Abstract: A rotor blade for a rotary wing aircraft includes a leading edge and a trailing edge defining a chordwise direction. The leading edge defines a forward end of the rotor blade and the trailing edge defines an aft end of the rotor blade. The rotor blade has a center of gravity and an aerodynamic center along the chordwise direction. The center of gravity is aft of the aerodynamic center.

Abstract: A method and a computer network of interconnected computer nodes, one assigned a role of a deployer node, the deployer node creating and executing a rule-based block, and assigning others of the computer nodes a role of sensor node or a role of display node. The deployer node maintains addresses of the sensor nodes and the display nodes, the sensor nodes add sensor track data to create linked blocks, and the display nodes read the sensor track data in the linked blocks. The rule-based block includes a sensor add rule which checks that only computer nodes assigned the role of the deployer node can assign a computer node the role of sensor node. The rule-based block includes a sensor track data add rule which checks that only the computer nodes assigned the role of sensor node can request to add new sensor track data to create the linked blocks.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrical conductor assembly includes attaching a substrate and at least one electrical conductor to a cable assembly machine, tensioning the substrate, and holding the substrate stationary while wrapping the at least one electrical conductor around the substrate. The at least one electrical conductor is wrapped around the substrate independent of the tension on the substrate.

Abstract: A flow battery system is disclosed.

Abstract: A system for superadditivity for remote sensing and communication includes coupling optics to direct several input pulses received over a communication channel to an interaction medium. A probe beam entering the interaction medium at an angle performs state preparation and manipulation. A detector reads the output light of the interaction medium. Orthogonality states of symbols represented by the plurality of input pulses are affected by the communication channel, and the interaction medium provides the output light via local entanglement of the plurality of input pulses and the probe beam.

Abstract: A propeller assembly for an aircraft includes a main shaft rotatable about a propeller axis, a rotor hub mounted to the main shaft, and a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor hub. Each blade is rotatably coupled to the rotor hub for rotation about a blade rotation axis. A control system rotates each blade about the corresponding blade rotation axis and includes a ball screw coupled to the main shaft for rotation about the propeller axis and configured to translate along the propeller axis, an actuator beam mounted on the ball screw, and a ball nut coupled to the ball screw. When the ball nut rotates relative to the ball screw, the ball screw translates relative to the main shaft along the propeller axis. A differential transmission is configured to rotate the ball nut relative to the ball screw such that the ball screw is translated.

Abstract: A handheld device and method for entering data and controlling functions of an aerial vehicle are disclosed. The handheld device includes an interface that communicates with a processor and a memory of the aerial vehicle; input devices that receive input from an operator of the handheld device, a display device that displays information related to the input received from the operator via the input devices, and one or more processors. The one or more processors can receive input data from the input devices to modify a field value maintained in the memory of the aerial vehicle. The one or more processors can present, at the display device, an output data corresponding to the input data, and periodically transmit one or more signals to modify the field value maintained in the memory of the aerial vehicle via the interface based on the input data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for reducing drag includes forming a smooth surface on a first portion of a physical object. The method also includes forming periodic riblets on a second portion of the physical object. The second portion of the physical object is adjacent to the first portion of the physical object. Each riblet of the periodic riblets of the second portion of the physical object is depressed below a plane of the smooth surface of the first portion of the physical object. The method further includes generating a flow over the periodic riblets of the second portion of the physical object and over the smooth surface of the first portion of the physical object. A length of each riblet of the periodic riblets runs parallel to a direction of the flow.

Abstract: Radio frequency (RF) polarizer feeds and associated waveguide structures having twist features are discussed herein. In one example, a first waveguide segment spans a longitudinal axis between a feed port and a twist port and includes two stacked rounded rectangular elements skewed in minor axis alignment with respect to each other and having major axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A second waveguide segment spans the longitudinal axis between the twist port and a polarizer port and is coupled to the first waveguide segment at the twist port. The second waveguide segment includes first ridge elements that span longitudinally from the twist port on first opposing walls of the second waveguide segment, and second ridge elements that span longitudinally from the twist port on second opposing walls of the second waveguide segment.

Abstract: A lubricant system includes a first gearbox defining a first internal cavity, a second gearbox defining a second internal cavity, a first lubricant cooler positioned external the first and second internal cavities, a second lubricant cooler positioned external the first and second internal cavities, and a plurality of fluid passages fluidly connecting the first lubricant cooler and second lubricant coolers to each of the first gearbox and the second gearbox. The first lubricant cooler and the second lubricant cooler are configured to hold lubricant. The fluid passages include a first main fluid passage fluidly connecting the first lubricant cooler to the first gearbox, a second main fluid passage fluidly connecting the second lubricant cooler to the second gearbox, a first auxiliary passage fluidly connecting the first lubricant cooler to the second gearbox, and a second auxiliary passage fluidly connecting the second lubricant cooler to the first gearbox.

