Abstract: A circular VTOL aircraft with a central vertically mounted jet or rocket engine 7, (or engines) having below vertical thrust vents 14 at cardinal points, together with a jet/rocket engine 20 (or engines) horizontally mounted on turntable pod 16 which is steerable through 360 degrees and centrally situated below the vertical engine (s). Alternatively the horizontal engine can be replaced by central thrust vent 36 delivering thrust from the vertical engine to vectored thrust nozzle 37 attached to the turntable. Thrust from the four vertical thrust vents is controlled by valves 21 giving VTOL thrust control as well as pitch and bank control. The horizontal engine provides acceleration and retro-thrust for horizontal flight and directional control through 360 degrees. The passenger cabin is situated in the main body of the aircraft. Fuel tanks are installed around the central engines. The flight-deck is situated at the top-centre of the craft above the engines, which are detachable for maintenance.

Abstract: A two layer door is provided. The first layer is made of a plurality of metallic members with a portion of the metallic members having one or more channels adapted to receive one or more armor panels. The second layer is made of the channels of the metallic members and armor panels disposed within the channels. The door also has one or more pivotally attached panels to the door that are adapted to open at a preselected pressure differential across the door. The door is also available as a kit.

Abstract: A tilting rotor of a convertible aircraft comprises, between the mast and the hub, a constant velocity drive mechanism and pivoting arrangement comprising two gimbals, each of which is driven by the mast and pivots about one respectively of two diametral axes by two diametrically opposite bearings. Each gimbal is also hinged to the hub by ball joint connections diametrically opposite and centred respectively in a radial plane passing through the axis of the mast and through the diametral axis about which the other gimbal pivots. The two resulting trains transmitting torque between the mast and the hub have substantially the same torsional rigidity, and one at least of the components of each torque transmission train exhibits a flexibility in deformation about the axis of rotation of the hub.

Abstract: To fold/unfold blades of a rotor, at least one variable-length linear actuator is removably attached to two blades locked in the flight position. A first blade is unlocked, and the actuator is actuated to vary its length and bear against the other blade which remains locked. This causes the first blade to pivot about its pivot axis and move to a folded position where it is again locked. The other blade is then unlocked and the actuator once again actuated but this time bearing against the first blade. In this way the other blade pivots into the folded position where it is again locked. The two locked folded blades may be connected to each other by a link rod. Rotors with three blades, four blades, five and six blades can be folded/unfolded with only two actuators.

Abstract: A cryogenic propellant depletion system for maximizing cryogenic propellant use in a space launch vehicle. The cryogenic propellant depletion system utilizes a plurality of pressure measurements to monitor one or more parameters of the cryogenic propellant in a feed line interconnecting a cryogenic propellant storage tank to the launch vehicle's engine. In this regard, the cryogenic depletion system includes a processor and supported logic to determine a head pressure supplied by the cryogenic propellant in the feed line and the mass of the cryogenic propellant in the feed line. The cryogenic depletion monitoring system is operative to determine these propellant parameters irrespective of a two-phase flow existing in the feed line. Finally, the system is configured to initiate engine shut down when at least one of the determined propellant parameters falls below a minimum threshold value.

Abstract: A missile or projectile tail section includes an outflow device and a number of deployable fins. The outflow device may be a base bleed device that includes a slow-burning propellant which fills the vacuum created by the projectile's motion through the air. Use of the outflow device may allow the projectile range to be extended by up to 20%. The fins are stowed canted relative to planes that include the axis of the tail section. By canting or tilting the fins relative to the axis of the tail section, increased space is made in the tail section for the outflow device. Although the fins are stowed canted relative to the tail section, they may be configured so as to be deployed such that the axis of the tail section is substantially within the planes of the fins.

