Abstract: A vortex attenuation device is presented which dissipates a lift-induced vortex generated by a lifting aircraft wing. The device consists of a compression panel attached to the lower surface of the wing and facing perpendicular to the airflow across the wing. The panel is located between the midpoint of the local wing cord and the trailing edge in the chord-wise direction and at a point which is approximately 55% of the wing span as measured form the fuselage center line in the spanwise direction. When deployed in flight, this panel produces a positive pressure gradient aligned with the final roll-up of the total vortex system which interrupts the axial flow in the vortex core and causes the vortex to collapse.

Abstract: A means for extracting rotational energy from the vortex created at aircraft wing tips which consists of a turbine with blades located in the crossflow of the vortex and attached downstream of the wingtip. The turbine 30 has blades 40, 41, 42 and 43 attached to a core 45. When the aircraft is in motion, rotation of core 45 transmits energy to a centrally attached shaft 50. The rotational energy thus generated may be put to use within the airfoil 20 or aircraft fuselage 10.

Abstract: A "compression" pylon 10 for an aircraft with a wing-mounted engine, that does not cause supersonic airflow to occur within the fuselage-wing-pylon-nacelle channel 20. The chord length of the pylon 10 is greater than the local chord length of the wing 12 to which it is attached. The maximum thickness 45 of the pylon 10 occurs at a point corresponding to the local trailing edge 32 of the wing 12. As a result, the airflow through the channel 20 never reaches supersonic velocities.

Abstract: A device which increases the energy efficiency of aircraft wherein a wingtip pusher propeller 12 is positioned aft of the wingtip 18 to rotate in the crossflow of the wingtip vortex. The propeller 12 rotates against the vortex swirl creating additional thrust from and attenuating the wingtip vortex by simultaneously extracting energy from the vortex and converting it to propeller blade-induced thrust while injecting its high energy wake into the vortex axial flow to dissipate the vortex. As a result, the device increase aircraft fuel efficiency by simultaneously increasing thrust and decreasing vortex induced drag. By attenuating the vortex safety to following aircraft is maximized.

Abstract: A means for attenuating the vortex created at aircraft wingtips which consists of a retractable planar surface transverse to the airstream and attached downstream of the wingtip which creates a positive pressure gradient just downstream from the wing. The positive pressure forces a break up of the rotational air flow of the vortex.