Abstract: Provided herein are various enhancements for panel inserts which can provide for mounting of threaded fasteners or other mounting members into various panels. In one example, a panel insert carrier comprises a barrel having flanged ends. The barrel comprising an axial bore therein having a threaded surface configured to removably accept a threaded insert. At least one of the flanged ends comprises an aperture for injection of potting around an exterior of the barrel when inserted into a bore hole of a panel.

Abstract: A coating comprising a bottom layer comprising a hard physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating applied to the end mill. The bottom layer has an edge-prep and polished top surface with reoriented cutting forces. The coating includes a top layer comprising a friction reducing coating applied to the top surface of the bottom layer to prevent or minimize titanium or titanium alloy adhesion to the end mill during milling operations of a metal object comprising the titanium or titanium alloy. The coating has a chemical composition which has inertness toward titanium or titanium alloy. A cutter tool and method are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and devices for preparing electrolyte solutions containing unwanted impurities at the pg/L levels. The methods generally comprise electrochemically reducing the impurity to a precipitated, plated, or volatilized form, and removing that reduced form from electrolyte solution. This disclosure describes the methods and devices for effecting such methods, and the electrochemical solutions derived or derivable from such methods.

Abstract: Enhanced components and assemblies for connector-less radio frequency (RF) interconnect systems are provided. One example includes two circuit boards each with a broadside coupling feature comprising a tapered circuit board trace having a terminal portion. The circuit boards are positioned in close proximity to establish a desired gap, and a dielectric material is positioned within the gap between circuit boards. The broadside coupling features of the circuit boards are then configured to convey RF signals over the gap without electrical contact.

Abstract: Electrolyte solutions for flow batteries and other electrochemical systems can contain an active material that is capable of transferring one or more electrons per molecule during an oxidation-reduction cycle. Doubly bridged aromatic groups or their coordination compounds can be particularly suitable active materials. Flow batteries can include a first half-cell containing a first electrolyte solution, and a second half-cell containing a second electrolyte solution, in which at least one of the first electrolyte solution and the second electrolyte solution contains an active material having at least two aromatic groups doubly bridged by a carbonyl moiety and a bridging moiety containing a bridging atom selected from carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, selenium and tellurium. Such bridged compounds can directly function as the active material, or coordination compounds containing the bridged compounds as at least one ligand can serve as the active material.

Abstract: A cockpit switch device can include a pushbutton switch, a bi-stable relay and a toggle component. The pushbutton switch can be configured to be manually actuated by a user into a command state. The bi-stable relay can be controlled by input commands from the pushbutton switch and input commands from a processor, and can be configured to control operation of one or more systems of an aircraft. The toggle component can be connected to the pushbutton switch, the processor and the bi-stable relay. The toggle component can receive an input command signal from at least one of the pushbutton switch or the processor, and cause a state of the bi-stable relay to be flipped responsive to the input command signal from the at least one of the pushbutton switch or the processor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a fastener includes a flexible head and a shank coupled to the flexible head. The flexible head includes a center head portion and a plurality of wing portions coupled to the center head portion. Each of the plurality of wing portions includes a contact area configured to contact a first surface of a part to be fastened. The shank includes a clip groove configured to hold a retainer clip against a second surface of the part to be fastened. The second first surface of the part to be fastened is opposite the first surface of the part to be fastened.

Abstract: A drain assembly includes a drain tube and a flapper assembly. The drain tube extends between a first tube end and a second tube end. The first tube end is configured to fluidly attach to an inlet plenum assembly of an engine system of a rotorcraft. The flapper assembly is positioned along the second tube end and comprises a flapper door that is configured to allow fluid to drain from the drain assembly to an engine compartment of the engine system of the rotorcraft. The flapper door is configured to prevent fluid, engine compartment gases, or flame from flowing into the drain assembly through the second tube end of the drain tube.

Abstract: Information can be transmitted through classical and quantum communication channels in parallel and at rates that enhance secure communication. The quantum communication is scaled to a transmission rate of 10 GHz or more, which matches the rate of classical communication transmission. During transmission of information (e.g., a message) through a classical channel, a quantum channel can transmit quantum key information used to construct a new key (e.g., a new decryption key) from the prior key. As a result, the same key is not reused for decryption and can be discarded after use. Further, a multiplexing system can encode and transmit both classical and quantum communication at the GHz-level transmission rate as a single optical beam, while a demultiplexing can receive and decode the information from the single optical beam.

Abstract: A system includes a mandrel having an exterior surface configured to receive composite material, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, an end support coupled to the first end of the mandrel such that the mandrel is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and an intermediate support configured to support the mandrel between the first end and the second end such that at least a portion of the exterior surface is exposed while the mandrel is supported by the intermediate support, a vertical distance between the intermediate support and the axis of rotation defining a support distance, and the intermediate support being adjustable between a first position having a first support distance and a second position having a second support distance greater than the first support distance.