Abstract: The present invention to a fairing C arranged on a rotor 9 of a rotorcraft having a cap 5 secured to the end 10 of the head of said rotor 9. The fairing C further comprises at least one air deflector member D provided with a ring 6 and spacers 4, the spacers 4 enabling the ring 6 to be secured to the cap 5.

Abstract: A method of tuning a vibration absorber on a driving frequency, in which the absorber includes a damper block secured to a support having one end fixedly mounted in an orifice, includes the steps of: a measurement step for estimating the offset between the tuned frequency of the absorber and the driving frequency in order to produce a reference value; and an adjustment step of adjusting at least one adjustment value of the absorber to the reference value.

Abstract: A device for locking a door kinematics system of the door of an airplane includes a control unit, an actuator for actuating a locking system and an automatic reset device. The control unit actuates the actuator as a function of the existence of a predetermined signal so that the actuator brings the locking system in a locking position. The reset device, if required, brings the locking system autonomously into a release position.

Abstract: A process for estimating the vertical speed of a rotary wing aircraft may include integrating the sum of: (1) a first component corresponding to a vertical acceleration measurement and (2) a second component obtained from the difference between: (a) a first value incorporating a barometric measurement and (b) a second value incorporating a previous estimation of the vertical speed. The second component is derived from the difference between the first and second values by clipping this difference to eliminate, as appropriate, the part of the difference which is greater, in absolute value, than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A damping structure includes a member defining an internal cavity; an aggregate which includes at least solid bodies in contact and which completely fills the internal cavity; a rigid plate for closing off the internal cavity; and an elastic element which exerts elastic pressure on the rigid plate so as to constrain the aggregate. The member defining the cavity may be elongate with the internal cavity being formed longitudinally inside the member. At least some of said solid bodies may be hollow or solid, compact, made of different materials, of different shapes, and/or of different sizes.

Abstract: A damping structure includes a member defining an internal cavity; an aggregate which includes at least solid bodies in contact and which completely fills the internal cavity; a rigid plate for closing off the internal cavity; and an elastic element which exerts elastic pressure on the rigid plate so as to constrain the aggregate. The member defining the cavity may be elongate with the internal cavity being formed longitudinally inside the member. At least some of said solid bodies may be hollow or solid, compact, made of different materials, of different shapes, and/or of different sizes.

Abstract: A anti-icing/de-icing device for an aircraft wing includes at least one aerodynamic surface, e.g. a rotorcraft blade or an airplane wing, the aerodynamic surface possessing at least two anti-icing/de-icing modules 17, with each module 17 being provided with a respective heater element 54. In addition, the heater elements 54 of the modules 17 are powered electrically by a common electrical power supply member 1, each anti-icing/de-icing module acting against icing in its own zone independently of the other module(s).

Abstract: A drag damper for use on a rotary-wing aircraft rotor comprises a body defining two variable volume chambers linked by a piston. The chambers filled with fluid in the damper are connected by a restrictor port in the piston or between the latter and the body, and via a channel of great length and small cross-section compared with the cross-section of the body, in which elastic means bear against and load the piston-rod assembly towards a neutral position, the anti-resonance frequency of the damper being matched substantially to the nominal rotation frequency of the rotor, and the restrictor port providing effective damping at the natural frequency (??) of the blades in drag, differing by construction from the rotor frequency (?).

Abstract: System for controlling the torsional stability of the drivetrain of a machine, in particular of a helicopter. The system (1) comprises a means (7) for acting on the speed of an engine (5) of the power train of the machine, a means (8) for measuring a speed NTL of rotation of the free turbine of the engine (5), a correction device (9) for correcting the measured speed NTL into a corrected value NTLcorr, a means (11) for determining a preset value NTLpres of the speed of rotation of the free turbine of the engine (5), and a a computation unit (12) for automatically computing, on the basis of the preset value NTLpres and of the corrected value NTLcorr, operating commands which are applied automatically to the first means (7). The correction device (9) corrects the measured speed NTL so as to obtain a corrected value NTLcorr exhibiting, at least around the first torsional mode of the drivetrain, the same modulus and an opposite phase with respect to the preset value NTLpres.

Abstract: The device (1) comprises a means (2) comprising at least one means of sensory recognition (3, 4), for pre-flight automatic characterization of the pilot who is located at a control station in the cockpit by establishing a reference profile, a means (5) comprising at least one means of sensory recognition (6, 7), for real-time automatic characterization, throughout the flight, of the person located at the control station, by establishing an actual profile, a means (8) for comparing in real time the actual profile with the reference profile, and for transmitting a dissimilarity signal, when they are different, and a means (9) for sending an alert signal to an air traffic control station (10), when a dissimilarity signal is transmitted.

Abstract: A pivoting power transmission unit is provided for driving a tiltable rotor of a convertible aircraft. The casing of the pivoting transmission unit comprises a lower casing, by which the casing is able to pivot on a support by two bearings each having a stationary part integral with the support and a swivelling part. The lower casing is assembled to an upper casing in which a drive shaft connected in rotation to gears housed in the casing is mounted so as to rotate about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the pivot axis of the casing. The upper casing is supported by an arrangement configured to transfer to the support via said bearings load/thrust forces experienced by the drive shaft during use.

