Abstract: A fluid diverting air inlet includes an intake opening through an outer surface of an enclosure for receiving air flowing outside the outer surface. The intake opening ramps downwardly below the outer surface to define an intake passageway. An air diversion device is formed by lateral sidewalls of the intake opening that extend vertically above the outer surface. The lateral sidewalls converge together at an upstream end of the air inlet, and the lateral sidewalls diverge apart towards a downstream end of the air inlet. Flanges extend outwardly from the tops of the lateral sidewalls such that divided air passageways for boundary layer fluids are formed on each side of the air diversion device. The sidewalls and flanges are integrated with the air inlet such that fluid moving immediately adjacent the outer surface of the enclosure is diverted around the air inlet to avoid ingestion into the intake opening.

Abstract: In order to bring the primary structure of an engine mounting pylon of an aircraft as close as possible to a wing box: an aircraft wing includes a wing box made partly by a front spar and an intermediate spar; a mounting pylon including a primary structure in the form of a box having transverse reinforcement ribs; and attachment means for attaching the primary structure of the mounting pylon on the wing box. These attachment means include a row of bolts along which each bolt passes through a structural part of the pylon on one hand, and on the other hand a fitting attached to one of the front and intermediate spars.

Abstract: A rectification structure body 100 of a flying vehicle is provided with a rectification section 30, a heat input control section 20 and a vacuum thermal insulation section 10. The rectification section 30 has a rectification surface 30a and a back surface 30b. The rectification surface 30a rectifies airflow 5 from a travelling direction. The back surface 30b is arranged opposite to the rectification surface 30a. The heat input control section 20 is connected to the back surface 30b. The vacuum thermal insulation section 10 is connected to the heat input control section 20 and its surface is formed of rigid body. In addition, the heat input control section 20 is sandwiched between the back surface 30b and the vacuum thermal insulation section 10.

Abstract: A cowl door actuator is arranged between a head end and a rod end connected to a cowl door in an aircraft. The cowl door has a closed position and an open position, and the cowl door actuator includes a piston rod that is axially moveable between the head end and the rod end. The piston rod has an extended position in which the piston rod contacts the rod end to move the cowl door to the open position, and a retracted position in which the piston rod is axially spaced from the rod end. When the cowl door is in the closed position, the gap between the piston rod and the rod end enables an axial displacement of the piston rod toward the extended position during thermal expansion of fluid remaining in the actuator, such that the cowl door is maintained in the closed position.

Abstract: A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to manage thermal loads experienced at the leading edges during high speed or hypersonic operation. The leading edge assembly includes a plurality of structural layers and a plurality compliant layers alternately stacked with each other to facilitate thermal expansion and movement between the plurality of structural layers, while also providing a thermal break between the plurality of structural layers.

Abstract: An aerodynamic structure for use on an upper surface of an aircraft wing is disclosed. The wing includes a slat operable between a stowed configuration in which the slat is stowed in a slat recess of the wing, and a deployed configuration in which the slat extends out of the slat recess. When the slat is in the deployed configuration, an end face of the slat recess is exposed, the end face intersecting with the upper surface of the wing at a recess edge. The aerodynamic structure, adjacent to the recess edge, has a volume shaped to encourage air flowing over the recess edge onto the upper surface during flight, to remain attached.

Abstract: An aircraft has a fuselage, and pivot wings pivotally connected with the fuselage, the pivot wings pivoting between a vertical orientation for vertical takeoff, and a horizontal orientation for horizontal flight. Ailerons on each of the pivot wings provide roll control for the aircraft in all phases of flight. A gimbal motor assembly is mounted on the fuselage to adjustably support a motor. An upper rotary pivot free wing is mounted on a mast driven by the motor. A vectored thrust mechanism is provided for forward movement of the aircraft.

Abstract: A system for defeating a threat unmanned aerial vehicle. The system includes a friendly unmanned aerial vehicle, a capturing device configured to be suspended from the friendly unmanned aerial vehicle for arresting a threat unmanned aerial vehicle, and one or more load-limited release mechanisms for removably suspending a releasable portion of the capturing device from the friendly unmanned aerial vehicle. In certain embodiments, the load-limited release mechanisms are configured to release the entirety of the capturing device from the friendly unmanned aerial vehicle upon capture of the threat unmanned aerial vehicle. In other embodiments, the load limited release mechanisms are configured to release only a peripheral portion of the capturing device to reposition a captured unmanned aerial vehicle to a central portion of the capturing device for carrying the captured vehicle to a remote location.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an ice management system, including: a plurality of pulsejets located within an interior volume of an aircraft and configured to heat an aircraft surface, wherein each pulsejet of the plurality of pulsejets comprises: an inlet; a combustor; a fuel source; and an exhaust nozzle; and a plurality of intake apertures in the aircraft, wherein each intake aperture of the plurality of intake apertures corresponds to an inlet of one pulsejet of the plurality of pulsejets.

Abstract: A spar assembly for an aircraft wing extends between an upper cover and a lower cover and includes linkages spaced consecutively along the length of the spar assembly, each linkage extending from an upper pivot, to a lower pivot, thereby joining upper and lower attachment structures of the spar assembly together. Each linkage includes a pair of fixed-length links pivotably connected at one end about a center pivot and pivotably connected at respective other ends. The spar assembly includes a drive bar connected to the center pivot of each of the linkages, and an actuator arranged to move the drive bar along the length of the spar assembly. When the actuator moves the drive bar along the length of the spar structure, the links in each pair of links are rotated relative to each other about the center pivot, thereby moving the upper and lower covers and warping the wing.

