Abstract: An aircraft aerodynamic surface includes a torsion box having an upper skin, a lower skin, and a front spar, and a leading edge having an external shell and an impact resisting structure. The external shell may be shaped with an aerodynamic leading edge profile, being configured to provide Laminar Flow Control (LFC) to the leading edge. The impact resisting structure is spanwise arranged between the external shell and the front spar, and is configured for absorbing a bird strike to prevent damage in the front spar. Also, at least one of the external shell and the impact resisting structure is fitted with the upper and lower skins of the torsion box to thereby facilitate leading edge exchange.

Abstract: A sandwich structure architecture for high speed impact resistant structure includes sandwich skins which enclose a sandwich core formed by a plurality of spacing layers and a plurality of trigger layers, wherein these layers are stacked alternatively in the core. The walls of the trigger layers are thicker than the walls of the spacing layers and/or the walls of the trigger layers include at least one part inclined with respect to the walls of the spacing layers. The spacing and the trigger layers are made of the same type of material, preferably composite materials or metallic materials. The structure is capable of absorbing high-speed impacts, and at the same time can be used as load carrying structure in aircraft fuselages, wings, vertical or horizontal stabilizers.

Abstract: A configuration and manufacturing method for a trailing edge of an aircraft airfoil, such as a control surface or a lifting surface is described. The trailing edge is formed and configured by upper and lower composite covers, which are stitched to each other with a metallic wire, such as the metallic wire is electrically in contact with upper and lower metallic meshes to provide electrical continuity between meshes. According to a method, upper and lower covers configuring the trailing edge, are stitched with the metallic wire before curing the covers, so that the metallic wire gets embedded within the composite material. A trailing edge for an aircraft airfoil, which is easy to manufacture and that at the same time fulfills aerodynamic, mechanical and electrical conductivity requirements is described.

Abstract: The invention provides an aircraft with a trimmable horizontal stabilizer (13) that not requires a cut-out in resistant areas of the rear fuselage and that occupies less space that in conventional horizontal stabilizers. The rear fuselage (5) comprises at least a first section (9) having a resistant fuselage and a second section (11), aft of the first section, having a non-resistant fuselage (i.e. a fairing). The load-bearing structure (30) of the horizontal stabilizer and the trimming actuator (50) are disposed inside said second section (11). The pivot element (41) is mounted on its forward side and coupled to the first section (9) of the rear fuselage. The connection fitting (21) is mounted on its rearward side and the trimming actuator (50) is disposed so that it exerts a force in the direction of the Z-axis of the aircraft on the connection fitting (21) during a trimming operation.

Abstract: An aircraft lifting surface attached to the rear or frontal end of the aircraft fuselage with a variable sweep angle ? in an inboard part and with a constant sweep angle ?1 in an outboard part. The aircraft lifting surface can be for example a horizontal tail plane or a vertical tail plane attached to the rear end fuselage or a canard attached to the frontal end fuselage.

Abstract: A leading edge section with laminar flow control includes: a perforated outer skin, a perforated inner skin, and a plurality of suction chambers formed between the outer skin and the inner skin. The leading edge section includes a plurality of stringers span-wise arranged at the leading edge section, and integrally formed with the outer skin, such that the inner skin is joined to the stringers. A method for manufacturing a leading edge section integrating a laminar flow control system is described, wherein a perforated inner skin is joined with a perforated outer skin having a plurality of stringers integrally formed with the outer skin, such that suction chambers are defined by a part of the outer skin, a part of the inner skin and a pair of stringers.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a monolithic torsion box inner structure of an aircraft lifting surface including: a) providing a set of laminated preforms of a composite material for forming said torsion box inner structure, each laminated preform being configured for constituting a part of one component of the torsion box inner structure; b) arranging the laminated preforms in a curing tooling and subjecting the assembly to an autoclave cycle to co-cure the said laminated preforms; c) demoulding the curing tooling in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a bleed supply architecture, a nose section, a central section, and a rear section, a pneumatic system for supplying compressed bleed air to the different aircraft systems, a bleed supply for providing bleed air to the pneumatic system, and an auxiliary power unit. The aircraft additionally includes an electric powered load compressor coupled to the pneumatic system for providing bleed air to said pneumatic system. The auxiliary power unit is adapted for feeding electric power to the load compressor. The load compressor and the pneumatic system are installed at the same central section of the aircraft to reduce pressure losses.

Abstract: A fuel control system for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft having an engine gearbox, a fuel tank, and an engine combustion chamber, wherein the system includes a high pressure fuel pump, at least one electrically controlled fuel injector, a fuel pressure and temperature sensors, and a fuel controller coupled with the sensors to calculate the fuel density, the controller being also coupled with the fuel injector to determine the fuel flow injection rate, the controller being further coupled with the fuel pump to establish a pump output pressure value, according to the fuel density and the flow injection rate of the pumped fuel, such that a constant fuel pressure value is supplied to the fuel injector, to finally inject a constant high fuel injection pressure in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a base structure (8) of an aeronautical torsion box (1) for an aircraft (11) characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a.—providing at least a fresh skin (3), at least one fresh stringer (4), at least a fresh front spar (5) and fresh rear spar (6), b.—positioning the fresh skin (3), the at least one fresh stringer, the fresh spars (5, 6) in a curing tool in a configuration corresponding to that of a base structure (8), c.—subjecting the structure (8) to a single curing cycle, obtaining a cured base structure (8).