Abstract: Device and system for the automatic control of a helicopter. The automatic control device (6) comprises a vertical objective law (A) in respect of the pitching axis, which automatically determines a control command (UT1) for operating the tilting of the disk of main rotor of the helicopter, a speed limitation law (B) for limiting the airspeed of the helicopter with respect to at least one limit value, detection means (10) for automatically detecting whether the airspeed reaches the limit value, and toggling means (11) for, in order to select the objective law (A, B) whose control command (UT1, UT2) is used for the pitching axis, automatically toggling from the first law (A) to the second law (B), when the detection means (10) detect that the airspeed has reached the limit value.

Abstract: An emergency opening cylinder of a passenger door of an airplane is provided. An existing emergency opening cylinder is adapted at the lowest expenditures and with an insignificant increase in weight with respect to its operating characteristic to the load situation of an emergency opening of the door against the force of gravity. A ventilation bore of the emergency opening cylinder leads into a collecting chamber which has an outlet valve controllable by a control.

Abstract: A thermal management system for an aircraft fuel system includes a plurality of fuel pressure sources. A spool valve is fluidly connected to the pressure sources and is movable between a plurality of positions in response to the pressure sources. An oil cooler is fluidly connected to the spool valve with fuel flowing through the spool valve to the oil cooler in response to the spool valve being in one of the positions. The fuel tank is fluidly connected to the spool valve with fuel flowing to the spool valve to the fuel tank in response to the spool valve being in another of the positions. The spool valve moves to a closed fuel tank output position response to the pressure sources. The spool valve includes a housing having a bore with the plurality of pressure inputs and oil cooler and fuel tank outputs fluidly connected to the bore. A spool is disposed within the bore and is movable axially relative thereto between oil cooler, open fuel tank and the closed fuel tank outward positions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for actively manipulating and controlling aerodynamic or hydrodynamic fluid flow over a surface. More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method to control aerodynamic or hydrodynamic fluid flow behavior of a ducted fluid flow using very-small-scale effectors. The system and method for actively manipulating and controlling fluid flow over a surface includes the placement of arrays of very-small-scale effectors on ducted surfaces bounding the ducted fluid flow. These very-small-scale effectors are actively manipulated to control the flow behavior of the ducted fluid flow and prevent flow separation within the primary fluid flow.

Abstract: A reaction wheel system is provided that includes at least two rotors. The first rotor is the primary rotor that provides the large output torques to the vehicle. The second rotor is a vernier control rotor. The primary rotor and vernier control rotor each rotate about a common axis. The vernier control rotor has an inertial mass that is less than the inertial mass of the primary rotor, and rotates independently of the primary rotor. Because the vernier control rotor can be rotated independently from the primary rotor, it can be used to significantly improve the performance of the reaction wheel system. Specifically, the vernier control rotor is used to provide relatively small output torques. These relatively small output torques can be used to reduce the disturbances created by motor ripple, provide precise torque output control and/or reduce the disturbances created by static friction.

Abstract: A radial sonobuoy launch system comprising a clam-shell launch tube and method for launching a sonobuoy. The clam-shell launch tube radially releases a sonobuoy and the clam-shell launch tube is reloaded during flight. The sonobuoys are pneumatically ejected about parallel to the airstream. A pressure boundary structure, having a door and a gate, maintains cabin pressure during reloading and launching. Support arms and drive arms evenly distribute the ejection accelerations from the firing mechanism and guide the trajectory of the sonobuoy during release. A clam-shell launch tube is capable of launching a multitude of differently sized sonobuoys.

Abstract: Landing gear support assemblies and associated methods of installation. In one embodiment, a landing gear support assembly usable with an aircraft wing includes an aft trunnion support beam having a base portion, an aft trunnion support spaced apart from the base portion, and a shear center axis extending from the base portion toward the aft trunnion support. The aft trunnion support can be at least approximately vertically aligned with the shear center axis. The base portion can be configured to be attached at least proximate to the rear wing spar with a plurality of fuse pins configured to fail and release the aft trunnion support beam from the rear wing spar when the landing gear exerts a preselected force against the aft trunnion support.

