Abstract: An elastomeric bearing assembly has a centrifugal force bearing axially captured relative to a sliding interface. The sliding interface has one or more low friction regions and one or more high friction regions. One or more piezo actuators are configured to force one or more corresponding high friction regions against the centrifugal force bearing when actuated. The sliding interface may have a circular shape, wherein the one or more low friction regions and the one or more high friction regions are alternating concentric segments of the sliding interface. The one or more high friction regions are recessed on the sliding interface relative to the one or more low friction regions.

Abstract: An aircraft having multiple wing planforms. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second half-wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween. A distributed thrust array is attached to the airframe. The thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first half-wing and a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second half-wing. A flight control system is coupled to the airframe. The fight control system is configured to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies and control conversions between the wing planforms. The aircraft is configured to convert between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. In addition, the aircraft is configured to convert between a biplane configuration and a monoplane configuration in the forward flight orientation.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: adjusting a first flight control device of a rotorcraft to control flight around a first axis of the rotorcraft, the first flight control device exercising flight control authority around the first axis of the rotorcraft; detecting a failure of the first flight control device; transitioning at least a portion of the flight control authority around the first axis of the rotorcraft from the first flight control device to a second flight control device of the rotorcraft, the transitioning being performed automatically in response to detecting the failure of the first flight control device; and adjusting the second flight control device to control flight around the first axis of the rotorcraft, the second flight control device being adjusted by a first control process when the rotorcraft is in a first flight mode, the second flight control device being adjusted by a second control process when the rotorcraft is in a second flight mode.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a float bag comprising an air bladder configured to inflate when an aircraft lands in the water, a girt coupled to the air bladder and configured to attach the air bladder to the aircraft via at least one airframe fitting, and a load attenuator coupled to the girt and configured to be positioned between the girt and the airframe fitting when the float bag is attached to the aircraft, wherein the plurality of load attenuators are configured to mechanically deform in a progressive failure fashion from a first effective length to a second effective length greater than the first length in response to an applied tensile load on the load attenuators coupled to the plurality of girts and the aircraft airframe, wherein the load attenuators are selected to reduce the force with a total length that minimizes buoyancy depth of the aircraft.

Abstract: A rotor blade has a spanwise axis, a root comprising an anchor having an anchor surface configured to form at least one of a normal angle relative to the spanwise axis and an acute angle relative to the spanwise axis, and a selectively removable tip comprising a connector having a connector surface configured to complement the anchor surface.

Abstract: A tiltrotor controls shield having a blade or wire substructure under a fragile spinner fairing improves bird strike durability. The present disclosure discloses a spinner wind fairing with a shield structure disposed thereunder for providing protection to the proprotor assembly components. The shield structure can segment a projectile, such as a bird, that penetrates the spinner fairing into a series of smaller and lower energy elements spread across a wider area, such that the rotor components can withstand the impact of the smaller elements without damage.

Abstract: A thermal management system and method includes: a drive shaft; one or more fans or impellers in fluid communication with at least a portion of the drive shaft; and one or more air management baffles configured to direct air flow between the impeller and the portion of the drive shaft. In one embodiment, the system and method further includes insulation positioned about the at least a portion of the drive shaft.

Abstract: An electrical bonding test device, including a test system circuit configured to generate a current pulse for ground bonding testing of subject units, a first test system connector configured to provide an electrical connection between a first unit connector shell of a first unit of the subject units and the test system circuit and to pass the current pulse to the first unit connector shell during the ground bonding testing, and a second test system connector configured to provide an electrical connection between a second unit connector shell of a second unit of the subject units and a first node of the test system circuit. The test system circuit is further configured to provide an indication indicating whether a bonding path through the subject units is a conductive path having a resistance below a resistance threshold.

Abstract: A liquid container for a motor vehicle, comprising a storage volume for storing a liquid and comprising at least one shell, which at least partially delimits the storage volume, wherein the shell has been produced at least partially in an injection molding process, the shell has a barrier film, the shell has a reinforcing element, which is formed at least partially or completely of a thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composite material, the shell has a single-part or multi-part support structure, which is formed at least partially or completely of an injection-molded material, the barrier film is integrally bonded to the reinforcing element, and the barrier film and the reinforcing element are each integrally bonded to the support structure.

Abstract: A damping landing gear assembly for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft includes a spring housing forming a spring chamber, a spring disposed in the spring chamber and a plunger slidably coupled to the spring housing and movable between a compressed position and an extended position. The spring biases the plunger into the extended position during flight. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft experiences a landing force during landing. The landing force compresses the plunger into the compressed position against the bias of the spring, thereby absorbing at least a portion of the landing force.

