Abstract: A brake for an aircraft includes a housing, a shaft defining an axis (X) and extending into the housing, a floating brake disk on the shaft, the brake disk fixed for rotation with the shaft and arranged to be axially movable within the housing, a static brake pad arranged on a first side of the floating brake disk, a movable brake pad arranged on a second, opposite, side of the floating brake disk and biasing means for moving the movable brake pad relative to the housing to press the movable brake pad against the floating brake disk. The biasing means press the floating brake disk against the static brake pad to apply braking force to the floating brake disk. The brake also includes a thermal fuse in thermal contact with the static brake pad. The thermal fuse has a fusing temperature, T, above which the thermal fuse fuses.

Abstract: A method of making an aircraft blade is provided. The method comprises the steps of: assembling two or more fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts into a blade assembly; and welding the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts together utilising an additional thermoplastic located at least at locations where the parts will abut when assembled. The additional thermoplastic has a melting or softening temperature lower than a melting temperature of each of the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts being assembled. The step of welding comprises heating the blade assembly to a temperature above the melting/softening temperature of the additional thermoplastic and below the melting temperature of each of the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts so as to melt/soften the additional thermoplastic and thereby weld the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts together to form the aircraft blade.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fabric structure for use in manufacturing a composite aircraft blade. The method comprises: combining yarns including both reinforcing material filaments and a matrix material with yarns of reinforcing material filaments and/or yarns including at least one filament of matrix material; or by combining yarns of reinforcing material filaments with yarns including at least one filament of matrix material; or by combining yarns each comprising both reinforcing material filaments and matrix material. Combining may comprise weaving, knitting or braiding. The matrix material may be a thermoplastic.

Abstract: A propeller blade comprises a composite blade spar and at least one cover shell section adhesively bonded to the blade spar by a thermoplastic adhesive.

Abstract: A method of applying a braided cover to a core comprises braiding a plurality of tows around the core from a plurality of bobbins. One or more properties of the tow on a respective bobbin vary along the length of the tow.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for manufacturing a part, named composite part, formed from at least one composite material including at least one layer of a reinforcing structure impregnated with a polymer matrix within which the reinforcing structure extends, wherein: a composite blank of the composite part is prepared; and a step of curing the polymer matrix of the composite blank is carried out, exerting a pressure on at least one pressed face of the composite blank. The pressure is exerted in the form of a pressure gradient applied to the pressed face of the composite blank so as to cause the gas present within the composite part to flow from a zone of maximum pressurization to a gas evacuation zone. Also disclosed is a device for manufacturing such a part.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacture of a composite blade with an airfoil and a root, wherein the blade comprises a core of chopped fibre composite material and a textile composite material encasing the chopped fibre core. The method comprises: forming a blade insert using chopped fibre composite; surrounding the blade insert with a plurality of layers of a textile in a textile composite material; and thermoforming the blade insert and the surrounding textile composite material in a thermoforming mould in order to consolidate the part.

Abstract: A propeller blade comprises a composite blade spar and at least one cover shell section adhesively bonded to the blade spar by a thermoplastic adhesive.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite article includes: providing a textile preform comprising a combination of filaments of reinforcing material with filaments of a thermoplastic matrix material; placing the preform in a mould; thermoforming the textile preform within the mould to consolidate the textile preform into a composite, the thermoforming including increasing the temperature above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic matrix material and applying pressure; cooling the composite within the mould to below the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic matrix material, thereby forming a composite article; and removing the composite article from the mould. Part of the filaments used to produce the textile preform is in the form of yarns each comprising a mixture of reinforcing material filaments and matrix material filaments combined to form a single comingled yarn, or one or more yarns of reinforcing material filaments combined with one or more yarns of matrix material filaments.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for manufacturing a part, named composite part, formed from at least one composite material including at least one layer of a reinforcing structure impregnated with a polymer matrix within which the reinforcing structure extends, wherein: a composite blank of the composite part is prepared; and a step of curing the polymer matrix of the composite blank is carried out, exerting a pressure on at least one pressed face of the composite blank. The pressure is exerted in the form of a pressure gradient applied to the pressed face of the composite blank so as to cause the gas present within the composite part to flow from a zone of maximum pressurization to a gas evacuation zone. Also disclosed is a device for manufacturing such a part.

Abstract: A method of making an aircraft blade is provided. The method comprises the steps of: assembling two or more fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts into a blade assembly; and welding the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts together utilising an additional thermoplastic located at least at locations where the parts will abut when assembled. The additional thermoplastic has a melting or softening temperature lower than a melting temperature of each of the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts being assembled. The step of welding comprises heating the blade assembly to a temperature above the melting/softening temperature of the additional thermoplastic and below the melting temperature of each of the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts so as to melt/soften the additional thermoplastic and thereby weld the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts together to form the aircraft blade.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacture of a composite blade with an airfoil and a root, wherein the blade comprises a core of chopped fibre composite material and a textile composite material encasing the chopped fibre core. The method comprises: forming a blade insert using chopped fibre composite; surrounding the blade insert with a plurality of layers of a textile in a textile composite material; and thermoforming the blade insert and the surrounding textile composite material in a thermoforming mould in order to consolidate the part.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fabric structure for use in manufacturing a composite aircraft blade. The method comprises: combining yarns including both reinforcing material filaments and a matrix material with yarns of reinforcing material filaments and/or yarns including at least one filament of matrix material; or by combining yarns of reinforcing material filaments with yarns including at least one filament of matrix material; or by combining yarns each comprising both reinforcing material filaments and matrix material. Combining may comprise weaving, knitting or braiding. The matrix material may be a thermoplastic.

Abstract: A blade component has a longitudinal axis and extends between a root end and a tip end. The component comprises a composite laminate structure, the laminate structure comprising a plurality of plies of fibres in a matrix, wherein all the plies are arranged such that the fibres in respective plies are oriented symmetrically relative to the component axis at respective layup angles, the layup angles being in the range of 19° to 25° and ?19° to ?25° respectively relative to the component axis.

Abstract: A propeller blade includes a foam core, an adhesive layer formed on the core and a structural layer that covers at least a portion of the adhesive layer and that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a propeller blade includes a foam core and a structural layer formed of multiple layers that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core. The structural layer includes a mid-thickness location defined between the foam core and an outer edge of the structural layer and the multiple layers include at least one unidirectional layer and at least one biased layer disposed asymmetrically about the mid-thickness location.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a propeller blade includes a foam core and a structural layer formed of multiple layers that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core. The structural layer includes a mid-thickness location defined between the foam core and an outer edge of the structural layer and the multiple layers include at least one unidirectional layer and at least one biased layer disposed asymmetrically about the mid-thickness location.

Abstract: A propeller blade includes a foam core, an adhesive layer formed on the core and a structural layer that covers at least a portion of the adhesive layer and that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core.