Abstract: An in-field method for correcting the thermal bias error calibration of the gyros of a strapdown inertial navigation system. The method is begun after initial alignment while the aircraft remains parked with the inertial navigation system switched to navigation mode. Measurements are made of navigation system outputs and of gyro temperatures during this data collection period. A Kalman filter processes the navigation system outputs during this time to generate estimates of gyro bias error that are associated with the corresponding gyro temperature measurements. Heading error correcting is performed after the extended alignment data collection period as the aircraft taxis prior to takeoff. The gyro bias error-versus-temperature data acquired, along with the heading error corrections, are employed to recalibrate the existing thermal model of gyro bias error by means of an interpolation process that employs variance estimates as weighting factors.

Abstract: A fitting for attaching a galley wall or bulkhead to the interior of an aircraft is disclosed. The fitting uses a separable attachment plate and an anchor, to which an anchor bolt can be attached from above the attachment plate.

Abstract: A compact aircraft door sill protector of simple design for use in protecting door sills and door locking spools of the character found in a typical aircraft cargo bay. The apparatus includes a sill protector plate that, in its deployed position, covers the door sill and in its stowed position folds conveniently into the area immediately adjacent the cargo bay door opening. In its deployed position, the sill protector plate is rigidly supported by novel support arms that swing into protective engagement with the door locking spools.

Abstract: A fixed seal plate for an aircraft functions to seal the gap between a movable flight control surface and its associated airfoil when the control surface is in a deflected position. The seal plate is fixed to the airfoil (typically a wing) so that it does not articulate with the airfoil movable surface, therefore having no moving parts, yet blocks airflow through the gap effectively enough to measurably improve aircraft flight performance by reducing aerodynamic drag.

Abstract: A novel, high-altitude, solar powered aircraft, capable of staying aloft at high altitudes for many months or even years to conduct around the clock surveillance and/or reconnaisance, includes a forward wing with solar energy capturing cells, a rear wing, inflated pontoons for keeping the aircraft aloft, suspension wires attached to the pontoons, a gondola suspended from and connected to the wires, control apparatus for moving the gondola along the wires, shifting the weight of the aircraft and thereby enabling banking to optimize exposure of the solar cells to the rays of the sun. The gondola preferably contains a sensor suite, power generating and storage apparatus, and synthetic aperture radar imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A supersonic flight aircraft having a longitudinally forwardly extending axis in the direction of flight, and a wing, comprising a wing extending generally laterally relative to the axis, and having a leading edge angled forward or rearwardly relative to a normal to the axis at an angle .lambda., and the wing having a maximum thickness t; the angle .lambda. and thickness t characterized that in that in supersonic flight conditions, the forwardmost shock wave produced in association with the wing extends generally along or rearwardly of the leading edge, whereby laminar airflow conditions are maintained over the leading edge and adjacent the surface of the wing.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an aircraft that is capable of converting between vertical flight or helicopter mode flight, and horizontal flight or airplane mode flight where a two-bladed rotor is employed as both helicopter rotor blades in vertical flight and as a fixed wing in horizontal flight. In vertical flight, a bearing connection between two fuselage sections enables a forward section supporting the rotor blades to rotate relative to an aft section of the aircraft fuselage about the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The exhaust or thrust force created by the mode of power (either a propeller engine or a turbine jet engine) is partially routed over the exterior of the aircraft to provide both vertical and horizontal thrust force, and in one embodiment a portion of the exhaust is routed through the interiors of the rotor blades and out exhaust ports at the blades' distal ends to rotate the blades in vertical flight and to provide a thrust force for the blades in horizontal flight.

Abstract: A steering method and system for large aircraft wherein during low speed taxi the main landing gear wheels are steered and the nose gear is free to castor. During high speed taxi such as during take off and landing, the main gear steering is locked out while the nose gear is steered.

Abstract: A convertible wrist to finger kite handle constructed in the manner of a wrist kite handle of flexible material having a wrist loop and kite string attachment ring, the invention incorporating a conversion ring adjacent to the attachment ring to permit the flexible material of the wrist loop to be introduced therein to convert the single wrist loop into a two finger kite handle. The invention also contemplates the incorporation of additional conversion rings adjacent to each other to provide for a three and four finger kite handle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic detector for a control device for controlling the flying state of a remote-control toy airplane, which can provide automatic correction to maintain the remote-control toy airplane in a flying state in a level or horizontal manner. The detector is a digital or analogic device located at a proper position within the housing of the airplane. The detector includes a device locating plate, fixing racks, a suspension cord, a movable light-obstructing sheet or a movable light-permeable sheet, light emitting element, and one or more detecting elements the light-obstruction sheet is swingingly mounted on the suspension that in turn is connected to the cord fixing racks. When light emitting element emits light and the airplane maintains a horizontal or level attitude, the effect of gravity on light-obstruction sheet will cause it to obstruct light.

