Abstract: One example of a fairing for a rotorcraft includes an outer mold line portion (OML portion) and a bearing portion extending from the OML portion. The OML portion provides at least a portion of an outer mold line of the rotorcraft. Both the OML portion and the bearing portion shield a portion of a structural member. The bearing portion can protect the portion of the structural member from damage resulting from foot traffic associated with accessing an area nearby the structural member.

Abstract: A dipole cancellation system and method may include a plurality of magnetometers for measuring a device magnetic field associated with a plurality of device coils generating a device magnetic field having a primary magnetic dipole moment. A compensating coil carrying a compensating current running a first direction that generates a compensating magnetic field having a compensating magnetic dipole moment. The compensating coil may be positioned and the first current may be selected so that the compensating magnetic dipole moment completely cancels the primary magnetic dipole moment. A method may use the system to stabilize a spacecraft by calculating an estimated torque of the spacecraft, receiving a value for an external magnetic field, receiving a value for a device magnetic field, and calculating and applying a compensating current may be then applied to the compensating coil to cancel the primary magnetic dipole moment, wherein the spacecraft is stabilized.

Abstract: An adjustable cable attachment system for a VTOL aircraft includes a VTOL airframe. A winch is operatively connected to an underside of the airframe with the aircraft in a horizontal flight mode. An adjustable cable is operatively connected to the winch to adjustably relocate a slung load with respect to the center of gravity of the aircraft to balance the aircraft. A fixed cable is operatively connected to the underside of the airframe with the aircraft in the horizontal flight mode.

Abstract: An emergency escape window for a rotorcraft includes a window frame, a window pane set inside the window frame, a plurality of pins connecting the window frame to the fuselage of the rotorcraft, and a release mechanism having at least one actuator connected to a respective pin and constructed to retract the pin from the window frame. The escape window can then be pivoted away and/or completely detached from the fuselage in the event of an emergency to allow occupants to safely exit the rotorcraft. The disclosure also relate to a method of operating an emergency escape window for a rotorcraft and to a rotorcraft having an emergency escape window.

Abstract: Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft can provide opportunities to incorporate aerial transportation into transportation networks for cities and metropolitan areas. However, VTOL aircraft can be sensitive to uneven weight distributions, e.g., the payload of an aircraft is primarily loaded in the front, back, left, or right. When the aircraft is loaded unevenly, the center of mass of the aircraft may shift substantially enough to negatively impact performance of the aircraft. Thus, in turn, there is an opportunity that the VTOL may be loaded unevenly if seating and/or luggage placement is not coordinated. Among other advantages, dynamically assigning the VTOL aircraft payloads can increase VTOL safety by ensuring the VTOL aircraft is loaded evenly and meets all weight requirements; can increase transportation efficiency by increasing rider throughput; and can increase the availability of the VTOL services to all potential riders.

Abstract: A moisture control apparatus for use with a structure within an aircraft, the structure including an upper surface, the moisture control apparatus comprising: a moisture absorbing layer including a moisture absorbing material, the layer including a leading edge, a trailing edge, side edges, an upper surface, and, a lower surface; and, a reverse-bevel defined along the leading edge of the layer, wherein the reverse-bevel and the upper surface of the structure define a gutter configured to retain moisture flowing along the upper surface of the structure.

Abstract: A moisture control apparatus for use with a structure within an aircraft fuselage, the structure including an upper surface, the apparatus comprising: a moisture absorbing layer including a moisture absorbing material, the layer including a leading edge, a trailing edge, side edges, an upper surface, and, a lower surface; and, a wicking layer disposed in fluid communication with the lower surface of the moisture absorbing layer, the wicking layer including a wicking layer leading edge, a wicking layer trailing edge and a wicking layer upper surface configured for capillary action of moisture from the wicking layer trailing edge towards the wicking layer leading edge, wherein the wicking layer leading edge is offset from the leading edge of the moisture absorbing layer such that an offset portion of the wicking layer is exposed to air to facilitate evaporation of the moisture.

Abstract: An improved winglet design is presented for aircraft wherein the winglet configuration is well suited for aircraft wings having moderate to no aft swept, or wings having forward swept. The winglets (302) are located at the outer end of each wing (300) and curve upwardly as they extend outwardly from their intersection (304) with the wings (300). The curvature profile (303) of the winglets (302) when viewed from the rear (or front) of the aircraft at least approximates a specified curve profile made up of more than one curved section, e.g. the winglet trailing edge profile (305) having a perpendicular projection onto a plane normal to the winglet inner or root chord (342), said projection creating a winglet profile curve approximating a compound curve composed of two arc segment (306, 307).

Abstract: A propulsion assembly for an aircraft, the assembly including a turbojet having at least one unducted propulsive propeller, and an attachment pylon for attaching the turbojet to a structural element of the aircraft, the pylon being positioned on the turbojet upstream from the propeller and having a streamlined profile defined by two opposite side faces extending transversely between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The pylon includes a plurality of blow nozzles situated in the vicinity of its trailing edge and configured to blow air taken from a pressurized portion of the turbojet, the blow nozzles being positioned over at least a fraction of the trailing edge of the pylon that extends longitudinally facing at least a portion of the propeller. A method of reducing the noise generated by a pylon attaching a turbojet to an aircraft is presented.