Abstract: A rotor, especially for a rotary-wing aircraft, with a rotor mast and one or more adjustable rotor blades includes a rotor blade adjustment device without a swash plate and arranged on a carrier device that automatically rotates synchronously with the rotor blades, the rotor blade adjustment device rotating along with the carrier device in a manner that is free of relative movement with respect to the carrier device as well as with respect to the rotor mast and the rotor blades. The rotor blade adjustment device includes all of the blade actuators and kinematic elements required for a synchronized, cyclic and collective rotor blade adjustment as well as a control signal interface via which the control signals for the blade actuators can be transmitted from a stationary rotor section to the rotor blade adjustment device that is rotating along. Also, a rotary-wing aircraft, especially a helicopter, including at least one such rotor.

Abstract: Active connection element for connecting at least two structural components with a first end with a first connection area assigned to the first structural component and a second end with a second connection area assigned to the second structural component, a load-diminishing intermediate section through which intermediate section the flux of force between the first and second connection areas extends when the connection element is loaded, in which at least one controllable extension actuator having at least a piezo stack is arranged parallel to the intermediate section. When operated, the piezo stack extends the connection element at least in the area of the intermediate section in a controlled manner in order to actively suppress or insulate vibrations between the structural components. A prestressing device having a prestressing element exercises a compressive prestressing onto the piezo stack.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device enabling the collective pitch of the blades of the main rotor of a single-engined rotorcraft to be reduced automatically in the event of an engine failure. The device comprises an actuator which increases the collective pitch of the blades above a predefined threshold, and which decreases the collective pitch below the predefined threshold. The actuator is arranged on a bell crank of the mixing unit of the rotorcraft.

Abstract: An impact-absorbing, load-limiting connection device includes a first connection structure, a second connection structure, a guiding mechanism, and at least one impact-absorbing, load-limiting sacrificial element disposed between the first and second connection structure. At least one of the first and second connection structures is moveable with respect to the other in a predetermined direction of movement corresponding to an anticipated main impact direction. The guiding mechanism is configured to guide at least one of the first and second connection structures along the direction of movement and includes at least one transverse force-absorbing guide element configured to absorb a force in a direction transverse to the direction of movement.

Abstract: A power switching device in an electrical power distribution system on board a helicopter. There is a power switching device that switches on or off the power flow from a main distributor to the consumer. This switching device comprises an overhead panel with a switching means. This device improves the functional safety of electrical and electronic devices in the helicopter by reducing the electromagnetic influence without increasing the weight of the shielding technology and without requiring additional space in the helicopter airframe. With this device there is at least one fuse panel that is in electrical communication with a main distributor. The main distributor has an electrically protective switch which is connected to a power supply connection and a consumer connection. The electronic protective switch is controllable by a control unit which is connected to a control switch on the overhead panel via a fiber optic cable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to problems of maintenance of elastomeric members. According to the invention, the elastomeric member is provided with at least one elastomeric layer 1 disposed between two rigid strength members 2. In addition, the elastomeric member is provided with graduations 5 located on its visible surface 7, presenting an angle of inclination relative to the rigid strength members 2, thus making it possible to evaluate and monitor propagation of a crack 6 merely by inspecting it visually.

Abstract: A rotor brake includes a braking force absorption element non-rotatably connected to a rotor shaft; a stationary brake actuator for actuating a braking force transmission element that is functionally coupled to the braking force absorption element so as to exert a braking effect; and at least one rotor speed-controlled, centrifugal force-actuated rotor brake deactivation device. In addition, a rotor having at least one such rotor brake, as well as rotary-wing aircraft, especially a helicopter, having at least one rotor as well as at least one such rotor brake.

Abstract: System for lubricating and cooling a mechanical assembly According to the invention, this system comprises a main device (2) and an auxiliary backup device (3), which comprises: at least one reservoir (10) of lubricating and cooling liquid independent of the main device (2); at least one source (11) of pressurized gas; and at least one spray nozzle (17, 18) which is fed, on the one hand, with lubricating and cooling liquid at a pressure at most equal to 2 bar (2.10?5 pascal) from said reservoir (10) and, on the other hand, with pressurized gas from said source (11), said nozzle being able to spray a mist of lubricating and cooling liquid onto said mechanical assembly (1) so as temporarily to supplement the defective main device (2).

Abstract: A flight control system for controlling the pitch of an aircraft having a vertical takeoff capability and an orientable lift direction may include a first device, to which a pitch command determined by a computing unit is applied, for actuating an element acting on the pitch of the aircraft. A second device of the flight control system receives an orientation order to actuate an element altering the orientation of the lift direction. Another device determines an orientation order for optimizing a flight parameter based on the pitch command determined by the computing unit. Yet another device subtracts from the pitch command the pitch contribution due to actuating the orientation element. The difference value acts as a pitch command to the first device.