Abstract: A ballistic resistant and explosive protective system for an aircraft. The system may include a plurality of composite panels. Each composite panel may include a first layer and second layer formed of a fiber-reinforced plastic material, and a ballistic resistant laminate core layer formed between the first layer and the second layer. The composite panels may be integrally combined and installed at an interior of the aircraft.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catch and snare system for an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: (a) a detection system, (b) a deployment system in communication with the detection system, (c) a capture system placed at an interference position by the deployment system, wherein the capture system comprises a net, a plurality of foam deploying canisters attached to the net for deploying foam, and at least one canister for deploying a decelerating parachute attached to the net, wherein the foam prevents the release of chemical or biological agents from the captured unmanned aerial vehicle, and (d) a descent system to bring the capture system and a captured unmanned aerial vehicle back to earth.

Abstract: A foldable wing for use with a very high altitude aircraft capable of operating at an altitude at or above 85,000 feet is disclosed. The foldable wing may employ a spiral fold deployment, wherein a hinge between each segment of the foldable wing is slightly offset from the perpendicular. Successively positioned wing segments fold over one another. Alternatively, the hinges are substantially perpendicular so that each respective wing segment folds linearly against the next wing segment. An inflatable rib, with inflatable arms, can be inflated to provide a force against two adjacent arms, thereby deploying the wing segments through a full 180° of rotation.

Abstract: A landing gear system for an aircraft comprises a truck beam (22); at least one steerable axle (42) mounted to the truck beam for pivotal steering movement; a steering actuator (46) connected to the steerable axle; and a locking mechanism (60) including a locking groove member (62) provided on the steerable axle for pivotal movement therewith, and a locking wedge member (64) engageable with the locking groove member to prevent pivotal movement of the steerable axle. The locking groove member includes a slot (63) having opposed sides converging towards one another, and the locking wedge member has correspondingly converging sides for mating engagement in the slot. The locking wedge member is resiliently biased (66, 69) into engagement with the locking groove member and the locking wedge member is mounted to the truck beam for pivotal movement (70).

Abstract: Active systems and methods for controlling aircraft vortices are disclosed. An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment is directed to an aircraft system that includes an airfoil having first and second oppositely facing flow surfaces and a tip. The system can further include a vortex dissipation device carried by the airfoil, with the vortex dissipation device including an orifice positioned to direct a flow of fluid outwardly from the tip, an actuator operatively coupled to the fluid flow orifice and positioned to change a manner in which flow is directed outwardly from the tip, and a controller operatively coupled to the actuator to direct the operation of the actuator. The vortex dissipation device can be activated to accelerate the rate at which vortices (e.g., wing tip vortices) dissipate after they are generated, for example, by alternately pulsing flow inwardly and outwardly through the fluid flow orifice.

Abstract: A rotor for use on an aircraft has a plurality (N) of rotor blades mounted on a plurality (N) of concentric masts. Each of the rotor blades has a rounded leading edge and a tapered trailing edge. The plurality (N) of concentric masts each operably mount one of the plurality of rotor blades at N different elevations. A locking element selectively locks or unlocks the concentric masts together in a plane of rotation, enabling the angle between any two rotor blades to be variable from 0-360 degrees during flight. A feathering hinge is operably attached to each blade for changing the pitch of each blade with respect to the plane of rotation as controlled by a pitch control mechanism.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear (10) includes a torque link set (12) comprising a first fairing (12a) rotatably connected at a first end (18) to a first end (19) of a second fairing (12b). The fairings (12a), (12b) may be arranged to act as first and second torque links. The fairings may be in the form of noise reduction fairings.

Abstract: A system for deploying a plurality of independent payloads with a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle being longitudinally oriented about an axis, includes a plurality of launch modules. Each respective launch module of the plurality of launch modules includes a plurality of package elements. A respective predetermined set of package elements of the plurality of package elements comprises a respective payload of the plurality of payloads. Each respective launch module of the plurality of launch modules is situated in an abuttingly supporting relation with at least one adjacent launch module in a facing relation at an interface in a launch orientation. The interface is generally parallel with the axis. At least one restraining member cooperates with the plurality of launch modules to effect compressingly maintaining the plurality of launch modules in the launch orientation.

Abstract: Aircraft horizontal stabilizer surface (8) in which the sweep angle (40) of this surface (8), where this angle (40) is the one formed by the projection of the reference line of points located at 25% of the local chord (19) of the horizontal stabilizer surface (8) on a plane perpendicular to the aircraft plane of symmetry (21), and which also contains this plane to the flight direction of the aircraft with respect to the aircraft plane of symmetry (21), is less than 90 degrees, with this angle (40) being measured in the flight direction of the aircraft. In addition, the structural connection of this horizontal stabilizer surface (8) to the aircraft fuselage (1) is located at a closing frame (13) of this fuselage (1).

