Abstract: A rotary position sensor is includes a static portion that comprises a first board and a second board and a rotatable portion that comprises a third board. The second board comprises a first planar coil; and the third board comprises a second planar coil as well as means for generating luminance. The first board comprises means for receiving the generated luminance and the first planar coil of the second board is configured to transmit power to said second planar coil of said third board via inductance. The power received by said second planar coil is configured to supply a current to said means for generating luminance; and said means for generating luminance is configured to emit a luminance signal which has a luminance level.

Abstract: A screw actuator comprises a nut having an internal helical formation and a screw having an external helical formation and rotatably received within the nut, relative rotational movement of the nut and screw causing axial movement of one of the nut and screw relative to the other of the nut and screw. The actuator further comprises a lubricant reservoir and a lubricant pressuriser for pressurising lubricant within the lubricant reservoir. A lubricant receiving chamber is formed in the nut. The screw extends through the lubricant receiving chamber. A lubricant supply passage fluidly connects the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant receiving chamber. A valve controls the flow of lubricant between the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant receiving chamber. A lubricant supply piston is received in the lubricant receiving chamber and is mounted on the external helical formation of the screw.

Abstract: There is provided an hydraulic actuation system for an aircraft, the hydraulic actuation system includes an actuator (A), a primary actuation arrangement to provide hydraulic fluid to control the actuator (A), wherein the hydraulic actuation system is configured to detect a fault in the actuator (A). The hydraulic actuation system also includes a secondary actuation arrangement to provide hydraulic fluid to control the actuator (A) in response to a detection of a fault in the actuator (A).

Abstract: A gearbox assembly comprising a plurality of component parts in torque transmission connection via gear, shaft and/or housing components; the assembly further comprising means for providing redundancy at selected locations where failure can lead to loss of torque transmission between component parts of the assembly.

Abstract: A dust retainer for a brake system comprising a retainer receptacle mounted integrally to one or more components of the brake assembly, wherein the retainer receptacle comprises a drum have first and second open ends, one open end being secured to a component of the brake system and the other open end being closed by a dust retainer cap, the drum defining a space within which a brake disk of the brake system is located, in use, wherein removal of the dust retainer cap allows the brake disk to be removed from the open end of the retainer drum, and a removable drawer integrated in the drum. A fastening means to removably secure brake components to each other is also disclosed.

Abstract: A position sensing system for sensing a position of an input shaft of a variable differential transformer (VDT), comprising said VDT, which comprises first and second AC signal output means that are configured to output a first AC output signal and a second AC output signal respectively. The sensing system further comprises AC/DC converting means configured to convert said first AC output signal to a first DC output signal and an AC/DC converting means configured to convert said second AC output signal to a second DC signal. The first and second DC output signals each indicate an individual position of said input shaft.

Abstract: A method of making an aircraft blade is provided. The method comprises the steps of: assembling two or more fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts into a blade assembly; and welding the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts together utilising an additional thermoplastic located at least at locations where the parts will abut when assembled. The additional thermoplastic has a melting or softening temperature lower than a melting temperature of each of the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts being assembled. The step of welding comprises heating the blade assembly to a temperature above the melting/softening temperature of the additional thermoplastic and below the melting temperature of each of the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts so as to melt/soften the additional thermoplastic and thereby weld the fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite parts together to form the aircraft blade.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a spar for a propeller blade comprises forming a hollow inner core from a composite material, and then braiding carbon fibres around the inner core to form an outer spar structure. The hollow inner core may be formed using an inflatable bladder and a mould defining an outer shape of the spar. This construction avoids the need for a foam core to be provided within the spar.

Abstract: A method of detecting that ice has been shed from an external surface of a component is provided, the method comprising applying power to a heating means to provide heat to said external surface. The method further comprises sensing the temperature of the component and calculating the rate of change of temperature increase of the external surface over time. Further, the method comprises detecting a change in said rate of change of temperature increase over time, wherein said detected change in rate of change of temperature increase indicates that said ice has been shed from said external surface of said component.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fabric structure for use in manufacturing a composite aircraft blade. The method comprises: combining yarns including both reinforcing material filaments and a matrix material with yarns of reinforcing material filaments and/or yarns including at least one filament of matrix material; or by combining yarns of reinforcing material filaments with yarns including at least one filament of matrix material; or by combining yarns each comprising both reinforcing material filaments and matrix material. Combining may comprise weaving, knitting or braiding. The matrix material may be a thermoplastic.