Abstract: Recovery of a towed body, in one embodiment in the form of a decoy which is initially stowed in a receptacle or canister and which is allowed to pay out behind an aircraft on a towing cable wrapped around a spindle, is accomplished by snaring or lassoing a portion of the towing cable and by dragging it to a further spindle which is driven so as to cause the lasso and a portion of the towing cable to wind up around the driven spindle. When a sufficient amount of the cable is wound around the driven spindle, the cable end secured to the canister is severed to allow all of the rest of the towing cable to be wound up. In one embodiment, a telescoping saddle or docking cradle is provided which extends from the canister to receive the retracted towed body so that it may be secured to the moving vehicle from whence it can be recovered, refurbished, and redeployed.

Abstract: A horizontal stabilizer actuator for a winged aircraft which is selectively pivotally controlled by a pilot or operator at a remote location in the aircraft and which has a primary load path responsive to the selective control by the pilot or operator for setting the pivoted position of the stabilizer and which has a secondary load path which is responsive to a failure in the primary load path to be automatically actuated to a condition locking the stabilizer in a fixed position.

Abstract: According to the invention, in this aircraft, the elements of the inertial reference system are separated according to whether they are intended for navigation (CI) or flight control (5, 6, 7). The accelerometers (5 and 6) intended for flight control are arranged at a vibration antinode, while the gyrometers (7) dedicated to flight control are placed at a vibration node. The accelerometers (5 and 6) and the gyrometers (7) are connected to the flight control computer (12) and their measurements serve as flight control parameters.

Abstract: A fluid-motion-powered modulated reflector apparatus is provided that modulates the frequency of a reflected radiation signal. Passing the apparatus through a fluid such as air causes rotational velocity of a chopping wheel or, in some instances, a polarizing filter rotatably connected to propeller blades. The radiation signal is modulated by the blocking effect of a chopping wheel or a fixed polarizing filter and a rotating polarizing filter. The apparatus also can include a frequency selector to control the rotational velocity of the chopping wheel or rotatable polarizing filter. A fluid-motion-powered modulated reflector system may include an array of fluid-motion-powered modulated reflectors, each differently modulated by a frequency selector to allow a position sensor, such as a duo-lateral photodiode position sensing detector, and position determining system, to locate and determine the position of each individual retroreflector simultaneously.

Abstract: A passenger seat movable from an upright to a recline position without encroaching on an aft-seated passenger, and including a seat base for being attached to a supporting surface. A unitary seating element is provided and includes a pair of laterally-spaced apart seat frames carried by the seat base, the seat frames defining a curved shape corresponding to the profile of an anatomically-appropriate seat bottom and seat back. A curved, semi-rigid diaphragm support is carried between the seat frames in alignment with the curved shape of the seat frames and mounted for movement relative to the seat frames between a first, upright position and a second, reclined position. A diaphragm is positioned under tension on the diaphragm support for providing a continuous seat bottom and seat back support surface for a seat occupant. Stretchers are attached to and extend between opposite sides of the diaphragm support for maintaining the diaphragm support in a spaced-apart condition with the diaphragm in tension.

Abstract: Access apparatus including an access device including at least one of a door and a window, the access device including at least one openable element; and opening apparatus adapted to open the at least one openable element in a presence of a pressure difference of a predefined magnitude between opposite sides of the access device.

Abstract: A force-generating device employing a flared body and a surrounding shroud to define a duct of axially diminishing flow area defining a nozzle for accelerating and directing the discharge of a fluid at a cambered vane, a pressure dam depends from the bottom surface of the vane to entrap a portion of the fluid flowing chordwise along the bottom surface of the vane. A deflector formed on the enlarged end of the flared body and extending into the duct fluid outlet deflects the fluid stream to increase its velocity and direct it toward the vane. In another embodiment, a second deflector formed on the rim of the shroud and projecting into the duct deflects the discharge stream to further increase the velocity of the fluid stream and increase the angle of attack of the fluid stream impinging on the vane. In an alternative embodiment, the first shroud is enclosed in a second shroud to form a second duct of axially diminishing flow area defining a nozzle.