Abstract: An aircraft cabin includes at least one seat able to receive at least one passenger; at least one table arranged opposite the seat; and a safety device able to be mounted on the table, below the table or received in the table. The safety device includes a deployable protection assembly including an airbag deployable from a retracted idle configuration to a deployed safety configuration, and a system for controlling the deployment of the or each airbag, able to trigger the deployment of the airbag beyond a threshold deceleration value of the aircraft.

Abstract: Reactive spoilers for aircraft and associated methods. In one embodiment, a wing of an aircraft includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an upper surface and a lower surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The wing further includes a reactive spoiler disposed on the upper surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The reactive spoiler comprises one or more turbines configured to raise in relation to the upper surface into an airflow passing over the upper surface, and to reduce lift of a wing section behind the turbines. The turbines are configured to convert kinetic energy from the airflow into electrical energy.

Abstract: An aircraft equipped with a distributed fan propulsion system and methods of operating such aircraft are provided. In one aspect, an aircraft includes a wing having a top surface and a bottom surface. The aircraft also has a distributed propulsion system that includes a suction fan array having one or more fans mounted to the wing and a pressure fan array having one or more fans mounted to the wing. The fans of the suction fan array are each positioned primarily above the top surface of the wing and the fans of the pressure fan array are each positioned primarily below the bottom surface of the wing. The fans of the suction fan array are controllable independent of the fans of the pressure fan array so that the air pressure above and/or below the wing can be locally controlled, allowing for adjustment of lift on the wing.

Abstract: A method of controlling a multi-engine aircraft includes receiving input for commanded thrust and modifying the commanded thrust using a model of an incumbent powerplant to generate a modified commanded thrust for matching aircraft performance with a new powerplant to the aircraft performance with the incumbent powerplant. The method includes applying the modified commanded thrust to the new powerplant.

Abstract: A rotorcraft including a first power plant, at least one main rotor participating at least in providing lift for the rotorcraft in the air, and at least one tail rotor carried by a tail boom, the first power plant including at least one engine. In accordance with the invention, the rotorcraft includes: at least one pusher or puller propeller independent from the at least one main rotor, the at least one pusher or puller propeller participating at least in providing propulsion or traction for the rotorcraft; a second power plant including at least one electric motor; and at least one control member configured to generate a control setpoint or instruction for controlling the at least one electric motor.

Abstract: A control system for a hybrid electric powerplant of an aircraft can include a throttle controller configured to receive one or more power settings and to output a heat engine setting and an electric motor setting, a heat engine controller operatively connected to the throttle controller. The heat engine controller can be configured to receive the heat engine setting and to control a heat engine system as a function of the heat engine setting to control torque output by a heat engine. The system can include a heat engine protection module that is part of or connected to the heat engine controller and configured to provide one or more protection commands to directly control one or more heat engine protection systems. The system can include an electric motor controller operatively connected to the throttle controller.

Abstract: Landing apparatuses for unmanned aerial vehicles are provided herein. An example UAV includes a frame; a propeller rotatably coupled to the frame; and a landing guard armature extending from the frame. A terminal end of the landing guard armature extends beyond a propeller radius of the propeller. The landing guard armature has a surface area that is sized to promote airflow around the landing guard armature.

Abstract: Provided is a multicopter providing a high level of freedom in compact design, and consuming a relatively small amount of energy. The multicopter (10) includes a machine body (12), an N number of first lift generators (30) arranged on a first concentric circle (C1) centered substantially around a gravitational center (G) of the machine body (12) and in a front part and a rear part of the machine body in a bilateral symmetry, and an M number of second lift generators (70) arranged on a second concentric circle (C2) centered substantially around the gravitational center (G) of the machine body (12) and having a larger diameter than the first concentric circle (C1), and in a front part and a rear part of the machine body (12) on a central axial line (X) extending in a fore and aft direction of the machine body (12), N being greater than M.

Abstract: A system and method for an aircraft evacuation system with hydrogen inflation is disclosed. The system includes an aircraft having an integrated hydrogen-electric engine. A fuel cell stack for powering an aircraft motor of the integrated hydrogen-electric engine. A hydrogen fuel source in fluid communication with the fuel cell stack, the hydrogen fuel source containing hydrogen. An inflatable slide and a pump operably coupled with the hydrogen fuel source and the inflatable slide to selectively pump the hydrogen to the inflatable slide for inflating the inflatable slide.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe, and a coaxial main rotor assembly including a static mast and an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly rotatable about a main rotor axis defined by the static mast. The upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly are independently rotatable about the static mast. A propulsion system includes at least one propulsion source for directly driving at least one of the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly and a flight control system is operably coupled to the propulsion system. The flight control system is operable to independently control a rotational speed of the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly relative to the static mast.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to reconfigurable unmanned vehicles (100). Such vehicles (100) comprise a fuselage (102) presenting a bay (118) for receiving a plurality of components (120-128), each of the plurality of components (120-128) relating to a respective entity for at least one of flight control or operation of the unmanned vehicle (100). The bay (118) comprising a bus to support communications between at least two of the plurality of components (120-128), the plurality of components (120-128) comprising a controller to determine a configuration or presence of one or more than one component of the plurality of components (120-128) when coupled to the bus.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage system comprises a hydrogen tank and a system for controlling hydrogen evaporation in the hydrogen tank. This control system comprises a hydrogen discharge pipe connected to the hydrogen tank, on the one hand, and to a controllable valve, on the other hand, as well as a processing unit configured to control the valve as a function of the pressure in the tank. The hydrogen storage system further comprises a fuel cell permanently connected to the hydrogen tank and the processing unit being electrically powered by the fuel cell.