Abstract: A balance weight assembly for a rotor blade of a rotorcraft. The balance weight assembly includes a balance weight pocket formed by a balance weight tray and a cover. The balance weight tray has an upper surface including a lip region extending outwardly from a projected region with an outboard boss. A balance weight receiving cavity is recessed from the upper surface and contains a plurality of balance weights. The projected region is disposed within an opening in a hollow blade spar such that the outboard boss of the balance weight tray has a contact relationship with an outboard surface of the opening. The cover is coupled to the balance weight tray such that the lip region of the balance weight tray and at least a portion of the cover have a clamping relationship with the blade spar, thereby coupling the balance weight pocket to the blade spar.

Abstract: A service fluids container made of plastic for installation in a motor vehicle. The service fluids container is suitable for antimicrobial storage of service fluids even in the event that the motor vehicle is shut off for prolonged periods. The interior of the container accommodates an antimicrobial composition comprising a hydrophilic polymer and a complex compound of a metal salt with an organic ligand.

Abstract: An autonomous thrust vectoring ring wing pod is disclosed. A plurality of distributed propulsion element (thruster) layout within a self-articulating ring wing pod allows the pod to selectively control its thrust vector by controlling each propulsion element in the pod. This arrangement allows autonomous and independent control of the tilting of the ring wing relative to the aircraft. The ring wing pod acts as both a nacelle to house the propulsion elements as well as a lifting surface when in wing-borne flight. The autonomous thrust vectoring ring wing pod also provides superior aircraft attitude control in wing-borne flight, thus negating the need for conventional surface controls.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a multistage infrared suppression exhaust system for an aircraft, including: a stage one including a first exhaust conduit to receive a first exhaust air flow at a first temperature-pressure product T1P1, a second exhaust conduit to receive a second exhaust air flow at a second temperature-pressure product T2P2, and a flow integrator mechanically configured to mix the first exhaust air flow with the second exhaust air flow in an integration chamber while preventing back pressure into the second exhaust conduit; and a stage two including a stage two cooling airflow to cool the mixed first and second exhaust air flows.

Abstract: One embodiment is a navigation system for an aircraft including a positioning system to generate information related to a position of the aircraft, a group of cameras mounted to a body of the aircraft, each camera of the group of cameras to simultaneously capture images of a portion of an environment that surrounds the aircraft, and a processing component coupled to the positioning system and the group of cameras, the processing component to determine a current position of the aircraft based on the information related to the position of the aircraft and the images.

Abstract: An aircraft component is manufactured from a plurality of separate materials comprising a first material. The first material is physically associated with a tracking device comprising a first storage medium featuring line-of-sight accessible information and a second storage medium featuring non-line-of-sight accessible information. The line-of-sight accessible information and the non-line-of-sight accessible information each comprise information regarding the first material physically associated with the tracking device.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to boosting aircraft engine performance for takeoff and critical mission segments by reducing airflow used for cooling exhaust gases. The airflow is reduced by stopping an accessory blower or by closing an external air vent. Eliminating the cooling airflow to the exhaust has the effect of lowering the backpressure on the engine, which thereby increases maximum engine power.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a rotorcraft includes: a plurality of engines; a flight control computer connected to the plurality of engines, the flight control computer being configured to: receive an operating parameter of a first engine of the plurality of engines; determine an engine output ramping rate for the first engine according to a difference between the operating parameter of the first engine and a nominal limit of the first engine; and increase the output of the first engine in response to detecting an outage of another engine of the plurality of engines, the output of the first engine being increased according to the engine output ramping rate.

Abstract: In some examples, a drain pan comprises a composite material forming a reservoir and a drain. The composite material comprises a polymeric resin and a reinforcing fiber. The reservoir is to catch a liquid from an engine and to support a step load. The drain is to drain the liquid from the reservoir. In some examples, a method comprises attaching a drain pan to an aircraft proximate an engine. The drain pan comprises a composite material forming a reservoir and a drain. The method further comprises catching a liquid from the engine in the reservoir of the drain pan and draining the liquid from the reservoir through the drain. In addition, the method comprises supporting a step load on the reservoir of the drain pan.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has an air-cooled fuel cell, an air channel comprising a forward facing opening for receiving ram air and connected to the air-cooled fuel cell, and a passive ram air filtration system (PRAFS) configured to filter particulate matter from ram air received into the air channel via the opening.