Abstract: The thrust director assembly may include a thrust director cone with its apex oriented into the fan airstream and a larger thrust vectoring ring concentric with the director cone. The thrust director assembly axis is angularly displaceable relative to the fan axis for modifying the geometry of the duct outlet such that the aperture of the outlet annulus is reduced on one side and simultaneously enlarged at a diametrically opposite side. The effect of the modified geometry is to increase fan thrust on the enlarged side while diminishing thrust on the narrowed side, thereby to develop a lateral thrust component acting on the airframe for providing long moment pitch and roll control.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for addressing the effect of centripetal acceleration upon estimates of cross-track velocity, for determination of east gyro bias error, generated with a taxiing aircraft. After initial estimates of crab angle, ratio of crab angle to centripetal acceleration and lever arm are provided, velocity, heading angle and heading angle rate are observed as the aircraft taxis. An estimated value of centripetal acceleration is taken as the product of heading angle rate and heading velocity. Cross-track velocity is computed from cross-heading velocity and this is integrated to generate cross-track position. A Kalman filter generates various gains, including one associated with the ratio of crab angle to centripetal acceleration, for error allocation.

Abstract: A flying vehicle has wheels for highways, and a body and an engine. The body, engine and load define a center of mass (CG). Shrouded fans are located about the CG so as to produce, in conjunction with air jet redirection apparatus, the torques required to assume various attitudes. In one embodiment, an upper shrouded fan, with a diameter no greater than eight feet, produces an air jet, centered above the CG, for lifting the body. A second shrouded fan, smaller than the first, produces an air jet for lift, centered below the center of mass, on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, forward of the CG. Third and fourth paired shrouded fans produce air jets for lift, centered below the CG, on either side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, toward the rear of the body. The paired second and third fans have equal diameters, no greater than half of the diameter of the upper fan, to keep the total width eight feet.

Abstract: A method is described for reducing drag in airframes or airfoils. The method includes inducing cavitation in the boundary layer separating the airframe or foil skin and the air currents passing thereover to produce a reduced pressure area instead of turbulent flow. In one embodiment of this invention, a nose cone is provided for the airframe which at the juncture of its base portion provides a step between the terminal portion of the nose cone and the adjacent portion of the fuselage skin. This provides a circumferential step surrounding the fuselage which in its leeward direction induces the cavitation necessary to reduce drag. In another embodiment of this invention, steps can be provided longitudinally at mutually spaced circumferential locations extending from the front along the fuselage toward to the rear to ensure that a continuous boundary layer is provided of reduced pressure.

Abstract: An actuation system for controlling the steerable nozzle of a missile or like vehicle is combined with an aerofin control system, both of which are driven in unison by associated drive motors and gear assemblies, one set for each aerofin. The nozzle steering system comprises two essentially identical yoke plates mounted along a plane generally transverse to the missile axis and oriented orthogonally relative to each other about the missile axis for pivoting the nozzle through mutually orthogonal axes, thereby achieving omni-directional steering. The yoke plates are coupled at opposite ends to pinion gears which are driven by the same gear assemblies which drive the associated aerofins. The arrangement permits common directional control of the steerable nozzle and the aerofins while maintaining the nozzle in a neutral direction when the aerofins are rotated to a missile roll control mode.

Abstract: A light-duty multipurpose aeroplane has a fuselage having a cabin at its center, a tail portion with a pusher propeller in a ring and a front portion with an all-swiveling horizontal "canard" type empennage. The wings of the aeroplane are articulated with low-mounted and high-mounted wing segments with opposite sweeps. The tips of the wing segments are connected with arrow-shaped pylons provided with heading control rudders.

Abstract: A circular wing aircraft in the form of a helicopter comprising a fuselage and a circular wing assembly. A structure is for mounting the circular wing assembly above the fuselage in a stationary manner. An air impeller unit is rotatively carried within the circular wing assembly. A device is for driving the air impeller unit to rotate about a central axis within the circular wing assembly, so as to provide lift and flight movement while yaw control is maintained.

Abstract: An aerodynamic structure having an aerodynamic surface for an aircraft, has at least two spars, several ribs made up of rib elements, and two shells made up of a plurality of shell elements. The ribs extend in the direction of the profile depth of the structure and the longitudinal extension of the spars and shells corresponds approximately to the span width of the structure. The shells and ribs are subdivided in the direction of the profile depth with an approximately equal division, to form at least two structural components open along one length side and closed by a spar along the opposite length side. Each component (21, 22) has two shell elements (24, 25; 34, 35, etc.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for the flight refueling of at least one first aircraft provided with an intermediate fuel intake means connected to at least one fuel tank, by a second aircraft equipped with an intermediate fuel supply means connected to at least one fuel supply tank and which can be connected to the intermediate fuel intake means so as to permit, with the aid of at least one fuel pump, the transfer of fuel contained in the tank(s) of the second aircraft to the tank(s) of the first aircraft. This system includes at least one camera positioned below the aircraft, at least one multimode display to display at least one image from a camera and symbology information such as fuel data information used during the refueling operation.

Abstract: The invention is a mooring tower for a for a lighter-than-vehicle. In detail the invention includes a vertical tower having a vertical and lateral axis. A first support member is mounted on the top of said tower, which is rotatable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis aligned with the vertical axis of the tower. A second support member is mounted by its first end mounted to the first support member and includes a telescoping second end. The second support member is rotatable in a vertical plane about its first end. The second support member includes an aperture extending therethrough from the first end to the second. A winch is mounted to the vertical tower having a mooring line extending through the aperture in the second member from the first end to and out the second end thereof. Thus a vehicle having the end of the mooring line attached to the nose thereof can be winched to the vertical tower.