Abstract: Technologies are described herein for a drag recovery scheme using a boundary layer bypass duct system. In some examples, boundary layer air is routed around the intake of one or more of the engines and reintroduced aft of the engine fan in the nozzle duct in a mixer-ejector scheme. Mixer-ejectors mix the boundary layer flow to increase mass flow.

Abstract: A motor unit includes a motor and a pitch angle changing mechanism. The motor generates power for rotating a blade. The pitch angle changing mechanism changes a pitch angle of the blade. The motor includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is located outside of the stator and the blade is coupled to the rotor. The pitch angle changing mechanism includes one displaceable displacement member. A part of the displacement member is located inside of the stator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for maneuvering and aligning aircraft equipped and driven during ramp ground travel with landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems that have deviated from taxi line travel paths and for maneuvering the electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft to park accurately to align with locations of parking stops when the aircraft nose landing gear wheels stop beyond or short of a parking stop. The aircraft pilot can, without waiting for a tug or starting aircraft engines, precisely maneuver the aircraft with the electric taxi drive systems while viewing the taxi line and parking stop location in real time with an optional camera and sensor system while maneuvering the aircraft in forward or reverse and lateral directions to align the aircraft nose wheels with the taxi line path and to accurately position the nose landing gear wheels at the parking stop.

Abstract: A floating moving device includes a first rotation unit, a second rotation unit, a third rotation unit, a fourth rotation unit, and a fifth rotation unit. A fourth adjustment unit adjusts a direction of a fourth impeller such that a rotation axis of the fourth impeller is parallel to at least an up-down direction at a takeoff time. A fifth adjustment unit adjusts a direction of a fifth impeller such that a rotation axis of the fifth impeller is parallel to the up-down direction at the takeoff time. A first adjustment unit adjusts a position of a first wheel such that the first wheel comes into contact with the ground until the takeoff is performed. A second adjustment unit adjusts a position of a second wheel such that the second wheel comes into contact with the ground until the takeoff is performed.

Abstract: In an example, a cargo system for storage in a seating area of an aircraft is described. The cargo system includes a plurality of storage containers including a first container operably connected to a second container via at least one connector. The connector(s) is/are configured to allow relative movement of the first container to the second container between a first and second position. Based on the first container being in the first position, the plurality of storage containers are in a stacked arrangement in which the second container supports the first container. And based on the first container being in the second position, the plurality of storage containers are in a seated arrangement in which (i) the first container is positioned relative to the second container and configured to sit on a passenger seat in an aircraft and (ii) the second container abuts or sits adjacent to the passenger seat.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a system for launching an aerostat may include an inflatable structure defining a volume having a neck, a reactor defining a chamber, a coupling releasably secured in fluid communication between the chamber and the neck, and a drain valve within the volume, the drain valve in a first position away from the neck to receive a lifting gas from the chamber into the volume via the coupling, the drain valve movable from the first position to a second position when the coupling is released from fluid communication between the chamber and the neck, and the drain valve in the second position in sealed engagement with the inflatable structure along the neck to control accumulation of condensate from the lifting gas within the volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of aeronautical engineering, specifically to convertiplanes. A convertiplane comprises a fuselage, a control system, aerodynamic outer wings with aerodynamic control surfaces, an all-moving foreplane with aerodynamic control surfaces, a tail plane, and propulsion systems with propellers. The propulsion systems with propellers are arranged rotatably on tips of the foreplane and on the tail plane. The convertiplane is designed to permit the aerodynamic centre of pressure and the resultant thrust vector to coincide. The convertiplane is designed to permit the mutual dynamic and static scalar control thereof by operating the aerodynamic control surfaces and thrust vectoring of each of the propulsion systems.

Abstract: Alterable aircraft lavatory configurations for improving access for Persons of Restricted Mobility are disclosed comprising incorporating an expandable aircraft lavatory wall-door that can convert from a configuration as a wall in a lavatory having an aircraft lavatory first footprint into a configuration as an expanded door in an expanded aircraft lavatory having an aircraft lavatory second footprint that is larger than the aircraft lavatory first footprint.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a system for midair deployment of an aerostat may include an inflatable structure including a balloon at least partially defining a volume, a reaction vessel defining a chamber in fluid communication with the volume, a fuel package disposed in the chamber, the fuel package including a container and water-reactive aluminum, the container fluidically isolating the water-reactive aluminum from an environment of the chamber, and an actuator actuatable to release the water-reactive aluminum from the container into the environment of the chamber.

Abstract: A container for a flight craft such as a gas balloon is provided. Part of the walls of the container is constituted of three separated plates. The first plate has one or more holes that causes gas to flow in and out of two spaces so that the pressure difference between a first space and a second space separated by the first plate is resolved but does not cause gas convection between those two spaces. As the flight craft ascends, a relationship T1<T2<T3<T4 occurs among the temperatures inside the first to a fourth space. The temperature gradient between the inside and outside of the container becomes less pronounced. Condensation is unlikely to form on any of the three plates. The first plate with the holes buffers the force that the second plate is subjected to due to a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container.

