Abstract: A display system for displaying a layout of controls in a simulator including at least one of an information display, a switch such as a toggle or push-button switch, and a monitoring device such as an indicator, or a gauge, for a vehicle, the display system including a touch sensitive screen which is generally transparent over a significant portion of its area, and a plurality of projectors which project onto a back of the screen, images of the vehicle controls, the projectors each being operatively connected to a computer controller which responds to the front of the screen being touched where a depicted control is displayed, to change the display in a manner to mimic the result of a corresponding actual vehicle control being operated.

Abstract: A device such as an aerofoil which in use is subject to fluid flow, includes an outer surface part the geometry of which is variable to affect the fluid flow, the device including a support structure which supports the outer surface part, the support structure being internal of the device and including a plurality of support members of composite material the geometry of the support structure being changeable by an actuating apparatus, between a first stable geometry and a second stable geometry to effect variation in the geometry of the outer surface part, the support members providing structure stiffness to the outer surface part.

Abstract: A cowling assembly for a vehicle includes a generally external surface having secured thereto or adjacent thereto, an elongate lightning protection strip member. The lightning protection strip member includes a lightning diverter strip connected to a lightning conductor strip. The lightning diverter strip at least when subjected to high electric field, enabling an ionized channel to be established along the diverter strip to divert the lightning along the lightning diverter strip to the lightning conductor strip. The lightning conductor strip conducts the lightning from the lightning diverter strip to an earth of the vehicle.

Abstract: A damping apparatus for damping vibrations in a vibrating system including a piston which is reciprocally movable in a hydraulic fluid filled damper chamber, piston movement in either direction of movement being resisted by fluid pressure in the damper chamber behind the piston, which resistance provides damping forces which act to oppose piston movement, the piston being connected to one component of the vibrating system and the damping chamber being connected to a second component of the vibrating system, characterised in that the fluid at at least a first side of the piston acts on a movable part which is movable in response to changing fluid pressure in the damper chamber at the first side of the piston as the piston moves, the movable member providing a relief volume for the fluid into which and from which fluid may flow from and towards the first side of the piston without passing to an opposite second side of the piston.

Abstract: An aerofoil has a body, and at least one flow control device, the flow control device including a passage within the body of the aerofoil, and a passage outlet at an upper aerofoil surface of the aerofoil, whereby in use, air from the passage passes through the passage outlet to affect airflow over the upper surface of the aerofoil over at least a range of incidence angles, wherein the passage outlet is provided by an outlet fitting which is secured relative to the upper surface of the aerofoil, the outlet fitting including a surface part which lies contiguously with the surrounding upper aerofoil surface so there is no or only a minimal discontinuity where the surface part and the surrounding upper aerofoil surface interface, the surface part of the fitting further including an opening which communicates with the passage within the body of the aerofoil.

Abstract: A compliant spacer which, in use, is located between planar surfaces of two machine elements which are, in use, clamped together in an assembly, the spacer having a first generally planar face and a second oppositely facing generally planar face which is generally parallel to the first generally planar face, each of the first and second generally planar faces having a plurality of raised regions, the raised regions of the first face being offset with respect to the raised regions of the second face, so that as the two machine elements are clamped together with the spacer therebetween, the spacer deforms out of plane to maintain the clamping load in use, and each raised region including a bearing surface and edge regions where the raised region joins the respective planar face of the spacer, the bearing surface being generally planar and parallel to the first and second planar faces, and the edge regions of the raised regions melding smoothly into the respective planar face of the spacer without any sharp disc

Abstract: A contact arrangement, for enabling an electrical connection to be made between first and second electrodes, in which the first electrode is moveable in a direction along or parallel to an axis into contact with the second electrode, the second electrode including a sharp end formation and being resiliently biased in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the first electrode, the first electrode including a generally planar surface which extends transversely of the axis and the second electrode is mounted so that when the first and second electrodes are in contact, as the first electrode is continued to be moved along or parallel to the axis, the second electrode moves relative to the first electrode in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the first electrode across the planar surface of the first electrode.

Abstract: A method of moulding articles from layers of composite material being fibres impregnated with uncured resin, includes draping at least one layer of the composite material over a moulding tool, applying over the composite material layer or layers a membrane, and establishing an at least partial vacuum between the membrane and the moulding tool to consolidate the composite material, and wherein the membrane is made of a resilient material, and the method includes applying a force to the membrane to stretch the membrane over the moulding tool and maintaining the force whilst the at least partial vacuum is established.

