstract: A seal for sealing a gap between a first (252) and a second (207) component of an aircraft flight surface which has a first seal body (222) having a first sealing portion (246) arranged to seal against the first component, wherein the first seal body is movably mounted to the second component so as to seal at least part of the gap during relative movement of the first and second components. A seal is also provided with components movable relative to each other.

Abstract: A cutting tool comprising: a rotatable hollow tube with an inlet at a distal end of the tube and a cutting edge at the perimeter of the inlet, the tube being arranged so as to rotate when in use so as to cut a work piece with the cutting edge; and an auger housed within the hollow tube, the auger being arranged so as to rotate when in use so as to feed cut material from the inlet along the hollow tube, wherein a distal end of the auger is set back from the cutting edge of the tube. A method of drilling a hole in a dry fibre assembly, the method comprising engaging the dry fibre assembly with a cutting tool comprising a hollow tube with an inlet at a distal end of the tube and a cutting edge at the perimeter of the inlet; and rotating the hollow tube so as to cut the dry fibre assembly with the cutting edge.

Abstract: A method of joining together a first and second workpieces. The method comprises; drilling a first hole at least partially through the first workpiece with a drill bit oriented in a first direction; drilling a second hole at least partially through the first workpiece with a drill bit oriented in a second direction which is not parallel with the first direction, the drill bit passing through the first workpiece into a side of the first hole; inserting a fastener through the second workpiece and into the first hole; inserting an anchor into the first hole via the second hole; and securing the fastener within the first hole with the anchor. The invention also relates to a drill guide for use in such a method.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a structure, the method comprising positioning one or more strain gauges on the structure; acquiring strain data with the gauges(s); analyzing the strain data to determine whether the structure has undergone plastic deformation; and providing an output in accordance with the analysis. By analyzing the strain data to determine whether the structure has undergone plastic deformation, a more reliable determination can be made of whether the structure has experienced an excessively high transient loading event such as a hard landing of an aircraft, or the lifting of an excessive load by a crane.

Abstract: A method of detecting a fuel leak from a fuel store of an aircraft where a processor receives inputs relating to the amount of fuel in the fuel store and to the rate of fuel used by the aircraft. The processor defines a fuel flow system state defined by a noise-compensated measures of the amount of fuel in the fuel store, a fuel leak amount estimate and a fuel leak rate estimate. The processor periodically calculates a new estimated state of the system in view of a previous estimated state and values of the inputs. The processor monitors the fuel leak amount estimate and the fuel leak rate estimate and if either exceeds a respective threshold value send a signal to a fuel leak warning device.

Abstract: An aircraft structure comprising; a rear spar, an upper cover which is attached to the rear spar and overhangs to its rear; a lower cover which is attached to the rear spar and overhangs to its rear, a hinge rib assembly comprising: a first hinge rib arm attached to a first one of the covers; and a second hinge rib arm connected to the first hinge rib arm and attached to a second one of the covers; and an aerodynamic control element pivotally mounted to the hinge rib assembly. The first and second hinge rib arms are separate parts. This provides the ability to disassemble the hinge rib in-situ for repair or maintenance purposes; the ability to install or remove the hinge rib without having to move it inboard along the structure; reduced material wastage during manufacture; and the ability to install one or more elongate lines which extend in a span-wise direction along the aircraft structure.

Abstract: A hinge rib for pivotally connecting an aerodynamic control element such as a spoiler or aileron to an aircraft structure. The hinge rib comprises: a first hinge rib arm having a grain oriented in a first direction; and a second hinge rib arm having a grain oriented in a second direction which is not parallel with the first grain direction. The arms may be formed together from a single piece of material, or more typically they are formed separately before being attached together such that the grain of the first arm is not parallel with the grain of the second arm.

Abstract: A method of installing an aerodynamic control element on an aircraft structure. The method comprising: attaching a fitting to the aircraft structure, the fitting comprising a pair of hinge ribs extending away from the aircraft structure and a spacer extending between the pair of hinge ribs; maintaining a desired distance between the pair of hinge ribs with the spacer as the fitting is attached; and pivotally mounting the aerodynamic control element to each hinge rib via a respective hinge.

Abstract: An aircraft structure comprising: a rear spar; and a composite cover attached to the rear spar and having an overhanging portion extending to its rear. The overhanging portion of the cover comprises one or more ramps along which the thickness of the cover reduces. A second cover is attached to the rear spar and overhangs to its rear. A hinge rib is attached to one or both of the covers, and an aerodynamic control element such as an aileron, rudder or elevator is pivotally mounted to the hinge rib.