Abstract: A load carrier for an aircraft cargo hold includes a bottom element with a support surface, the load carrier being movable over a floor surface in a floor plane while the support surface faces the floor surface, the bottom element having a base surface. The support surface has rolling elements rotatable about a rotation axis oriented where a parallel to the axis runs parallel to the floor plane, and the rolling elements being retained on the bottom element where the rotation axis of each of the rolling elements can be rotated about a vertical axis running perpendicularly to the floor plane. A load carrier can include a bottom element, the support surface of which has outlet openings, through which air can exit from the support surface to form an air cushion under the support surface. A load carrier can include a bottom element the support surface of which has slider elements.

Abstract: Retraction of a landing gear assembly on an aircraft is actuated by a hydraulic actuator. The actuator includes a piston that travels within a cylinder along a stroke length between a first position corresponding to the landing gear assembly when extended and a second position corresponding to the landing gear assembly when retracted. The movement of the piston along its stroke length is snubbed at one end by a different amount according to the direction of travel, for example by use of an orifice plate that has a discharge coefficient that is greater in one direction than in the opposite direction. Asymmetric snubbing is thus provided, which enables the landing gear to retract faster.

Abstract: An electronic system and method controls automatic or semi-automatic docking of a vehicle with a given docking area, applicable, in particular, to the docking of an airport vehicle, such as a baggage belt loader, a catering vehicle, etc., to the fuselage of an aircraft, for example to the door of such an aircraft. The given docking area comprises at least one target.

Abstract: A leg mechanism includes an articulated leg system, a passive device and a cable. The articulated leg system has a leg portion. The passive device is coupled to the articulated leg system and is configured to apply a first force to a portion thereof. The cable is coupled to the articulated leg system and is configured to apply a second force, in opposition to the first force, to a portion thereof. When the cable is drawn away from the articulated leg system, the second force moves the leg portion in a first direction. When tension is released from the cable, the passive device exerts the first force so as to move the leg portion a second direction that is opposite the first direction.

Abstract: There is provided a composite air vehicle system including: a first air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; a second air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; and at least one connector element configured for reversibly interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in tandem arrangement to provide a composite air vehicle capable of aerodynamic flight. The composite air vehicle system is configured for enabling at least in-flight separation of composite air vehicle into the first air vehicle and second air vehicle, and for enabling each one of the first air vehicle and said second air vehicle to operate independently of one another.

Abstract: A cockpit center console armrest includes a base member configured for mounting to a floor, an extending member mechanically coupled to the base member, and an armrest mechanically coupled to the extending member. The extending member includes an inner telescoping member configured for sliding within an outer telescoping member for adjusting a height of the armrest. A lever exposed on an underside of the armrest is configured for actuating a release mechanism. The release mechanism is configured for releasably securing the inner telescoping member to the outer telescoping member. A pivot axis pivotably couples the extending member to the base member such that the extending member is rotatable for rotating the armrest between a deployed orientation and a retracted orientation.

Abstract: A rotor blade pitch control system (15) comprising a rotor blade (19a, 19b, 19c, 19d) rotatable about both a central axis (20) and a pitch axis (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d), a pitch drive rotor (32a, 32b, 32c, 32d) rotatable about the central axis independently of rotation of the rotor blade about the central axis, a pitch follower (40a, 40b, 40c, 40d) rotatable relative to the pitch drive rotor, the pitch drive rotor and the pitch follower having an eccentric axis (33a, 33b, 33c, 33d), a linkage (50a, 50b, 50c, 50d) between the pitch follower and the rotor blade configured such that the pitch follower rotates with rotation of the rotor blade about the central axis, the pitch drive rotor, the pitch follower and the linkage configured such that the pitch drive rotor may be driven to control an angular displacement of the pitch drive rotor relative to the pitch follower about the central axis and thereby control the pitch of the rotor blade about the pitch axis.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to an ion thruster for thrust vectored propulsion of a spacecraft, comprising a reservoir for a propellant, an emitter having a base and, on one side of the base, at least one outlet for emitting ions of the propellant, wherein the base is connected to the reservoir for providing flow of propellant from the reservoir to said at least one outlet, and an extractor facing said one side of the emitter for extracting and accelerating the ions from the emitter, wherein the extractor is split into sectors about an axis which orthogonally runs through said one side of the emitter, wherein said sectors are electrically insulated from one another.

Abstract: A landing gear actuation system is disclosed herein. The landing gear actuation system includes a trunnion sprocket coupled to a movable member, a drive motor, and a flexible drive member extending between and to the motor and the trunnion sprocket. The motor is configured to move the flexible drive member, wherein the movement of the flexible drive member moves the trunnion sprocket and the movable member. The flexible drive member may be a belt or a chain.

Abstract: A levered landing gear including a first shock strut having and a second shock strut disposed concentrically with the first shock strut. The second shock strut includes a metering pin coupled to a mounting surface of a piston of the second shock strut, and an orifice plate that cooperates with the metering pin to meter an amount of fluid flow as the second shock strut is compressed. The metering pin includes flutes longitudinally arranged on the metering pin between first and second ends of the metering pin, the flutes having a varying depth so that a fluid flow through the flutes is greater at the second end than fluid flow through the flutes at the first end. A truck lever is coupled to both the first shock strut and the second shock strut such that the second shock strut pivots the truck lever relative to the first shock strut.