Abstract: A method of making bearings includes treating a metallic surface of a bearing raceway with a pulsed electrochemical processing nozzle to transform the amorphous oxide into a crystalline structure on the metallic surface electro-chemically and convert the metallic surface into a ceramic like hardness surface. Treating the metallic surface can include forming a gradient in material composition transitioning from a purely metallic material at a cross-sectional position within the bearing raceway to a purely crystalline structure material at the ceramic like hardness surface of the bearing raceway.

Abstract: A quill shaft which translates rotational energy between a gear and a drive shaft having a drive shaft spline includes a first leg having an inner spline which meshes with the drive shaft spline and a second leg concentric with the first leg and radially offset and separated from the first leg by a gap. The second leg includes an outer spline which meshes with the gear. The first leg is connected to the second leg at one end to allow for change to a gap size during while translating the rotational energy between the gear and a drive shaft.

Abstract: A rotary wing aircraft including a prime mover, a main rotor assembly having a first plurality of rotor blades operatively coupled to a main rotor shaft rotatable at a first speed ratio, a tail rotor assembly including a second plurality of rotor blades operatively coupled to a tail rotor shaft rotatable at a second speed ratio, and a variable ratio gearbox assembly mechanically connected to the tail rotor assembly. The variable ratio gearbox assembly operates to selectively vary the second speed ratio relative to the first speed ratio.

Abstract: An aircraft is provided and includes a rotor, which is rotatable relative to an airframe, a rotor, which is rotatable relative to the airframe and which generates a rotor induced vibration, an engine to generate rotational energy, a drive portion to transfer the rotational energy from the engine, a gearbox disposed to transmit the rotational energy from the drive portion to the rotor to drive rotor rotation, support members connecting the gearbox to the airframe and an actuation system configured to generate an anti-vibration load applicable to the gearbox via an actuator comprising an actuator element disposed along one of the support members and a stinger element extending from the actuator element to a connection point of the support member and the gearbox to transmit a portion of the anti-vibration load from the actuator element to the connection point to counter the rotor induced vibration at the gearbox.

Abstract: A method of operating a multi-engine, rotary wing aircraft in a single engine, in-flight mode, the method includes stopping a first engine while operating a second engine; closing variable inlet guide vanes on the first engine; and turning a gas generator of the first engine at a reference rotational speed.

Abstract: A method of trajectory control for a vehicle includes obtaining an initial trajectory; presenting the initial trajectory as a current trajectory on an I/O device, the current trajectory presented overlaying terrain; initiating travel of the vehicle along the current trajectory; updating the current trajectory and the terrain in real time as the vehicle travels along the current trajectory; determining if change in the current trajectory is required; changing the current trajectory to an altered trajectory in response to determining change in the current trajectory is required; and presenting the altered trajectory on the I/O device, the altered trajectory presented overlaying the terrain.

Abstract: A connector assembly to connect a swashplate and a rotor shaft or hub is provided. The connector assembly includes a mount configured to fixedly connect to the rotor shaft or hub, a sleeve pivotably attached to the mount, and a translating element translationally retained within the sleeve and configured to engage with the swashplate such that the swashplate and the rotor shaft or hub rotate at the same rotational speed.

Abstract: A method of retrofitting a mechanically controlled aircraft with a fly-by-wire system includes removing a mechanical links between mechanical pilot inputs and actuators operable to drive flight surfaces. Electromechanical actuators are coupled between a plurality of vehicle management computers and the actuators. Each of the electromechanical actuators is operable to receive commands from the vehicle management computers and output a mechanical force to an input linkage of one of the actuators. Electromechanical pilot input modules are coupled to the mechanical pilot inputs. Each of the electromechanical pilot input modules is operable to convert a pilot-driven input force of an instance of the mechanical pilot inputs into an electronic signal indicative of the pilot-driven input force. At least one high performance computer is coupled to at least one of the vehicle management computers.

Abstract: A tool for machining chamfers includes a tool body defining a first reference and a second reference configured for proper positioning of the tool body on a workpiece. A router port is defined through the tool body to provide access to the workpiece for a router. A router attachment proximate the router port is configured to position a router mounted to the router attachment for machining a chamfer in the workpiece with reference to the first and second references.