Abstract: Highly integrated infused box made of composite material with two skins (3), several ribs (4), several stringers (5), a front spar and a rear spar, comprising a first semibox (1) and a second semibox (2) joined by connecting means, in which the first semibox (1) comprises one skin (3) and the ribs (4), and the second semibox (2) comprises one skin (3), the front spar, the rear spar and the stringers (5). A manufacturing method is also provided, which comprises forming processes for the first semibox (1), the second semibox (2) and an assembly process of the first semibox (1) with the second semibox (2).

Abstract: An aircraft structure made of composite material, comprising a skin reinforced longitudinally with stringers, and frames perpendicular to the stringers, each stringer comprising a head and two webs, and each frame having recesses in its web for the passage of the longitudinal stringers, such that an internal preform is provided in the gap existing between each stringer and the skin, filling the gap.

Abstract: An aircraft auxiliary power unit (APU) flexible and fireproof drainage device including a bellows which receives leakage fluids from an APU engine; a drain pipe which transfers leakage fluids outside the aircraft from the bellows, and a support piece surrounding the drain pipe. The bellows connects the APU engine with the drain pipe. The support piece provides stability to the bellows and the drain pipe.

Abstract: A main landing gear for aircraft having a fuselage, a wing and a jet engine on opposite sides of the fuselage and housed in a nacelle attached to the wing. The main landing gear includes a landing gear at each side of the wing having wheels coupled to a driving device that moves the wheels between stowed and deployed positions. The engine nacelles each include a well located laterally with respect to the jet engines and configured as a housing space for stowing the wheels of the landing gears.

Abstract: An ultrasound inspection roller provided with a wheel, a sensing system and a support for holding the sensing system inside the wheel, a wedge connected to the ultrasound sensing system at one end and provided with a curved profile at its other end facing the wheel, adapted to the curvilinear shape of the wheel, and a liquid of a density higher than 9.9*102 kg/mm3 placed inside the wheel such that the sensory system, the wheel and the wedge are acoustically coupled. The roller allows the early detection of problems during manufacturing of composites and the performance of corrective measures in real time, and assures a good coupling between the transducers and the material to be inspected in dry conditions.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a composite material part comprising a web and at least one flange. In a laying up stage, a plurality of plies of different orientations, including 0° oriented plies, are laid up to obtain a flat laminate with edges comprising an outer contour and an inner contour, the flat laminate also comprising at least one section with a radius of curvature of less than 10 m. A forming stage comprises forming a fold along a folding line on the flat laminate to create a flange forming an angle with the web, and applying a stress tension to the 0° oriented plies located at least partially between the folding line and the outer contour of the flat laminate, in the at least one section, to avoid the appearance of wrinkles.

Abstract: An integrated composite trailing edge and its method of manufacturing. The trailing edge comprises an integrated main structure having an upper cover, lower flanges, and a set of ribs extending between the upper cover and the lower flanges, with a set of sandwich type lower panels attachable to the lower flanges of the integrated main structure. The method comprises the steps of providing a set of prepreg laminated preforms over a set of tool modules having a hollow so that each laminated configures a double C-shaped laminated preform having an upper section with a recess, two primary and secondary flanges, the upper section partly forming the upper cover, the two primary flanges partly forming the ribs and the two secondary flanges forming the lower flanges.

Abstract: A rear fuselage section of an aircraft comprises at least one closed frame constructed as a unitary body, and a horizontal tail plane comprising a box-type central element and two lateral torsion boxes, said horizontal tail plane trimmable with respect to a pivot axis. The horizontal tail plane is mounted at the closed frame and the pivot axis is contained in a horizontal plane below the lowest end of said closed frame.

Abstract: A drainage mast able to drain effectively the liquid contained in the compartment of an aircraft when the pressure within the compartment is lower than the outside pressure without using any pressure control active device and without causing any significant perturbation to the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft. The drainage mast is configured with a cross section area decreasing from its entry section to the compartment to its outlet section and is disposed at an acute angle ? relative to the compartment in the airflow direction. The entry and outlet sections have two perpendicular symmetry axes of different length, the entry section is arranged with its longer axis of symmetry substantially parallel to the airflow direction. The drainage mast has a symmetrical configuration with respect to a plane substantially perpendicular to the fuselage envelope passing through the longer axis of symmetry of the entry section.

Abstract: An aircraft lifting surface with a main supporting structure comprising upper and lower faces defining its aerodynamic profile, front and rear faces oriented towards, respectively, the leading and trailing edges, a first set of transverse ribs extended from the front face to the rear face and a second set of transverse ribs crossing the front face and/or the rear face. The integration of leading and trailing edge ribs in the main supporting structure allows a weight and cost reduction of aircraft lifting surfaces. A manufacturing method of said main supporting structure is also disclosed.