Abstract: Seal plates are typically mounted over stringer-receiving openings in aircraft ribs. A sealing tool for sealing a stringer-receiving opening in an aircraft rib is disclosed. The sealing tool includes a seal member arranged to seal a gap formed by the opening between the stringer and the rib. An intermediate member is configured to be adjustably mounted on the rib. The adjustable member receives and aligns the seal member over the gap.

Abstract: An uplock for use with an aircraft landing gear is disclosed having a hook configured to engage a capture pin mounted on the landing gear. The hook is mounted for movement between a closed and locked position and an open and unlocked position. A proximity detector directly detects whether the pin is “up”. An uplock hook sensor detects when the hook is in the closed and locked position. The outputs of the proximity detector and the uplock hook sensor may be used to indicate the “up and locked” condition, i.e., landing gear up, and/or to indicate a fault. Such outputs may be provided by an associated device of an avionics system.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear is disclosed having a first oleo strut include a sleeve portion and a slider portion, the slider portion being slidable within a hydraulic fluid chamber of the sleeve portion, and a second, similar oleo strut. The landing gear also includes a hydraulic fluid balancer having a balance chamber separated into first and second end sections, wherein the hydraulic fluid chamber of the sleeve portion of the first oleo strut is fluidly connected to the first section of the balance chamber and the hydraulic fluid chamber of the sleeve portion of the second oleo strut is fluidly connected to the second section of the balance chamber of the hydraulic fluid balancer.

Abstract: A landing gear system 100 for an aircraft including: a landing gear 130 that is movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the landing gear includes an extendible strut 136; a position sensor 140 configured to detect a position of a part of the extendible strut and output a signal indicative of the position; and a landing gear controller 150 that is communicably connected to the position sensor and is configured, in use, to: receive the signal from the position sensor; and, on the basis of the signal, determine that the strut has extended and the landing gear is in contact with the ground and automatically cause performance of at least a portion of a procedure to move the landing gear from the extended position to the retracted position.

Abstract: A method 300 for deploying an aircraft landing gear including: receiving an aircraft landing gear deployment signal 310, receiving an aircraft position signal indicative of a distance of the aircraft from an aircraft landing site 320, receiving one or more flight signals indicating one or more dynamic conditions or parameters relating to the flight of the aircraft 330, determining, based at least on the one or more flight signals, a first aircraft position, relative to the aircraft landing site, at which the landing gear deployment should commence 340, and deploying the landing gear (a) when the aircraft reaches the first aircraft position, in the event that the deployment signal is received before the aircraft reaches the first aircraft position, or (b) immediately, in the event that the deployment signal is received when the aircraft has passed the first aircraft position 350.

Abstract: The invention provides a drive system for rotating a wheel of an aircraft landing gear. The drive system includes a motor operable to rotate a drive pinion, and a driven gear adapted to be mounted to the wheel. The drive system has a first configuration in which the drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear and a second configuration in which the drive pinion is not capable of meshing with the driven gear. The drive system includes a linear positioning actuator for moving the drive pinion relative to the driven gear. The positioning actuator has a first end and a second end, the first end having a pivotal connection with a pivot axis spaced at a fixed distance from an axis of rotation of the driven gear, and the second end having a pivotal connection with a pivot axis spaced at a fixed distance from an axis of rotation of the drive pinion.

Abstract: An assembly is disclosed including a first component, a second component, and a spacer component. The first component has a first interface surface. The second component has a second interface surface with a curvature different to the curvature of the first interface surface. The second component is connected to the first component such that the second interface surfaces faces the first interface surface. The spacer component is disposed between the first interface surface and the second interface surface and is configured to be pivotable relative to the first interface surface.

Abstract: A composite assembly with a laminate of fibre plies impregnated with a laminate matrix material is disclosed having pad of fibre plies impregnated with a pad matrix material, and a part with a body with protrusions which extend from the body and penetrate at least some of the fibre plies of the pad. The pad is bonded to the laminate by a stepped lap joint or a scarf joint. The assembly is manufactured by pressing the protrusions into the pad, and after the protrusions have been pressed into the pad, curing a pad matrix material impregnating the pad, and bonding the pad to the laminate.

Abstract: Seal member arrangements having at least one seal plate are disposed over stringer receiving recesses in ribs of an aircraft. A tool for locating a seal member arrangement over a stringer-receiving recess in a rib of an aircraft assembly. The tool system has a holder configured to hold the seal member arrangement over the recess. A biasing arrangement is configured to act on the holder to bias the seal member arrangement into an aligned position with a stringer received in the recess. A fixing arrangement is configured to act on the seal member arrangement to fix the seal member arrangement in the aligned position. A sealing kit, an aircraft assembly, a method of fixing a seal member arrangement over a stringer-receiving recess in a rib of an aircraft are also disclosed.

Abstract: A drive system 20, 20? for rotating a wheel 11, 11? of an aircraft landing gear 10, 10?, is disclosed having a drive element 24, 24?, a motor 21, 21? operable to rotate the drive element, and a driven gear 25, 25? adapted to be attached to the wheel. The drive system has a drive configuration in which the drive element is capable of meshing with the driven gear to drive the driven gear, wherein the drive system further comprises a transmission error measurement apparatus 30, 40, the apparatus configured to obtain, over time, measurement data of one or more characteristics of the drive system when in the drive configuration, the measurement data providing an indication of a transmission error between a torque commanded by the motor and a resulting torque at the driven gear. An aircraft 100 and a method of providing an indication of a transmission error in a drive system is disclosed.

