Abstract: Apparatus and process for measuring the variation of directional emittance of surfaces at various temperatures using a radiometric infrared imaging system. A surface test sample is coated onto a copper target plate provided with selective heating within the desired incremental temperature range to be tested and positioned onto a precision rotator to present selected inclination angles of the sample relative to the fixed positioned and optically aligned infrared imager. A thermal insulator holder maintains the target plate on the precision rotator. A screen display of the temperature obtained by the infrared imager, and inclination readings are provided with computer calculations of directional emittance being performed automatically according to equations provided to convert selected incremental target temperatures and inclination angles to relative target directional emittance values.

Abstract: A system and process for providing systematic, updated, weather information from the ground to the pilot of an aircraft are disclosed. A ground station receives and assimilates weather data for satellite broadcast as digital weather data that is received by an aircraft (while on the ground or while airborne) within the satellite coverage area, encoded by a flight processor, and shown on a display screen to the pilot in map-type depictions and alpha-numeric format tailored to the operational needs of the pilot. The flight processor provides near real-time automatic processing and comparison of surface weather observations with the applicable forecast in both text and map depictions. The display screen information is controlled by a control panel that permits the pilot to select the departure, destination, alternate and any arbitrary airport with this selection establishing the map boundaries and with the projected flight path marked thereon.

Abstract: A pair of spaced slots, disposed on each side of an aircraft centerline and spaced well inboard of the wing leading edges, are provided in the wing upper surfaces and directed tangentially spanwise toward thin sharp leading wing edges of a highly swept, delta wing aircraft. The slots are individually connected through separate plenum chambers to separate compressed air tanks and serve, collectively, as a system for providing aircraft lift augmentation. A compressed air supply is tapped from the aircraft turbojet power plant. Suitable valves, under the control of the aircraft pilot, serve to selective provide jet blowing from the individual slots to provide spanwise sheets of jet air closely adjacent to the upper surfaces and across the aircraft wing span to thereby create artificial vortices whose suction generate additional lift on the aircraft. When desired, or found necessary, unequal or one-side wing blowing is employed to generate rolling moments for augmented lateral control.

Abstract: A porous airfoil having venting cavities with contoured barrier walls, formed by a core piece, placed beneath a porous upper and lower surface area that stretches over the nominal chord of an airfoil is employed, to provide an airfoil configuration that becomes self-adaptive to very dissimilar flow conditions to thereby improve the lift and drag characteristics of the airfoil at both subcritical and supercritical conditions.

Abstract: Individually deflectable, segmented, vortex flaps are provided on the leading edges of a delta wing supersonic aircraft to permit selective lateral and directional control moments to be created on the aircraft at high angles of attack, where conventional elevons and rudders have become ineffective. By selectively deflecting the segmented vortex flaps simultaneously in the same direction or differentially, the lateral and directional control of high-swept, thin wing, supersonic speed aircraft, at high angles of attack, is improved.