Abstract: An aircraft with an engine support structure, the aircraft including at least an engine wherein the at least engine is top mounted to an aircraft, a main body, and an engine support structure including a plurality of hoop structures, wherein at least one horseshoe structure is located forward of the center of gravity to the at least engine.

Abstract: Aspects relate to an aircraft having a controllable center of gravity and methods of controlling the center of gravity. An exemplary aircraft having a controllable center of gravity includes a first tank configured to store a first portion of a ballast, a second tank configured to store a second portion of the ballast disposed substantially aft of the first tank, at least a pipe configured to provide fluidic communication between the first tank and the second tank, at least a pump configured to pump the ballast bidirectionally between the first tank and the second tank by way of the at least a pipe, and a controller in communication with the at least a pump and configured to control a ballast ratio of the first portion of the ballast relative the second portion of the ballast and affect an aircraft center of gravity.

Abstract: A modular blended wing body (BWB) aircraft includes common components containing a nose structure having a left aft edge and a right aft edge intersecting on a centerline of the BWB on one end and intersecting on a leading edge of the BWB on another end, and two wing structures attached to the nose structure, wherein the at least two rear structures includes a left-wing structure arranged on the left side of the centerline, wherein the left-wing structure includes a left forward edge, and a right-wing structure arranged on the right side of the centerline, wherein the right-wing structure includes a right forward edge, and wherein the left-wing structure and the right-wing structure are laterally symmetrical to the centerline, and wherein there is no clear demarcation between the at least two wing structures and the nose structure of the plurality of common components of the BWB aircraft.

Abstract: An aircraft with an engine support structure, the aircraft including at least an engine wherein the at least engine is top mounted to an aircraft, a main body, and an engine support structure including a plurality of hoop structures, wherein at least one horseshoe structure is located forward of the center of gravity to the at least engine.

Abstract: An aircraft comprising a plurality of modules is disclosed. The aircraft in includes a blended wing body (BWB) aircraft. The blended wing body aircraft comprises a main body, a transition, and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the BWB aircraft. The blended wing aircraft additionally comprises a cabin containing a plurality of modular receptacles. A plurality of modules is configured to be removably attached to the plurality of modular receptacles. Additionally, at least a propulsor is mechanically attached to the blended wing body aircraft.

Abstract: A tanker aircraft for long-distance travel, the tanker aircraft including a blended wing body having a main body, a transition, and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the tanker aircraft, a fuel storage located within the blended wing body, the fuel storage comprising a first fuel store, the first fuel store located within the transition and configured for long range flight and a second fuel store the second fuel store having a tanker capacity and a refueling boom system having a flying boom, the flying boom extending from the blended wing body, wherein the tanker aircraft is a long-range tanker aircraft.

Abstract: A modular blended wing body (BWB) aircraft includes common components containing a nose structure having a left aft edge and a right aft edge intersecting on a centerline of the BWB on one end and intersecting on a leading edge of the BWB on another end, and two wing structures attached to the nose structure, wherein the at least two rear structures includes a left-wing structure arranged on the left side of the centerline, wherein the left-wing structure includes a left forward edge, and a right-wing structure arranged on the right side of the centerline, wherein the right-wing structure includes a right forward edge, and wherein the left-wing structure and the right-wing structure are laterally symmetrical to the centerline, and wherein there is no clear demarcation between the at least two wing structures and the nose structure of the plurality of common components of the BWB aircraft.

Abstract: A commercial aircraft for short distance air travel, the commercial aircraft comprising a blended wing body aircraft having a main body, a transition and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the commercial aircraft, a passenger cabin, the passenger cabin located within the main body and having a wide body passenger capacity, at least a propulsor, the at least a propulsor attached to a portion of the main body and configured to propel the blended wing body commercial aircraft through air, a fuel storage located within the blended wing body, the fuel storage having a fuel capacity wherein the fuel capacity is configured for a fuel capacity associated with short-range flight, and a landing gear, the landing gear located on an undercarriage of the blended wing body, the landing gear configured for the short-range flight.

Abstract: A system and method for a blended wing body aircraft with permanent tanks is presented. The aircraft comprises a blended wing body and at least a tank permanently attached the blended wing body. The at least a tank is configured to store liquified gas fuel and further comprises at least a vent configured to vent gaseous fuel from the at least a tank and an insulation to reduce thermal transfer to the liquified gas fuel inside of the at least a tank.