Abstract: A component which is configured to be joined to a further component in a preselected relative orientation is disclosed. The further component has an interface surface and the component is configured to contact the interface surface when joined to the further component. The component includes a surface disposed on a side of the component intended to face the interface surface when the components are joined, a plurality of recesses formed in the surface, and a plurality of spacer elements. Each recess has a preselected orientation relative to the component, the preselected orientation being selected in dependence on the preselected relative orientation. Each spacer element comprises a contact surface configured to contact the interface surface when the components are joined. Each spacer element is disposed in one of the recesses such that the orientation of a given contact surface is defined by the orientation of the corresponding recess.

Abstract: An adjustable fixed structure attachment system 200 for an aircraft wing, the attachment system 200 including a bracket 210 having: a wall 212 for connection to a wing box, a protrusion 214 protruding from the wall 212, and a slot 216 extending through the protrusion 214, wherein the slot 216 has a height and a width, and a bush 220 having a bore 222 extending therethrough for receipt of a pin, wherein the bush 222 is insertable into the slot 216 and dimensioned relative to the slot 216 so that the bush 220 is substantially immovable in a width-wise direction of the slot 216, and is moveable in a height-wise direction of the slot 216 to thereby vary a position of the bush 220 within the slot 216.

Abstract: An inert gas distribution system nozzle 1 including an inlet 10 to receive fluid from a fluid supply, a chamber 32 to receive the fluid from the inlet and dimensioned relative to the inlet to permit the fluid to expand to form a mist, and at least one passage 34 to receive the fluid from the chamber and dimensioned relative to the chamber to promote condensing of the mist, wherein the, or each, passage comprises an outlet 40 to emit the fluid from the nozzle. A cross-sectional area of the passage is less than a cross-sectional area of the chamber.

Abstract: An uplock is disclosed including a hook configured to engage a capture pin mounted on an aircraft component. The hook is mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position. The uplock further includes an indicator system configured to detect whether a pin is engaged with the hook when the hook is in the closed position.

Abstract: A duct stringer has duct walls providing a duct with a closed cross-section; and a bulkhead in the duct. The duct is adapted to transport fluid, and the bulkhead is adapted to block the flow of fluid along the duct. The bulkhead is adhered to the duct walls by one or more co-cured or co-bonded joints. The bulkhead includes a pair of bulkhead parts, each with a web and one or more flanges. The duct stringer is manufactured by positioning the mandrels end-to-end with the bulkhead parts back-to-back between them; wrapping or laying-up the duct walls around the bulkhead parts and the mandrels; co-curing or co-bonding the flanges of the bulkhead parts to the duct walls; and after the bulkhead has been adhered to the duct walls, removing the mandrels from opposite ends of the duct.

Abstract: A temperature monitoring apparatus configured to monitor a temperature of a portion of a vehicle's electrical energy distribution network is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first optical fibre including one or more temperature sensing sections, each temperature sensing section being for thermal contact with a portion of a vehicle's electrical energy distribution network. Each temperature sensing section is arranged to produce, in response to an optical input signal, an optical output signal indicative of the temperature of the temperature sensing section. The apparatus is arranged to determine a temperature of the portion of the vehicle's electrical energy distribution network based on one or more of the output optical signals in use.

Abstract: A leading edge structure for an aerofoil is disclosed. The leading edge structure includes a skin configured to form an external aerodynamic surface of the aerofoil. The skin includes a plurality of first regions interleaved with a plurality of second regions. Each first region includes a plurality of holes extending through the skin, and each second region includes an electrical heating system configured to increase the temperature of the skin.

Abstract: An aircraft wing (2) including a main wing (3) and a wing tip device (4) at the tip of the main wing (3), wherein the wing tip device (4) has a variation of leading edge droop with respect to unrolled span-wise position such that flow separation on the wing tip device (4) first occurs in an outboard region (O) of the wing tip device (4). The leading edge droop of the wing tip device (4) may be a maximum in an outboard region (O) of the wing tip device.

Abstract: A flight control surface with an actuator with an aerodynamic fairing for a swept aircraft wing. The swept aircraft wing includes a movable flight control surface with a hinge line non-perpendicular to the line of flight of the aircraft, and an actuator arm configured to actuate the flight control surface. The actuator arm includes a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the line of flight, the actuator arm extending at least partially from an outer surface of the aircraft wing, and a fairing arranged on the outer surface of the aircraft wing to at least partially cover the actuator arm. Aligning the actuator arm with the line of flight of the aircraft may allow for an improved fairing to be provided.

Abstract: An isolator for an aircraft fuel tank configured to separate an electrically conductive internal panel of the fuel tank from an electrically conductive pipe that passes through the panel. The isolator includes: a plurality of first attachment points for attaching the isolator to the panel, a plurality of second attachment points for attaching the isolator to the pipe, and an aperture defined by an outer wall and extending from a first side of the isolator to a second side of the isolator. The aperture is configured to receive the pipe in use, wherein the isolator is formed of a non-electrically conductive material.