Abstract: The invention provides a novel, low-cost, spin-stabilized lander architecture capable (with appropriate system scaling tailored to the attributes of the target) of performing a soft-landing on a solar-system body such as Earth's Moon, Mars, Venus, the moons of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, selected near-Earth and main-belt asteroids, comets and Kuiper belt objects and even large human-made objects, and also moving about on the surface of the target solar-system body after the initial landing in movement akin to hopping.

Abstract: A launch vehicle comprising a casing, a solid propellant, a channel, a geometric feature, and a suppression structure. The solid propellant is located within the casing. The channel is through the solid propellant, and the geometric feature is in the channel. The suppression structure is located around a centerline for the channel and located upstream in a flow path from the geometric feature.

Abstract: A missile and a method for reducing the required control forces during the flight of a missile, comprising providing to the missile movable parts that adjust center of pressure of the missile as they move and as fuel in the missile is consumed, moving the movable parts so as to continuously move the center of pressure toward the moving center of gravity of the missile.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a reference system including a longitudinal X axis, a vertical Z axis perpendicular to the X axis, and a lateral Y axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the X and Z axes, a fuselage, a wing affixed to an upper central part of the fuselage, a set of rear airfoils situated behind the wing, and propulsion engines mounted on the wing, where the wing, the set of rear airfoils and the propulsion engines are parts of an aero-propulsive unit forming a structure independent of the fuselage, and where the aero-propulsive unit is connected to the fuselage by a six degrees of freedom connection system using arms with lengths modified to control a position of the aero-propulsive unit relative to the fuselage along the X, Y and Z axes and in rotation about the X, Y and Z axes, during flight.

Abstract: A method and apparatus comprises a first number of layers of a composite material for a wing, a second number of layers of the composite material for the wing, and a metal layer located between the first number of layers and the second number of layers in the wing. The metal layer has a first thickness at a first area configured to receive a number of fasteners and a second thickness at a second area.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods provide for an aircraft empennage that utilizes two torque tube members to create opposing sides of the empennage. The torque tube members are connected using a bridging member that is attached at opposing ends to the top portions of the torque tube members. The torque tube members and bridging member provide structural support for access cut-outs within the aircraft skin between the torque tube members for access to a payload space within. The torque tube members may include any number of walls, any of which may provide a pressure barrier to the payload space.

Abstract: An exemplary high-lift system for an aircraft includes a wing, a high-lift flap coupled to the wing, a kinematic element which is driven by a drive device, and a flap lever structured and arranged to rotate via an actuating drive between a retracted position in which the high-lift flap complements a wing profile and a plurality of extended positions in which a slot of a given width is formed between the wing and the high-lift flap. A first end of the flap lever is coupled to the high-lift flap. A second end of the flap lever is coupled to the kinematic element and is capable of rotating relative thereto via a first rotation point. The kinematic element is structured and arranged to rotate relative to a second rotation point that is fixed in position relative to the wing. The first rotation point is separated by a predetermined distance from the second rotation point.

Abstract: Systems for controlling flow effector control surfaces. The system comprises a flow effector control coupled to an elongated bar at one end of the bar. The elongated bar is coupled at the other end to the middle of a T-shaped member. A compliant link is coupled to the bar between the control surface and the T-shaped member. At each end of the T-shaped member is coupled a shape memory alloy wire which acts as an actuating means. When one of the shape memory alloy wire contracts, the elongated bar pivots about the compliant link and activates or retracts the flow effector control surface.

Abstract: A support for an aircraft seat, table or other piece of equipment has a lower support link that sweeps out a lateral arc. The lower support link cooperates with a conventional linear track to support the piece of equipment. The linear track provides fore/aft movement substantially orthogonal to a line tangent to the center of the lateral arc. A pilot link is operatively attached to the piece of equipment to form a four-bar linkage that maintains the equipment in a predetermined rotational attitude as the lower support link sweeps out its lateral arc.

Abstract: A ducted fan for a helicopter includes a transverse duct and a counter-torque device supported within the duct. The counter-torque device includes a rotor rotatably mounted within the duct and a stator fixedly mounted within the duct downstream from the rotor. The rotor includes a rotor hub having a rotor axis, and rotor blades extending from the hub. The Rotor blades have a modulated angular distribution about the rotor axis. The stator includes a stator hub, and a plurality of stator vanes distributed around the stator hub. The stator vanes are angularly modulated around the stator hub.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for landing UAV's. The system comprises a slingshot structure that includes arm based structure and an axis installed along the arm of the structure and enabling the arm to move around it. The system comprises a base connecting the axis to a platform at which the system is installable. The system also includes a controlled pulling and braking means that connects the arm of the structure and the platform upon which the system is installable and stretchable elastic installed in a stretched manner at a gap formed between two arms and set to connect with a landing UAV. At the landing phase, the controlled pulling and braking of the system essentially breaks the motion of the arm based structure that is propelled to revolve around the system's axis, and propels the structure to move around the axis.