Abstract: A system and method for damage detection and for evaluating the real operation conditions for structural platforms using structural health monitoring is integrated to a system and method that permits for the platform to provide a flexible geometric control considering a self-adapting morphing which is capable of providing better operating structural platform performance.

Abstract: Pylon mounting assemblies are provided for mounting an engine (e.g., a turbojet engine) to a wing of an aircraft. The pylon mounting assemblies include an upper pylon connection member, and a lower pylon connection box, wherein the upper pylon connection member and the lower pylon connection box respectively include multiple opposed pairs of connection lobes. At least one pair of the connection lobes includes a pin connection to restrict degrees of freedom thereat along an x-axis and a mutually perpendicular z-axis, while at least one other pair of connection lobes includes a connection rod to restrict degrees of freedom thereat along the z-axis.

Abstract: Landing gear doors may be opened in an emergency event, e.g., a failure of the normal landing gear actuation system that requires a gravity free-fall deployment. The retractable aircraft landing gear door actuation mechanism will include a landing gear door and a door support bracket attached to the landing gear door. The support bracket is attached to aircraft structure for pivotal movement about a pivot axis between a closed condition whereby the landing gear door covers an aircraft landing gear when retracted relative to the aircraft structure, and an opened condition whereby the landing gear door is moved laterally and upwardly relative to the aircraft landing gear when extended relative to the aircraft structure. A gear door actuation assembly is operatively connected to the door support bracket for moving the door support bracket and the gear door supported thereby between the closed and opened conditions thereof.

Abstract: An integrated system for assessing the condition and management of a structural platform or a plurality of platforms includes a Structural Health Monitoring System (SHM), an Operational loads Monitoring System (OLM), a static, fatigue and damage tolerance analysis (FDTA) subsystem, a databank storing a maintenance plan, and a subsystem configured for damage and repair management (iSRM). The SHM may include a plurality of transducers, including a plurality of pairs of actuators and sensors; a generator device configured to excite at least one of said sensors to produce ultrasonic guided waves; and a signal processor device configured to receive the signals reflected from damage identification. The Operational loads Monitoring System (OLM) may comprise parametric models using flight parameter data. The static, fatigue and damage tolerance analysis (FDTA) subsystem may be configured to use parametric models using Finite element Models results and abacus.

Abstract: A flight control law enhances braking efficiency through the operation of aircraft elevators (or another pitch control system) using measured longitudinal acceleration and/or pedal position as references to the control law. Through this solution, it is possible to increase the vertical load in the main landing gear and consequently enhance braking efficiency.

Abstract: The present patent of invention describes a recycling process to recover fibrous reinforcing material of composite materials, particularly carbon fiber, primary reactor compound (101), for the controlled pyrolysis and oxidation of the composite material matrix (resin) at low temperature (400° C. to 500° C.) and a system for treating waste gases produced by thermal decomposition of composite material matrixes which employs a secondary reactor (201), containing within the same a thermal plasma arc (211). The main characteristic of the process, within the scope of the carbon fiber recycling, is the possibility of maintaining the fabric web, obtaining fabrics made of pure carbon fiber, without a significant amount of residues and preserving their structural characteristics. The thermal plasma allows managing high temperatures (2,000° C. to 15,000° C.

Abstract: Lightning protected vent lines associated operatively with aircraft fuselage fuel tanks (i.e., on-board fuel tanks that are not physically located in an aircraft's wing but instead are physically located within the aircraft's fuselage structure) are provided which include a vent conduit, a coupling at a proximal end of the vent conduit for fluid connecting the vent conduit to the fuel tank, a vent opening positioned at a distal end of the vent conduit and at an external location of the fuselage and a flame arrestor positioned in the conduit between the coupling and the vent opening. The vent conduit will have an effective axial dimension (L) between the coupling and the vent opening and the flame arrestor will be positioned in the conduit at an effective separation distance (D) between an inlet of the flame arrestor and the vent opening such that L/D is greater than 5.

Abstract: Aircraft antenna fairing assemblies include a fairing shell and connection components for positionally fixing the fairing shell to airframe structure of an aircraft. The connection components may comprise a guide assembly having a guide head and a receiver defining a guide channel for receiving the guide head therewithin, and a latch assembly for latching the fairing shell to the airframe structure of the aircraft. The receiver of the guide assembly may define a generally C-shaped or generally U-shaped channel for receiving the guide head therewithin.

Abstract: An online real-time method of measuring the thickness of a moving belt uses infrared thermography technology to continuously and noninvasively measure the thickness of rubber cover regions and detect damage. This technique solves technical problems and realizes potential gains such as increased efficiency in planning maintenance/replacements of conveyor belts; provides rationalizations and advanced planning for stocking spare conveyor belts; provides a lookahead of acute wear at points to avoid premature wear or belt loss; generates a history of generating wear after each belt replacement with life projections and early planning acquisitions and operational stoppages for exchange; and provides early warning system integration.

Abstract: Composite acoustic panels are provided which may usefully be employed for aircraft interior panel assemblies. The composite acoustic panels may include a core member defining opposed surfaces, and a pair of exterior face sheets each attached to a respective one of the opposed surfaces of the core member. At least one of the face sheets may be microperforated. The core member comprises an adjacent plurality of tubular channels extending through a thickness dimension of the core member between the opposed surfaces thereof, while predetermined adjacent ones of the tubular channels are filled with a material to define a series of filled tubular channels which are adjacent to a region of open tubular channels. Certain ones of the open tubular channels may be partially filled with an acoustic dampening material. Discontinuous viscoelastic layers may be positioned so as to overlay central regions of the adjacent plurality of the open tubular channels which are bounded by an array of the filled tubular channels.