Abstract: A gas distribution assembly for providing gas to an actuator for opening an aircraft door and to an aircraft evacuation slide, the assembly comprising a single common gas supply and valve means for controlling distribution of gas from the common supply between the slide and the door actuator based on door opening position.

Abstract: A brake component indicator configured to provide a visual indication of the release state of the brake component; the indicator comprising an indicator element connected to the brake component and moveable with the component during a braking operation, whereby the indicator element is provided with means to provide a visual indication of the direction and/or the distance moved by the indicator element during the braking operation. Preferably, the indicator element is in the form of a rod connected to a brake disk or pad that engages a moving part in a braking operation to brake the moving part, the rod provided with indicator means whose position is an indication of the distance the brake disk or pad has traveled to engage the moving part.

Abstract: A serial communications bus system comprising a plurality of end users arranged to transmit data on a common data bus, each end user provided with a bus arbiter, physically separate from the respective end user, configured to define, for that end user, a cycle of transmission enable intervals whereby the end user may transmit data on the data bus and transmission disable intervals whereby the end user may not transmit data on the data bus.

Abstract: A propeller blade comprises a root, a tip distal from the root, a trailing edge extending from the root to the tip, a trailing edge, e.g. foam, insert, a shell forming an outer surface of the propeller blade and a plurality of stitches of yarn extending through two parts of the shell adjacent the trailing edge, wherein the yarns do not extend through the trailing edge insert.

Abstract: There is provided a control stick module (10) comprising: a first shaft (100); a second shaft (110); a joint (140) connecting the first and second shafts; and a gimbal mechanism (120); wherein the joint is nested within the gimbal mechanism. The gimbal mechanism provides axes of rotation (201, 202) for the first shaft (100) and the joint provides axes of rotation (203, 204, 205) for the first shaft (100); and the axes of rotation (201, 202) provided by the gimbal mechanism intersect at a point corresponding to a point of intersection of the axes (203, 204, 205) provided by the joint.

Abstract: A rotating system comprising two or more blades 3 mounted on a hub installed on a rotatable propeller shaft 1, each blade provided with a respective sensor 4 arranged to detect response of the respective blade to harmonic excitation; and the system further comprising means configured to compare the response of the respective blade to that of the other blade(s).

Abstract: A flight control actuator for actuating an aircraft flight control system is provided. The flight control actuator comprises a gearbox, an output shaft attached to the gearbox and an output lever provided on the output shaft. The output lever is declutchable from the output shaft. The output lever includes an inner diameter through which the output shaft passes and at least one indentation in said inner diameter. The output shaft includes a hollow cylindrical member with at least one hole provided at the axial position of the at least one indentation of the output lever.

Abstract: There is provided a system comprising a brushless DC (“BLDC”) electric motor for a propeller engine and a motor controller. The motor comprises a rotor including one or more permanent magnets and one or more alternator windings, and a stator including one or more stator windings. The controller is configured to apply a first, transient DC voltage to the windings of the stator, wherein the first, transient DC voltage is configured to provide commutation switching for the windings of the stator so as to generate a torque on the rotor. The controller is further configured to apply a second, static DC voltage to the windings of the stator, wherein the second, static DC voltage is configured to induce an electric current in the alternator windings so as to generate an AC voltage in the alternator windings.

Abstract: A magnetic position sensor for determining the angular position of a magnet on a rotatable component, comprising: at least one magnetic sensor for determining different vector components of a magnetic field of the magnet; a memory having a look-up table stored therein that is populated with data representative of different angular positions of the magnet, the data representative of each angular position being correlated with data in the look-up table that is representative of the vector components that would be detected by the at least one magnetic sensor at that angular position; wherein the magnetic position sensor is configured to use the vector components determined by the magnetic sensor and logic to determine the angular position of the magnet from the look-up table.

Abstract: A brake rod for a steering/braking mechanism includes a rod body having a longitudinal axis, a rod end at a first end of the rod body, the rod end having a bore therethrough having a bore axis arranged generally perpendicular to the rod longitudinal axis, and a rod end shield mounted to the rod and extending in a longitudinal direction axially beyond the rod end.