Abstract: A reference block for ultrasonic shear waves calibration, comprising slots, wherein the reference block has at least two different thicknesses, each thickness comprising two cavities with at least one slot being provided at each cavity. Preferably, the reference block comprises a plurality of steps, each step defining a different thickness.

Abstract: A method for reworking a composite laminate comprising a plurality of tapes, comprising the following steps: detecting the occurrence of a defect on a tape of composite material while the tape is being laid up; continuing the lay-up of the defective tape until a tape length is formed which surpasses a manufacturing length of the tape; catching the part of the defective tape that surpasses the manufacturing length of the tap; cutting the defective tape in the part of the defective tape that surpasses the manufacturing length of the tape; removing from the laminate the caught defective tape by the catching system, and laying-up a replacement tape in the place of the removed defective tape.

Abstract: A secondary power unit for an aircraft comprises a gas turbine engine having at least one drive shaft, a twin-load compressor including first and second load compressors both coupled with the drive shaft, a first ram-air intake in fluid communication with the twin-load compressor, and a flow regulating arrangement coupled with the first and second compressors outputs to individually regulate the generated flow of compressed air. The flow regulating arrangement is also adapted to be fluidly communicated with an Air Cycle Machine of an aircraft, and a control system is adapted to feed the flow of compressed air as bleed air to the Air Cycle Machine of an aircraft, both when the aircraft is on ground and in flight. The secondary power unit is capable of avoiding bleed air extraction from the main engines with the aim of reducing fuel consumption.

Abstract: An aircraft system with assisted taxi, take-off and climbing, comprising: a main air vehicle capable of performing autonomously the cruising and landing phases of a flight, an auxiliary air vehicle lighter than the main air vehicle and configured to assist the main air vehicle during the taxing and take-off phases of a flight. Main and auxiliary air vehicles are adapted to be detachably connectable, so that the auxiliary air vehicle can assist the main air vehicle when both are attached to each other during taxing, take-off and climbing. The auxiliary air vehicle is an unmanned air vehicle and it is further configured to fly and land when it is detached from the main air vehicle. Aircraft operations cost and aircraft production cost are reduced, by optimizing the design (sizing) and capabilities of some systems of an aircraft.

Abstract: An aircraft incorporating a cabin air recovery system in which the aircraft comprises a pressurizable cabin, main turbofan engines, each turbofan engine having fan blades, a gas turbine coupled with the fan blades and a by-pass duct bypassing the gas turbine. The cabin fluidly communicates with the by-pass duct downstream of the fan blades so that, during operation, cabin outflow air is discharged into the by-pass duct downstream of the fan blades. By re-utilizing excess cabin air, engine thrust and efficiency is improved, and fuel consumption is reduced.

Abstract: A lifting device including: a movable discontinuity (1) located in a surface of the lifting device, the movable discontinuity (1) being movable between: an active position in which the movable discontinuity (1) acts as vortex generator, and a passive position in which the movable discontinuity (1) is integrated into the surface of the lifting surface, a conduit (2) located in the spanwise direction of the lifting surface and in communication with the movable discontinuity (1), the lifting surface including openings (3) in its surface spanwise distant from each other in communication with the conduit (2), the movable discontinuity (1) and the conduit (2) being configured such that when an airflow goes through the conduit (2), this airflow activates the movable discontinuity (1) to act as a vortex generator of the lifting surface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing curved composite material omega stringers, comprising: automatic tape laying-up in an ATL machine, an AFP machine or a FLU machine and automatic cutting of the contour, to achieve a straight preform with reinforcements; flat forming to obtain an omega shape on the straight preform to transform it into a straight omega shaped preform; and curve forming the straight omega shaped preform by placing it in a flexible tool comprising a longitudinally embedded stiff band and a laminate clamping arrangement, the laminate clamping arrangement being located in extreme positions of the flexible tool, the flexible tool being covered by a mechanical closing arrangement, such that a head of the straight omega shaped preform has reinforcements on both extremes, the reinforcements being held by the laminate clamping arrangement during the forming process, and afterwards the straight omega shaped preform is heated and transformed into a curved omega stringer.

Abstract: An access cover for an aircraft hole that comprises a plurality of access cover holes, an inner surface, a plurality of first projections protruding from the inner surface, and a plurality of fixing elements configured to fix the access cover to a supporting structure of the aircraft hole. The fixing elements each comprise a male fixing element having an outer threaded surface, the male fixing element being configured to pass through a hole, and a locking element comprising a threaded hole and an extended portion, wherein the outer threaded surface of the male fixing element is configured to thread with the threaded hole of the locking element.

Abstract: An aircraft tailcone comprising a tailcone fuselage, a turbomachine, for example an APU, housed inside the tailcone, a ram air intake on the tailcone fuselage for the ingestion of ram air towards the interior of the turbomachine compartment, an inlet flap operable reciprocately from an open position in which ingestion of ram air is allowed, and a closed position in which ram air ingestion is prevented. The ram air intake extends annularly along a perimeter of the tailcone fuselage, and the inlet flap is configured such in its closed position that a surface of the inlet flap is substantially flush with the tailcone fuselage.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a modular lifting surface from a standard lifting surface, the modular lifting surface includes a central support structure including an upper skin, a lower skin and at least a first spar. The method includes providing the upper skin and the lower skin which are suitable for any of various sizes of a modular lifting surface for the standard lifting surface, wherein the upper skin and lower skin correspond to a standard upper skin and the lower skin conforms to a standard lower skin.