Abstract: A damping apparatus for damping vibrations in a vibrating system including a piston which is reciprocally movable in a fluid filled chamber, piston movement in either direction of movement being resisted by fluid pressure in the chamber behind the piston, which resistance provides damping forces which act to oppose piston movement, the piston being connected to one component of the vibrating system and the chamber being connected to a second component of the vibrating system, characterised in that structure is provided to relieve the fluid pressure behind the piston to allow substantially unopposed piston movement in the chamber without damping forces being provided, during piston movements which occur in response to vibrations in the vibrating system at frequencies other than a fundamental frequency which the damping apparatus primarily is intended to damp.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement between an opening leaf and a frame, one of the frame and leaf providing an elongate recess, and the other of the leaf and frame carrying an elongate seal which, when the leaf is closed with respect to the frame, is received in the recess, wherein the elongate seal includes a plurality of axially extending outwardly projecting formations, and an internal hollow, the recess and the seal being configured such that as the leaf is closed and the seal is received in the recess, a first of the axially extending outwardly projecting formations of the seal engages with a respective first part of an inside surface of the recess and as the leaf is continued to be closed, the seal becomes deformed in a manner to cause the or at least one of the other axially extending outwardly projecting formations to be urged into sealing engagement with a second part of the inside surface of the recess.

Abstract: An aircraft capable of vertical take off and normal cruise flight has a fuselage and a pair of wings, the wings being movable relative to the fuselage from a rearwardly swept position to which the wings are moved for vertical take off, to a spread position to which the wings are moved for normal cruise flight.

Abstract: A handling apparatus for handling cables includes first and second members connected together for relative movement between an open position in which a cable may be inserted between the members, and a closed position in which the cable is securely held between the members with a part of the cable projecting outwardly of the members, to enable the first and second members to be held whilst work operations are carried out on the projecting part, the apparatus further including an elongate indicating device received by the first member for axial sliding movement relative to the first member, the indicating device having an indicator and a plurality of markings arranged at predetermined positions axially of the indicating device, the indicating means being slidable so as to bring the markings severally into registry with a reference part of the first member whereby the indicator is positionable relative to the first member at predetermined positions relative to the projecting part of the cable when the first and

Abstract: An apparatus for the suppression of infra red emissions from an engine includes a suppressor body through which pass exhaust gases from the engine, the suppressor body having an inlet means for air which is mixed within the suppressor body with the hot exhaust gases to cool the exhaust gases before final exhaustion, characterised in that at least one sonic or supersonic energy generator is provided to apply within the suppressor body, sonic or supersonic energy to enhance the efficiency of infra red suppression.

Abstract: A device for applying heat to an adhesive of the type used to set an optical fibre in a termination therefor, the device including a portable housing, a heater disposed within the housing and a holder for holding the termination in operative relationship with the heater to promote curing of the adhesive.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing a polishing operation on a fiber of a fiber optic cable in a cable termination, including means to receive the termination with the fiber extending therefrom towards a polishing surface, an operating means to bring the extending fiber and the polishing surface together, means to move the polishing surface relative to the termination and the fiber with the fiber and polishing surface in contact, to perform polishing of the fiber, characterized in that the operating means includes a manually operable member which is pivotal about a pivot axis, and means to bring the extending fiber and polishing surface together in response to pivoting movement of the manually operable member in a direction transverse to the pivot axis.

Abstract: An aerofoil comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge which define a mean chord length, and the aerofoil having an inner or root end adapted for attachment to an aircraft, and an outer end which includes a tip which is adapted in use to divide the airflow into two generally equal vortices one being an inner vortex and the other being an outer vortex the inner vortex being arranged to trail from an outer edge of a forward region of the tip and pass over a rear region of the tip.

Abstract: A method of removing a metallic erosion shield secured by a layer of non-metallic adhesive to a leading edge structure of a helicopter rotor blade comprising, the step of providing an electric field between the metallic component and an electrode, in the presence of an electrolyte between the metallic component and the electrode whereby the erosion shield is removed by an electrochemical process.

Abstract: A propeller (10a) comprising a plurality of propeller blades (9a) each having a root end (11a) attached to the central propeller disc or hub (12a), an intermediate portion (13a) extending from the root end (11a) and having a generally aerofoil cross section extending chordwise between a leading edge (14a) and a trailing edge (15a), and the blade (9a) having a tip (19) at an end of the intermediate portion (13a) remote from the root end (11a), the tip (19) having a leading edge portion (20) extending forwardly from a junction (21) with the leading edge (14a) of the intermediate portion (13a) thus to provide a discontinuity or notch (25) in the leading edge (14a) of the blade (9a) at the junction (21).

Abstract: A cowling assembly for a vehicle comprises a general external surface having secured to or adjacent thereto, an elongate lightning diverter element which, at least when subjected to a high electric field, is electrically conductive, wherein a portion of the diverter element is arranged to project from the general external surface.

Abstract: A helicopter structure comprises a fuselage supporting or supported by a rotating system parts of the structure being capable of relative motion at an exciting frequency, there being a plurality of actuators connected between the relatively movable parts of the structure, means continuously to oscillate the actuators at a frequency substantially corresponding to the exciting frequency, and a plurality of sensors attached to the rotating system at selected locations on the rotating system, the sensors being adapted to generate signals representative of dynamic changes at the respective selected locations, processing means adapted to process the signals from the sensors and to provide output signals for controlling the phase and magnitude of applied forces generated by the actuators and for varying the phase and magnitude characteristics of the forces so as to compensate for changes in the dynamic characteristic of the rotating system, whereby the overall level of vibration in the fuselage structure is reduced.