Abstract: On failure, a burst rotor of a wing-mounted engine (13, 23) can penetrate fuel tank walls in the wing of a conventional aircraft. There exists a zone that is at risk of such damage. Thus, the layout of fuel tanks (3, 11C, 21C) in the wing of an aircraft in accordance with embodiments includes port and starboard inner fuel tanks (11C, 21C) that are positioned adjacent to a central fuel tank (3) in the central wing section, but outside of the at-risk zone. Each of the port and starboard inner fuel tanks (11C, 21C) is defined in part by a respective inner boundary member (5RP, 5RS) that when viewed in plan extends, at least in part, in a direction at an angle of less than 20° to the adjacent vertical plane (A-A) defining the at-risk zone. Thus the amount of fuel stored in fuel tanks (11C, 21C) in the wing assembly that cover a region outside of the at-risk zone and that do not extend into the at-risk zone may be increased.

Abstract: An aircraft seat assembly comprises a continuous row of a plurality of seats including a convertible aisle seat at one end of the row and one or more other seats. The seats are moveable between (i) a first configuration in which all of the seats are positioned in a useable position and a second configuration in which (a) the convertible seat is positioned in an unusable position in the row, (b) said one or more other seats are positioned in a useable position, and (c) the row of seats has a length, along the row, that is less than the length of the row in the first configuration for example by a distance of more than half the width of the convertible seat in the first configuration. The width of said one or more other seats may remain unchanged as between the first and second configurations.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a rib for an aircraft wing, the method comprising providing a billet of material for forming the rib, machining away material from all sides of the billet to form a rib for use in an aircraft, the rib including a web that extends between first and second flanged portions, each flanged portion having a flange that facilitates fixing of the rib to another component of the aircraft, wherein the material that forms the web extends diagonally across the billet, the web having a first face on a first side and a second face on a second side opposite to the first side of the web, and the first flanged portion extends more to the first side of the web than to the second side and the second flanged portion extends more to the second side of the web than to the first side.

Abstract: The load on an aircraft component, such as the load on a landing gear leg during braking, is measured with a contactless, all-weather displacement measuring system. The system includes a control unit a controllable microwave emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a microwave detector comprising a plurality of antennae. When the aircraft component is subjected to a load relative movement of the emitter and detector is caused. The detector generates in response to microwave radiation received from the focused beam of radiation emitted by the emitter a signal that is received by a signal processor of the control unit. The signal received by the control unit depends on the relative positions of the emitter and detector. The control unit is arranged to provide an output signal representative of the load sustained by the aircraft component. The system may be used to control braking in dependence on the output signal so as to maximize braking efficiency without overloading the landing gear leg.

Abstract: A clamped friction joint comprising: a composite component; and a second component which overlaps with the composite component in a region of overlap. A clamping member engages a first surface of the composite component in the region of overlap and a first surface of the second component outside the region of overlap. A fastener is arranged to pull the clamping member and the second component together so as to compress the composite component between the clamping member and the second component in the region of overlap. The clamping force applied by the clamping member and the second component facilitates load transfer across the joint without requiring any bolt hole in the composite component, or any additional bonding material.

Abstract: An aircraft wiring installation connecting a set of fuel side wires in an aircraft fuel tank to a set of airside wires outside the fuel tank, the installation comprising: a connector box having a fuel side wall (22) and an airside wall (21); one or more connectors (40, 43) carried by the fuel side wall (22) which connect the fuel side wires to the airside wires; a fairing (6) partially covering the airside wall (21); and one or more holes (30) in the airside wall through which the airside wires pass from the connector box into the fairing (6).

Abstract: A wing cover panel assembly, wing cover and method of forming thereof are disclosed in which an attachment surface of the wing cover panel is provided with a locating channel into which a wing structural element such as a stringer or spar is captured so as to fix the wing structural element to the wing cover panel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stringer for an aircraft wing and a method of forming such a stringer in which the stringer is formed from a single piece of material and then machined to optimise the dimensions and weight of the stringer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite part, the method comprising: placing a charge on a male tool having a convex surface region; debulking the charge on the male tool by applying pressure to the charge, the applied pressure varying over the surface of the charge so as to be intensified where the charge engages the convex surface region of the male tool; and curing the charge on a female tool having a concave surface region. The charge is formed and debulked in a series of stages to form a laminate. The charge is formed at a first temperature T1; debulked at a second temperature T2; and cured at a third temperature T3, wherein T1<T2<T3.

Abstract: A sealing member for forming a seal in an aircraft, the sealing member comprising: a sealing material; and a stiffening element which provides structural support to the sealing material and comprises a material with a glass transition temperature below +50° C. The stiffening element is relatively flexible when the aircraft is at low altitude (high temperature) but becomes relatively stiff (increasing resistance to seal flutter) when the aircraft is at cruise altitude (low temperature).