Abstract: An aircraft including: a wing having a leading edge; an electric motor mounted on the wing; and an electric power cable in the wing for providing power to the electric motor, wherein the electric power cable runs through a duct in the wing; the duct comprises an air inlet and an air outlet; and the electric power cable is cooled by air passing through the duct between the air inlet and the air outlet.

Abstract: An aircraft hybrid propulsion system comprises an internal combustion engine, an electric motor a propulsor and a combining gearbox. The internal combustion engine is coupled to a first input of the combining gearbox, the electric motor is coupled to a second input of the combining gearbox, and the propulsor is coupled to an output of the combining gearbox, such that the propulsor is driveable in use by either or both of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. Each of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor is coupled to its respective input by a respective clutch.

Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system capable of improving the restartability of an engine is provided. An aircraft propulsion system includes: a plurality of engines (60-1 and 60-2); an electric generator connected to engine shafts (63-1 and 63-2); a plurality of electric motors; a plurality of rotors; and a controller (100) which controls an operation state of the plurality of engines (60-1 and 60-2). The controller (100) causes a part of the plurality of engines (60-1 and 60-2) to operate while stopping the remaining engine when a flight state is in a first state. The plurality of engines (60-1 and 60-2) include circulators (65-1 and 65-2). A plurality of communication pipes (68 and 69) which communicate the circulator (65-1) in the first engine (60-1) among the plurality of engines (60-1 and 60-2) with the circulator (65-2) in the second engine (60-2) are provided.

Abstract: An auxiliary power unit (APU) system for an aircraft can include a fuel consuming system configured to generate and output electrical energy for use by one or more aircraft systems and a battery system configured to output stored electrical energy for use by the one or more aircraft systems. The fuel consuming system can include a fuel consuming APU, and an APU generator operatively connected to the fuel consuming APU and configured to convert APU motion into APU generator alternating current (AC). The system can include a high voltage AC line operatively connected to the generator. The battery system can include a battery configured to output battery direct current (DC).

Abstract: A fuel containment system for an aircraft is provided. The fuel containment system comprises an upper fuel barrier under a cabin floor, an aft wheel well bulkhead, an aft fuel barrier opposite the aft wheel well bulkhead, a lower fuel barrier associated with a cargo floor, and a lower fuselage skin panel. A fuel tank is created by the upper fuel barrier, the aft wheel well bulkhead, the aft fuel barrier, the lower fuel barrier, and the lower fuselage skin. The fuel tank is integrated into the aircraft and existing structural components are sealed to prevent fuel from leaking out of the integrated fuel tank.

Abstract: A method of reducing the noise generated in-flight by a vortex wake caused by each first blade of a main rotor of a hybrid helicopter. The hybrid helicopter includes a main rotor, at least two wings and at least one propeller. The method enables a stabilized flight phase on the level or with a non-zero aerodynamic slope to be implemented by determining a first value of the pitch of the second blades of each propeller and an angle of incidence of the main rotor as function of the flight conditions, then by applying the first pitch value to each propeller and by applying the angle of incidence to the main rotor so as to direct the vortex wake to limit the noisy interactions between the vortex wake and the other first blades and/or the second blades.

Abstract: An aircraft comprising a wing having a spanwise lift distribution extending from a root to a tip, the lift distribution defining an inboard region defining a positive lift contribution, an outboard region defining a negative lift contribution, and an intermediate region defining a neutral lift contribution, the neutral region being spaced from the tip and from the root. A propulsion system is provided, comprising a wing mounted propulsor. The wing mounted propulsor has a rotational axis (x) positioned substantially at a span of the wing where a value of ?Lift/?Span is at a maximum for the span of the wing, and may be located at the intermediate region along the span of the wing.

Abstract: A method to modify an aircraft including: disconnecting a first engine control device from command cables and transmission cables, wherein the first engine control device is in a fuselage section forward of a pressure bulkhead; replacing the engine control device with a jumper connector positioned in the fuselage section, wherein the jumper connector electrically connects the command cables to the transmission cables; installing a second engine control device in the fuselage aft of the pressure bulkhead, wherein the second engine control device is in an engine compartment of the fuselage; connecting the second engine control device to transmission cables at a location at or near the pressure bulkhead; connecting sensor cabling directly to the second engine control device, and connecting the engine control device directly to the engine.