Abstract: A seating and treadmill exercise device for passengers to exercise on an aircraft, capable of being displaced between stowed and deployed positions. While passengers board the aircraft, the seating and treadmill exercise device may be placed in the stowed position to allow passengers to freely move about the aircraft cabin. A folding seat is attached to the underside of the treadmill track, providing a seat for an airline attendant when the aircraft is taxiing and taking off, or landing. While the aircraft is in route, on long distance flights, the seating and treadmill exercise device may be placed in the deployed position so that passengers are able to exercise and stretch their legs, thus enhancing passenger well-being and health and helping to prevent maladies associated with long periods of sitting such as Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Abstract: A rotatable scarf inlet for an engine and a method of operating a jet aircraft engine on an aircraft. The rotatable scarf inlet is rotatably supported at a forward end portion of a nacelle of the engine. The rotatable scarf inlet is controllably rotatable relative to the engine nacelle to a plurality of angular positions to inhibit ingestion of foreign object debris or to improve airflow characteristics, depending on whether the aircraft is taxiing, taking off from a runway, or operating in a cruise condition. The method involves controllably rotating the rotatable scarf inlet with respect to the engine nacelle to a corresponding one of the plurality of angular positions.

Abstract: An aircraft flight control system is provided for reducing the likelihood of an aircraft tailstrike. The flight control system includes a pitch command provided to a pitch control device for altering the aircraft's pitch attitude. The improvement is a system of altering the pitch command to avoid an aircraft tailstrike. The improvement includes determining a current tailskid closure rate and a current tail height; comparing the current tailskid closure rate with a threshold closure rate to determine an excess closure rate amount; and adding an incremental nose-down pitch command with the pitch command to avoid a potential aircraft tailstrike. The threshold closure rate is dependent upon the current tailskid height. The incremental nose-down pitch command is calculated as a function of the excess closure rate amount.

Abstract: A rotatable scarf inlet for an engine and a method of operating a jet aircraft engine on an aircraft. The rotatable scarf inlet is rotatably supported at a forward end portion of a nacelle of the engine. The rotatable scarf inlet is controllably rotatable relative to the engine nacelle to a plurality of angular positions to inhibit ingestion of foreign object debris or to improve airflow characteristics, depending on whether the aircraft is taxiing, taking off from a runway, or operating in a cruise condition. The method involves controllably rotating the rotatable scarf inlet with respect to the engine nacelle to a corresponding one of the plurality of angular positions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for increasing available space in an aircraft cabin cross section to improve passenger comfort. Use of one side wall supported armrest on each side of the aircraft's cross section, rather then seat supported armrest as are provided conventionally elsewhere, enables use of wider seats. Side wall supported armrests may be secured by means of rails or other conventional mounting means, and the armrests may be contoured an/or cushioned to provide a better ergonomic arm support. Contoured armrests may also be recessed into the space between aircraft cabin body frames.

Abstract: Transport aircraft, such as a transonic transport aircraft, having fuselages with multipurpose lower decks. In one embodiment, the fuselage is an “area-ruled” fuselage having a first fuselage portion, a second fuselage portion positioned aft of the first fuselage portion and at least proximate to a wing, and a third fuselage portion positioned aft of the second fuselage portion. The first fuselage portion can have a first dimension, the second fuselage portion can have a second dimension less than the first dimension, and the third fuselage portion can have a third dimension greater than the second dimension. The fuselage can further include an upper deck extending at least within the first and second fuselage portions, and a lower deck extending within the first fuselage portion. The upper deck can include a first passenger portion and the lower deck can include a second passenger portion, a cargo portion, or a second passenger portion and a cargo portion.

Abstract: An automatic guidance and control system for aircraft moving on the ground. On-ground taxi control is provided in response to steering commands for nosewheel positioning.

Abstract: An aircraft and associated method of manufacture and operation. The aircraft can include a fuselage having a first portion and a second portion projecting upwardly from the first portion, with the first portion housing a passenger deck and the second portion being positioned above the passenger deck. A first wing can extend outwardly from the first portion of the fuselage and the second wing can extend outwardly from the second portion of the fuselage, with the second wing being positioned above and forward of the first wing. Accordingly, the fuselage can include a plurality of passenger doors simultaneously accessible to ground-based passenger load/unload equipment with at least one of the passenger doors positioned beneath the second wing.

Abstract: An aircraft and associated method of manufacture and operation. The aircraft can include a fuselage having a first portion and a second portion projecting upwardly from the first portion, with the first portion housing a passenger deck and the second portion being positioned above the passenger deck. A first wing can extend outwardly from the first portion of the fuselage and the second wing can extend outwardly from the second portion of the fuselage, with the second wing being positioned above and forward of the first wing. Accordingly, the fuselage can include a plurality of passenger doors simultaneously accessible to ground-based passenger load/unload equipment with at least one of the passenger doors positioned beneath the second wing.