Abstract: An aircraft component including a structural foam having a predetermined shape, an outer flange located near a first end of the structural foam, an inner flange located near a second end of the structural foam, a web skin encapsulating the inner flange and at least a portion of the structural foam wherein the structural foam is affixed to the web skin, wherein the aircraft component comprises a portion of a blended wing body aircraft (BWB), the BWB having no demarcation between a wing and a main body of the BWB.

Abstract: A system and method for a blended wing body aircraft with permanent tanks is presented. The aircraft comprises a blended wing body and at least a tank permanently attached the blended wing body. The at least a tank is configured to store liquified gas fuel and further comprises at least a vent configured to vent gaseous fuel from the at least a tank and an insulation to reduce thermal transfer to the liquified gas fuel inside of the at least a tank.

Abstract: Aspects relate to systems and methods for folding wings on an aircraft. An exemplary system includes a blended wing body, where the blended wing body includes a main body and at least a wing, a hinge located on the at least a wing and configured to allow folding of the at least a wing, an actuation system configured to fold the at least a wing, and a controller configured to control the at least an actuation system.

Abstract: A coupled landing gear apparatus for an aircraft including at least a nose gear disposed forward of a neutral point of an aircraft by a first distance and at least a main gear disposed aft of the neutral point of the aircraft by a second distance. The at least a nose gear and the at least a main gear are in communication with one another.

Abstract: A commercial aircraft for long distance air travel, the commercial aircraft comprising, a blended wing body aircraft having a main body, a transition and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the commercial aircraft, a passenger cabin, the passenger cabin located within the main body and having a single aisle passenger capacity, at least a propulsor, the at least a propulsor attached to a portion of the main body and configured to propel the blended wing body aircraft through air, and a fuel storage having a fuel capacity, the fuel capacity configured for long range flight, wherein the commercial aircraft is configured for long-range flight.

Abstract: Aspects relate to systems and methods for controlling landing gear of an aircraft. An exemplary system includes a nose gear located at a nose of the aircraft, where the nose gear includes a nose piston configured to allow for displacement of a nose wheel relative the aircraft, a main gear located aft of the nose gear, where the main gear includes a main piston configured to allow for displacement of a main wheel relative the aircraft, a hydraulic circuit in fluidic communication with each of the nose piston and the main piston, and a compliant element in fluidic communication with the hydraulic circuit and configured to provide a compliant response at one or both of the nose piston and the main piston.

Abstract: A freighter aircraft for long-distance travel, the freighter aircraft comprising a blended wing body having a main body, a transition, and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the freighter aircraft, at least a propulsor, the at least a propulsor attached to a portion of the main body and configured to propel the freighter aircraft through air, a fuel storage located within the blended wing body, the fuel storage having a fuel capacity wherein the fuel capacity is configured for long-range flight, and a cargo bay located within the main body; the cargo bay configured to have a freighter capacity, wherein freighter aircraft is a long-range aircraft, the freighter aircraft including a ton-miles per sortie between 135,000 and 450,000.

Abstract: A liquified gas fuel tank incorporated into an aircraft is disclosed. The liquified gas fuel tank includes a plurality of compartments. The liquified gas fuel tank includes one or more septa configured to structurally support each compartment of the plurality of compartments at the fluid connection, wherein each of the one or more septa are configured to extend vertically from a base of a main body of the aircraft to a top of the main body of the aircraft. The liquified gas fuel tank includes a sensing component which includes one or more sensors. The sensing component also includes a gas evacuation element configured to identify a gas concentration within at least one compartment. Additionally, the sensing component includes a controller communicatively connected to the gas evacuation element. The controller is configured to receive an indication and toggle the gas evacuation element as a function of the indication.

Abstract: Aspects relate to aircraft and methods of use for aerodynamic control with winglet surfaces. In an aspect an exemplary aircraft includes a first wing having a first winglet at a distal end of the wing, wherein the first winglet comprises at least a first control surface at a first trailing edge of the first winglet and a second wing having a second winglet at a distal end of the wing, wherein the second winglet comprises at least a second control surface at a second trailing edge of the second winglet.

Abstract: A system and method for a multi-compartment, liquified gas fuel tank. The liquified gas fuel tank comprises at least a tank a first compartment and a second compartment. The liquified gas fuel tank comprises a junction configured to fluidly connect the at least two compartments of the at least a tank to enable more efficient storage of liquified gas fuel.