Abstract: An oil heating system in a turbine engine such as an aircraft turbojet or turboprop main engines, or in an aircraft auxiliary power unit (APU). The turbine oil heating system includes a turbine engine oil circuit for conducting lubricating oil to the turbine engine, an electric starter generator oil circuit for conducting cooling oil from the electric starter generator, and an oil-to-oil heat exchanger connected with the engine oil circuit and connectable with the electric starter generator oil circuit, for transferring heat from the starter generator oil to the engine oil as to warm-up the engine oil during turbine engine motoring prior to actual starting sequence. A low cost and highly integrated system is therefore provided for reducing drag torque of a turbine engine prior to the starting phase.

Abstract: An aircraft with rear mounted engines, comprising a vertical tail plane and a horizontal tail plane, in which the engines are mounted on top of the horizontal tail plane, such that the horizontal tail plane comprises an inner fixed part attached to the fuselage of the aircraft, the inner fixed part comprising an elevator, and two outer movable parts, each one of the outer movable parts being located at each side end of the horizontal tail plane which is furthest away from the fuselage of the aircraft, such that both the inner fixed part and the outer movable parts are at least partially subjected to a flow coming from the engines when the engines are in use.

Abstract: An aircraft incorporating a bleed system for extracting compressed air from the aircraft main engines to be used as a source of pressurized air for the aircraft. The bleed air system includes a first pre-cooler installed at one of the main engines nacelle and coupled with the bleed duct, and adapted for cooling down the bleed air extracted from the main engine, and a second pre-cooler installed at the pylon and coupled with bleed duct and downstream the first pre-cooler. The working temperature of the aircraft bleed system is reduced, down to max 200° C., so that the dimensions of an Over Heat Detection System (OHDS) is reduced.

Abstract: A suspension system for an aircraft auxiliary power unit (1) located in a fuselage structure (2) including: auxiliary power unit attachment brackets (3) arranged to be attached to the auxiliary power unit (1); fuselage attachment brackets (4) attached to the auxiliary power unit attachment brackets (3) and coupled to the fuselage structure (2); two longitudinal elements (5) arranged to be attached to the fuselage structure (2) in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft for supporting the auxiliary power unit (1), the two longitudinal elements (5) and the plurality of fuselage attachment brackets (4) being connected such that the two longitudinal elements (5) support the plurality of fuselage attachment brackets (4), being the fuselage attachment brackets (4) slidably movable along the longitudinal elements (5) for introducing or extracting the auxiliary power unit (1) into the fuselage structure (2).

Abstract: A safety open and closing system for an overpressure door on fuselage of an aircraft. Wherein the safety opening and closing system allows safe access through the overpressure door to the compartment. The safety open and closing system including an assembly of a hollow beam, a blocking bar in the hollow beam, a spring biasing the blocking bar with respect to the hollow beam and a lever at the end of the blocking beam which pivots between a position A that allows closure of the overpressure door and a position B preventing closure of the door.

Abstract: A box structural arrangement (1) for an aircraft including first (2) and second composite layers (3), at least one spar web (4) extended between opposite edges of the first and second composite layers (2, 3) along a longitudinal direction, and a conduit piece (5) extended between opposite edges of the first and second composite layers (2, 3). The conduit piece (5) has a hollow section (6) comprising at least one conduit (7) dimensioned to receive pipes or harnesses and surrounded by a resilient material (8). The conduit piece (5) is mounted on the spar web (4) to provide a channeled box structural arrangement (1). The box structural arrangement can be applicable in a torsion box or a wing. The invention further refers to a method for manufacturing the box structural arrangement for an aircraft.

Abstract: A lifting surface comprising a movable discontinuity located in the surface of the lifting surface. The movable discontinuity is movable between an active position in which the movable discontinuity acts as vortex generator, and a passive position in which the movable discontinuity is integrated into the surface of the lifting surface without acting as vortex generator. The lifting surface may be in an elevator, the elevator being rotatable around a hinge line with respect to the rest of the lifting surface. A bar is rigidly joined to the elevator. The bar, the elevator and the movable discontinuity are configured such that when the elevator rotates with respect to the rest of the lifting surface, the bar moves the movable discontinuity that departs from the surface of the lifting surface, acting as a vortex generator.

Abstract: A modular mold for producing a panel including a panel of fiber reinforced material. The panel is configured to form hollow cells having an undulated trapezoidal cross-section. The mold includes at least three molding bars for forming each hollow cell. One of the molding bars has a trapezoidal cross shape. The other two molding bars have a triangular cross shape. The trapezoidal molding bar is located between the two triangular molding bars. The three molding bars when put together its cross-section forms the shape of the trapezoidal cross-section of the hollow cell.

Abstract: A virtual reality (VR) system for providing a real time VR visualization of a target area of an aircraft that comprises one or more reference targets established in known locations in the target area of an aircraft, hand gloves, a plurality of sensing elements established on at least the operator's hand gloves, a reception device that receives the information provided by the sensing elements to provide relative locations of the sensing elements against the one or more reference targets. The reception device comprises processing means to build the real time VR visualization that represents at least the operator's hands against the target area of the aircraft based on the sensing elements. The VR system also comprises display means that display the real time VR visualization to the operator.

Abstract: An impact resistant fuselage of an aircraft, the fuselage extending along a central longitudinal direction, wherein transversal sections of the fuselage are comprised in a vertical plane perpendicular to the central longitudinal direction. The impact resistant fuselage comprises at least a ballistic material membrane extended along the longitudinal direction for absorbing high energy impacts. The membrane according to a transversal section, comprising at least one section between two tensional elements, wherein the material membrane is located inside the fuselage of the aircraft, the at least one section of the membrane is mechanically linked to the inside of the fuselage by the tensional elements, and the two tensional elements stress the membrane.