Abstract: An internal shield inside the rear fuselage of an aircraft having a propulsion system formed by two engines mounted on each side of it. The internal shield is located in a suitable place inside the rear fuselage for covering the possible trajectories of fragments detached from one of the engines in a failure event that would impact critical elements of the opposite engine. The internal shield comprises an ensemble of fluid containers belonging to aircraft sub-systems, such as, particularly, the potable water and waste water sub-systems, with enough fluid for providing the energy absorption capability required for stopping the fragments. An aircraft having the internal shield is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present set of embodiments relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses for airfoil systems designed for aircraft or other craft. More specifically, the present disclosure includes various embodiments of airfoils that include fixed or adjustable louvers that allow the airfoil to adapt to various conditions including angle or attack and airspeed. Such airfoil systems increase the dynamic range or airfoils by maximizing lift or minimizing drag depending on the conditional requirements.

Abstract: A parachute inlet control system is configured to provide an improved inflation profile for solo and/or clustered parachutes. An inlet parachute is coupled to a main parachute via a plurality of inlet control suspension lines and/or reefing rings. The inlet control suspension lines may be passed through the reefing rings and coupled to an anchor point below the main parachute. The inlet parachute is located in the inlet area of the main parachute, and causes the inlet of the main parachute to rapidly form a desirable shape. The inlet parachute and inlet control suspension lines function as a reefing system to prevent full inflation of the main parachute until a reefing cutter has functioned. In this manner, parachute failures, such as those due to leading and/or lagging parachutes in a parachute cluster, may be reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe, an engine mounted to the airframe, and an engine inlet for receiving an ambient airflow and providing the ambient airflow to the engine. An amount of airflow provided to the engine inlet is controllable.

Abstract: A flying wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft includes an empennageless-fuselage from which foldable wings extend outwardly, an empennageless-nacelle supported on each of the wings and a rigid rotor propeller disposed on each empennageless-nacelle, each of the propellers being drivable to rotate about only a single rotational axis defined along a longitudinal axis of the corresponding empennageless-nacelle and being fully cyclically controllable.

Abstract: A spacecraft system includes a plurality of spacecraft in a stack. The stack has one or more layers, each layer includes at least two spacecraft, and each spacecraft is releasably coupled to one or more adjacent spacecraft in the stack. The spacecraft system also includes a controller configured to, for each layer, (i) cause the layer to release from the stack, and (ii) after the layer releases from the stack, cause the at least two spacecraft in the layer to release from each other.

Abstract: A spacecraft for removing space debris is disclosed. The spacecraft includes a satellite bus, a shield member foldable on an outer side face of the satellite bus and disposed facing towards space debris to reduce a movement speed of the space debris, and a support member configured to support the shield member with respect to the satellite bus, in which the shield member includes a central panel configured to overlap one face of the satellite bus, a plurality of first panels connected to peripheral sides of the central panel and radially extended, and a plurality of second panels located between the first panels.

Abstract: A toggle release mechanism comprises a base element and a toggle element rotatably mounted at a first end to the base element about a first axis for rotation between a first, locking position and a second, release position. The mechanism further comprises a link element mounted at a first end to a second end of the toggle element about a second axis parallel to the first axis. The first end of the toggle element comprises a first stop and the base element comprises a second stop opposed to the first stop. The first stop and the second stop are in contact when the toggle element is in its locked position, preventing rotational movement of the toggle element in one rotational direction.

Abstract: An aircraft fuel tank system including a fuel tank compartment for containing liquid fuel and having a float-activated valve arranged to become positively buoyant when immersed in liquid fuel so that the float moves up to a raised position which causes the valve to close and prevent liquid fuel from flowing out of the fuel tank compartment through the valve. The float is also arranged to move down to a lowered position in response to a level of the liquid fuel in the fuel tank compartment dropping, the movement of the float to the lowered position causing the valve to open and permit liquid fuel to flow out of the fuel tank compartment through the valve. A pressure-activated valve may be used as an alternative to the float-activated valve.

Abstract: A landing gear includes a fixing mechanism, a driving mechanism disposed on the fixing mechanism, a translating member connected to the driving mechanism and configured to move relative to the fix mechanism whey being driven by the driving mechanism, and two supporting feet disposed opposite to each other. The two supporting feet are pivotally connected to the fixing mechanism and movably connected at two ends of the translating member. The driving mechanism is configured to drive the two supporting feet through the translating member to rotate relative to the fixing mechanism.

Abstract: Devices for inhibiting a cable coupling drones from being entangled in the propellers of the drones, and associated systems and methods, are described herein. For example, a device can include a first weight coupled to the cable and configured to direct the cable at least partially away from the propellers of the drones. In some embodiments, the first weight can be coupled to the cable proximate to one of the coupled drones, and the device can include a second weight coupled to the cable proximate to the other of the coupled drones and configured to direct the cable at least partially away from the propellers of the drones.