Abstract: A system for weight measurement for an aircraft having a weight on wheels threshold between a flight mode and a ground mode includes a weight on wheels sensor arrangeable on a landing gear assembly of the aircraft, and a computing device receiving first detected data from the sensor related to strain on the landing gear assembly. The computing device calculates a rate of change of the strain over time to determine when the landing gear assembly reaches the weight on wheels threshold. The system also measures aircraft gross weight in a static condition.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe, an engine mounted to the airframe, and an engine inlet for receiving an ambient airflow and providing the ambient airflow to the engine. An amount of airflow provided to the engine inlet is controllable.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a remaining useful life of a component, includes providing a usage and configuration information associated with the component, determining if a preexisting spall condition exists for the component, executing a spall initiation model for the component if the preexisting spall condition does not exist, wherein the spall initiation model provides a spall initiation life associated with the component by analyzing the usage and configuration information, executing a spall propagation model for the component, wherein the spall propagation model provides a spall propagation life associated with the component by analyzing the usage and configuration information, and providing a remaining useful life by integrating the spall initiation life and the spall propagation life.

Abstract: A propeller blade is provided including a leading edge and a trailing edge. The trailing edge is arranged opposite the leading edge to form an airfoil there between. At least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge include at least one facet.

Abstract: A corrosion management method is provided and includes storing an asset fleet at a location, generating a corrosion rate stressor by reference to models for any component of an asset of the asset fleet corresponding to the location and storage practice of the asset, predicting an accumulated corrosion stressor severity from the generated corrosion rate stressor, measuring an actual corrosion rate stressor at the location and revising the models in accordance with a difference between the predicted accumulated corrosion stressor severity and the measured actual corrosion rate stressor.

Abstract: A gearbox assembly having a driven assembly includes a drive hub having gear posts, the drive hub being rotatable about an axis. The gearbox assembly additionally includes a plurality of planetary gears and an intermediate component coupling one of the plurality of planetary gears to a corresponding gear post. The intermediate component has sufficient flexibility to maintain the planetary gears in meshing engagement with the driven assembly within the gearbox assembly when one of the planetary gears is misaligned with the corresponding gear post.

Abstract: A rotorcraft includes at least one first engine operatively connected to a first rotor, and a second engine operatively connected to at least one of a second rotor or an electrical generator for driving an electrical system, wherein the second engine is a different size than the first engine. The second engine can be smaller than the at least one first engine, for example.

Abstract: A flying wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft includes an empennageless-fuselage from which foldable wings extend outwardly, an empennageless-nacelle supported on each of the wings and a rigid rotor propeller disposed on each empennageless-nacelle, each of the propellers being drivable to rotate about only a single rotational axis defined along a longitudinal axis of the corresponding empennageless-nacelle and being fully cyclically controllable.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe; an extending tail; a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly; and a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe; wherein a ratio of (i) the hub separation between the hub of the upper rotor assembly and the hub of the lower rotor assembly to (ii) a radius of the upper rotor assembly is between about 0.1 and about 0.135.

Abstract: A Transistor Resonant Characteristic Sensor (TReCS) includes a sensing element positioned along electronic equipment so that the sensing element is electromagnetically coupled to the electronic equipment. The sensing element includes a coil. The sensing element is configured to detect magnetic oscillations associated with a characteristic signal generated by the electronic equipment. The TReCS sensor further includes an evaluation circuit connected to the sensing element for monitoring health state of the electronic equipment. The evaluation circuit includes one or more processing elements configured to diagnose health state of the electronic equipment based on extracted baseband information associated with the characteristic signal.

Abstract: A gearbox is provided having a housing, a gear having a plurality of teeth operationally configured within the housing, and a laser peening device located within the housing and configured to perform active laser peening on a predetermined surface of the gear while the gear is rotated within the housing. A method of maintaining compressive residual stresses in a gear is provided, the method including operating a gearbox to rotate a gear within the gearbox and laser peening a predetermined surface of the gear with a laser peening device located within the gearbox.