Abstract: Rotary electric engines, aircraft including the same, and associated methods. A rotary electric engine includes a nacelle, a fan configured to generate thrust, a stator operatively coupled to the nacelle, and a rotor operatively coupled to the fan. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor magnets operatively coupled to respective blade tips of the fan blades. The stator includes a plurality of field coils configured to produce a magnetic interaction between the field coils and the rotor magnets to rotate the fan. In examples, the stator is configured to rotate each field coil relative to the nacelle. In examples, an aircraft includes one or more rotary electric engines pivotally mounted within engine mount regions. In examples, a method of operating an aircraft includes operating one or more rotary electric engines in a vertical lift configuration and in a forward flight configuration.

Abstract: A method of retrofitting a wing of a fixed wing aircraft is disclosed including the steps of providing an existing aircraft wing with a main fixed wing portion, and the main fixed wing portion having a tip end and an existing movable flight control surface connected adjacent the tip end. The existing movable flight control surface is then removed from the main fixed wing portion, and a wing tip device and movable flight control surface are selected as a pair to replace the existing movable flight control surface, with the selected movable flight control surface having an aerodynamic surface of different shape to the shape of the flight control surface removed from the wing. The selected wing tip device and movable flight control surface are then fitted to the main fixed wing portion.

Abstract: A hydro-elastic damper comprising at least one elastic assembly comprising an elastic member between two strength members. The elastic assembly including a compression chamber. The hydro-elastic damper includes a damping assembly provided with an expansion chamber that is defined in a transverse direction by an end wall and by a piston. The compression chamber is hydraulically connected to the expansion chamber by three hydraulic connections comprising respectively: a duct; at least one first passage with an overpressure valve; and at least one second passage with a check valve.

Abstract: A propulsion assembly includes a rotor assembly, a mast coupled to the rotor assembly and a bull gear coupled to the mast. The bull gear is subject to radial and axial loads. The propulsion assembly includes a flexured standpipe extending through the bull gear and a ball bearing including inner and outer races interposed between the bull gear and the flexured standpipe. The ball bearing is configured to absorb axial loads from the bull gear. The bull gear is rotatably coupled to the flexured standpipe via the ball bearing. The flexured standpipe flexes in response to radial loads from the bull gear.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for aircraft are described. The systems and methods include controlling of (i) a first reactant control element, (ii) a second reactant control valve, (iii) a ram air control valve, (iv) a driving mechanism, and (v) a flow control valve, to control a state of a fuel tank inerting system. The states of the fuel tank inerting system include an OFF state, a CIRCULATE state, a PRIME state, a CATWARM state, an ON state, a DEPRESSURIZE state, and a COOLDOWN state, wherein the states are determined in part by a prior state and/or a position/actuation of a given element of the system.

Abstract: A rotorcraft that utilizes both a main compound rotor and a plurality of tiltrotors is disclosed. The main rotor and the thrusters can provide vertical lift for vertical take-off and landing of the rotorcraft. The thrusters of the rotorcraft can articulate to a horizontal position to facilitate horizontal flight. The main rotor of the rotorcraft can continue to provide vertical lift for the rotorcraft in horizontal flight, as well as operate in an autorotation mode. In the event of a failure of the main power source of the rotorcraft, the main rotor in autorotation mode can safety land the rotorcraft. In the autorotation mode, the main rotor can create electrical energy that is stored in a battery and can be used to power the plurality of thrusters. The rotorcraft can also be configured in an anti-torque mode, where the thrusters cancel out the torque of the main rotor.

Abstract: A suspension line assembly for a parachute may comprise a first set of suspension lines bound together to form a first riser, and a second set of suspension lines bound together to form a second riser. A confluence may be formed by the first set of suspension line and the second set of suspension line. The confluence may comprise interior confluence suspension lines and exterior confluence suspension lines that alternate circumferentially along a perimeter of a parachute canopy.

Abstract: One variation of a system for generating thrust at an aerial vehicle includes: a primary electric motor; a rotor coupled to the motor; an internal-combustion engine; a clutch interposed between the motor and an output shaft of the internal-combustion engine; an engine shroud defining a shroud inlet between the rotor and the internal-combustion engine, extending over the internal-combustion engine, and defining a shroud outlet opposite the rotor; a cooling fan coupled and configured to displace air through the engine shroud; and a local controller configured to receive a rotor speed command specifying a target rotor speed, adjust a throttle setpoint of the internal-combustion engine according to the target rotor speed and a state of charge of a battery in the aerial vehicle, and drive the primary electric motor to selectively output torque to the rotor and to regeneratively brake the rotor according to the target rotor speed.

Abstract: A bracket manifold for a landing gear assembly is disclosed. In various embodiments, the bracket manifold includes a mounting plate having a central portion and a first wing portion extending from the central portion; and a first manifold section integrated monolithically into at least one of the central portion and the first wing portion of the mounting plate.

Abstract: A nacelle inlet structure for an aircraft propulsion system. This nacelle inlet structure includes an inlet lip, a bulkhead and a reinforcement structure. The inlet lip extends circumferentially about an axial centerline. The bulkhead extends circumferentially about the axial centerline. The bulkhead is configured with the inlet lip to form a cavity axially between the inlet lip and the bulkhead. The reinforcement structure extends circumferentially about the axial centerline. The reinforcement structure is connected to and extends axially between the inlet lip and the bulkhead thereby radially dividing the cavity into an inner sub-cavity and an outer sub-cavity.