Abstract: A partial blended wing body airplane configuration combining the advantages of a pure blended wing configuration with the advantages of conventional aircraft design. A blended tri-body airplane configuration wherein three pressurized body elements are connected by and blended with a pressurized centerwing element. The sidebodies and centerbody are blended into the wing structure, producing a multi-body airplane whose body sections are interconnected utilizing wing payload carrying sections.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for increasing available space in an aircraft cabin cross section to improve passenger comfort. Use of one floor bin supported armrest on each side of the aircraft's cross section, rather then conventional seat supported armrest as are provided conventionally elsewhere, permits use of wider seats and/or aisles. Use of floor bin supported armrests also provides the added benefit of increasing the storage volume of floor bins. The apparatus and method for increasing available cross sectional space can also be implemented on other passenger conveyance means, such as buses, trains, vans, or the like, having floor storage bins on the outboard (away-from-aisle) sides of seating units.

Abstract: A less-than-200-seat-class airplane includes a fuselage having a horizontal diameter value of a cross-section greater than a vertical diameter value of the cross-section. The cross-section is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The fuselage includes a passenger cabin and at least one cargo compartment located below the passenger cabin.

Abstract: A seating and treadmill exercise device for passengers to exercise on an aircraft, capable of being displaced between stowed and deployed positions. While passengers board the aircraft, the seating and treadmill exercise device may be placed in the stowed position to allow passengers to freely move about the aircraft cabin. A folding seat is attached to the underside of the treadmill track, providing a seat for an airline attendant when the aircraft is taxiing and taking off, or landing. While the aircraft is in route, on long distance flights, the seating and treadmill exercise device may be placed in the deployed position so that passengers are able to exercise and stretch their legs, thus enhancing passenger well-being and health and helping to prevent maladies associated with long periods of sitting such as Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for increasing available space in an aircraft cabin cross section to improve passenger comfort. Use of one side wall supported armrest on each side of the aircraft's cross section, rather then seat supported armrest as are provided conventionally elsewhere, enables use of wider seats. Side wall supported armrests may be secured by means of rails or other conventional mounting means, and the armrests may be contoured an/or cushioned to provide a better ergonomic arm support. Contoured armrests may also be recessed into the space between aircraft cabin body frames.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for increasing available space in an aircraft cabin cross section to improve passenger comfort. Use of one floor bin supported armrest on each side of the aircraft's cross section, rather then conventional seat supported armrest as are provided conventionally elsewhere, permits use of wider seats and/or aisles. Use of floor bin supported armrests also provides the added benefit of increasing the storage volume of floor bins. The apparatus and method for increasing available cross sectional space can also be implemented on other passenger conveyance means, such as buses, trains, vans, or the like, having floor storage bins on the outboard (away-from-aisle) sides of seating units.

Abstract: A less-than-200-seat-class passenger airplane includes a passenger cabin with two longitudinal aisles, and at least six economy class seats abreast the cabin. The cross-section of the cabin perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the airplane fuselage has a horizontal diameter value in excess of a vertical diameter value.

Abstract: A less-than-200-seat-class airplane includes a fuselage having a horizontal diameter value of a cross-section greater than a vertical diameter value of the cross-section. The cross-section is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The fuselage includes a passenger cabin and at least one cargo compartment located below the passenger cabin.

Abstract: Aircraft, such as tri-body aircraft, and associated methods of manufacture. In one embodiment, a tri-body aircraft has a fuselage with a forward portion extending at least partially forward of an aft-mounted main wing and first and second aft portions extending at least partially aft of the main wing. The forward fuselage portion and the first and second aft fuselage portions can include passenger cabins that are connected, allowing passengers to travel between the cabins during flight. In another embodiment, the aircraft includes a propulsion system having a first engine nacelle positioned at least proximate to the first aft fuselage portion, a second engine nacelle positioned at least proximate to the second aft fuselage portion, and a third engine nacelle positioned atop an inverted V-tail extending upwardly from the first and second engine nacelles.

Abstract: An improvement to an aircraft flight control system is provided for reducing the likelihood of an aircraft tailstrike. The flight control system includes a pitch command provided to a pitch control device for altering the aircraft's pitch attitude. The improvement is a system of altering the pitch command to avoid an aircraft tailstrike. The improvement includes determining a current tailskid closure rate and a current tail height; comparing the current tailskid closure rate with a threshold closure rate to determine an excess closure rate amount; and adding an incremental nose-down pitch command with the pitch command to avoid a potential aircraft tailstrike. The threshold closure rate is dependent upon the current tailskid height. The incremental nose-down pitch command is calculated as a function of the excess closure rate amount.

Abstract: A system for aiding ground maneuvering of an airplane. The system includes at least one camera mounted on the airplane for generating video images of at last one gear with tires, preferably a main or nose landing gear and the surrounding ground. The cockpit of the airplane includes a video display device that displays the generated video images and a user interface that allows selection of the format for displaying the generated video images. A camera mounted within a moveable component of the airplane is mounted on a movable device that compensates for component movement. The system also includes a display generator for generating in real-time superimposed oversteer targets on the displayed video images. The video images with oversteer targets assist the pilot in determining the airplane's actual position relative to runways, taxiways, obstacles and other ground features and to maneuver a plane with a wide wheel track long wheelbase, or both accordingly.