Abstract: Structural health monitoring (“SHM”) methods, apparatus and techniques involve building deformation fields maps (amplitude and phase related to excitation) on the surface of the structural component under monitoring based on a network of strain measurements by fiber Bragg grating sensors.

Abstract: Devices and methods for stabilizing a structural component are provided. The devices may include a main body component, a pair of opposed stabilization feet engageable with opposed regions of the structural component, a pair of coaxially disposed and reciprocal rectilinearly movable support shafts coupling the stabilization feet to the main body component, and an actuator assembly for rectilinearly moving the support shafts opposite to one another which in turn moves the stabilization feet between retracted and extended positions relative to the main body component. In use, the device may be positioned between opposed flanges of a structural component so as to stabilize the component and facilitate automated assembly processes.

Abstract: A gust lock lever system associated with an aircraft throttle quadrant allows flight crew to freely choose which engine to use for ground taxing operations. A stop member is connected to a crossbar of the gust lock lever system for moveable positioning into alignment with a respective one of the port and starboard engine throttle levers. The stop member causes the port and starboard throttle levers to thereby assume an asymmetrically differential side-by-side position relative to one another in response to advancement of the port and starboard throttle levers toward the crossbar when the crossbar is in an intermediate position thereof. The asymmetrically differential side-by-side position of the throttle levers therefore provide the flight crew with an unordinary tactile sensation in the event that the aircraft's engine throttles are attempted to be advanced to a take-off thrust condition with the gust lock lever system improperly deployed in the intermediate ground taxiing position.

Abstract: Fuel line coupling components couple together coaxially aligned fuel lines (e.g., single wall metal aircraft fuel lines) and allow for relative longitudinal movements therebetween. The fuel line coupling component may include an outer tubular housing member, an inner tubular coupling member, a tubular collar member and a coupler. The inner tubular coupling member is adapted to being attached to a terminal end of one of the fuel lines and is received within an interior space of the outer tubular housing member for slidable movements therewithin to allow the fuel line attached thereto to be telescopically extended and retracted relative to the outer tubular housing. The tubular collar member is coaxially aligned with the outer tubular member and is adapted to being attached to a terminal end of the second fuel line in coaxial opposition to the first fuel line.

Abstract: Finite element methods for compensating for springback in aircraft parts meet the visual appearance and aerodynamics of complex parts including those made of fabricated sheet metal. The methods can be used to make narrow parts (e.g., leading edge and slats) and double negative curvature parts, and do not need to leave marks on the surface of the sheet so that visual aspects are not adversely affected. The point to point compensation technique uses approach equations with constants adjustable for curves. The constant(s) used depend on geometry and type of forming (e.g., stretch or hydraulic press). Use of mechanical properties of the material is not required.

Abstract: Propeller-driven craft (e.g., aircraft) are provided with at least one propulsion system having at least one engine and at least one aerial tractor propeller which generates a propeller propwash airflow when driven by the engine. At least one airfoil is disposed in the propeller propwash airflow of the at least one aerial tractor propeller. The airfoil is contoured and oriented relative to a swirl rotation angle (?) of the propeller propwash airflow in order to induce a forward force component on the craft in response to the propeller propwash airflow over the at least one airfoil, thus improving the craft's performance and/or reducing fuel consumption.

Abstract: Pylon fairings for an aircraft turbojet engine mounted below an aircraft wing are provided with inboard and outboard lateral faces which converge rearwardly to form a trailing edge of the pylon fairing and which are positioned so as to contact a portion of a cold flow exiting a fan duct of the turbojet engine, and a bottom face positioned above a hot exhaust flow exiting an exhaust nozzle of the turbojet engine. The trailing edge of the pylon fairing extends in an upward direction relative to an engine longitudinal axis of symmetry between a lower terminus at the bottom face and an upper terminus located at a lower surface of the aircraft wing. The lower terminus is coincident with a longitudinal midplane of the turbojet engine, and the upper terminus is offset in an inboard direction so that the trailing edge of the pylon fairing is cambered in the inboard direction between the lower terminus and the upper terminus.

Abstract: An integrated system and method to acquire the health state of a structure identifying the presence of damage, and to self-repair the damage in the considered structure. A sensor network installed in the structure is interrogated by a dedicated hardware for damage detection. In case of damage is detected by the sensor network in the structure, the sensor network is triggered and generates harmonic excitation in the structure. Due to the excitation, the natural frequency of vascular microtubes and/or capsules presented in the structure is reached, promoting their disruption. The vascular microtubes and/or capsules disruption along the damage releases the healing compound, repairing the damaged portion of the structure.

Abstract: Self-aligning retractable strut stabilization assemblies that are ground engageable in use are provided to stabilize a vehicle, e.g., a cargo aircraft during loading/unloading operations. The strut stabilization assembly may be on-board equipment associated with an aircraft that may be actuated (e.g., via on-board hydraulic and/or electric actuation systems) by the aircraft operator so as to stabilize the aircraft during certain ground operations, e.g., cargo and/or personnel loading/unloading operations. A laterally separated pair of centering mechanisms are attached to the main strut and define a zero-spring bias load state corresponding to an aligned condition of the main strut.

Abstract: Pylon mounting assemblies are provided for mounting an engine (e.g., a turbojet engine) to a wing of an aircraft. The pylon mounting assemblies include an upper pylon connection member, and a lower pylon connection box. The upper pylon connection member and the lower pylon connection box respectively define opposed lower and upper mounting surfaces which establish a mounting plane that slopes downwardly and rearwardly relative to aircraft travel direction. At least one connector assembly connects the upper pylon connection member and a lower pylon connection box to one another at the opposed respective lower and upper mounting surfaces thereof.