Abstract: Thermally configurable structural elements (e.g., aircraft components such as an aircraft winglet spar) capable of assuming at least first and second structural configurations are provided whereby the structural element includes an integral actuation mechanism may be formed of sintered shape memory alloy (SMA) particles and sintered non-SMA particles formed by an additive layer manufacturing (ALM) process, such as 3D printing. The ALM process thereby provides by at least one thermally configurable region, and at least one non-thermally configurable region which is unitarily contiguous with the at least one thermally configurable region. The at least one thermally configurable region is capable of assuming at least first and second positional orientations in response to the presence or absence of a thermal input to thereby cause the structural element to assume the at least first and second structural configurations, respectively.

Abstract: Thermally configurable structural elements (e.g., aircraft components such as an aircraft winglet spar) capable of assuming at least first and second structural configurations are provided whereby the structural element includes an integral actuation mechanism may be formed of sintered shape memory alloy (SMA) particles and sintered non-SMA particles formed by an additive layer manufacturing (ALM) process, such as 3D printing. The ALM process thereby provides by at least one thermally configurable region, and at least one non-thermally configurable region which is unitarily contiguous with the at least one thermally configurable region. The at least one thermally configurable region is capable of assuming at least first and second positional orientations in response to the presence or absence of a thermal input to thereby cause the structural element to assume the at least first and second structural configurations, respectively.

Abstract: Noise-abatement for a leading edge wing slat is provided by a noise-abatement airflow shield integral with the lower trailing edge of the slat, wherein the shield is reciprocally autonomously curveable from a substantially planar configuration when the slat is in a retracted position thereof and into a convexly curved configuration when the slat is in a deployed position thereof.

Abstract: Noise-abatement systems provide noise abatement to a wing assembly provided with a forward edge slat and include an elongate shield element which is unconnected but positionable adjacent to a lower trailing edge of the edge slat along a lengthwise extent thereof, and a support web having a distal end fixed to the shield element and a proximal end capable of fixation to an interior cove surface of the edge slat adjacent an upper trailing edge thereof. The support web will therefore allow movement of the shield element towards and away from the lower trailing edge of the edge slat between an operative position wherein the shield element is positioned adjacent to the lower trailing edge of the edge slat along the lengthwise extent thereof and an inoperative position wherein the edge slat is spaced from the trailing edge of the edge slat and positioned in the cove region thereof, respectively.

Abstract: A noise-abatement systems (10) provide noise abatement to a wing assembly (Wp) provided with a forward edge slat (ES) and include an elongated shield element (20) which is unconnected but positionable adjacent to a lower trailing edge (16a) of the edge slat (ES) along a lengthwise extent thereof, and a support tab (24) having a distal end fixed to the shield element (20) and a proximal end capable of fixation to an interior cove surface of the edge slat (ES) adjacent an upper trailing edge (22) thereof.

Abstract: Noise-abatement for a leading edge wing slat is provided by a noise-abatement airflow shield integral with the lower trailing edge of the slat, wherein the shield is reciprocally autonomously curvable from a substantially planar configuration when the slat is in a retracted position thereof and into a convexly curved configuration when the slat is in a deployed position thereof.

Abstract: Thermally configurable structural elements (e.g., aircraft components such as an aircraft winglet spar) capable of assuming at least first and second structural configurations are provided whereby the structural element includes an integral actuation mechanism provided by at least one thermally configurable region, and at least one non-thermally configurable region which is unitarily contiguous with the at least one thermally configurable region. The at least one thermally configurable region is capable of assuming at least first and second positional orientations in response to the presence or absence of a thermal input to thereby cause the structural element to assume the at least first and second structural configurations, respectively. The thermally and non-thermally configurable regions may be formed of sintered shape memory alloy (SMA) particles and sintered non-SMA particles formed by an additive layer manufacturing (ALM) process, such as 3D printing.

Abstract: Composite acoustic panels are provided which may usefully be employed for aircraft interior panel assemblies. The composite acoustic panels may include a core member defining opposed surfaces, and a pair of exterior face sheets each attached to a respective one of the opposed surfaces of the core member. At least one of the face sheets may be microperforated. The core member comprises an adjacent plurality of tubular channels extending through a thickness dimension of the core member between the opposed surfaces thereof, while predetermined adjacent ones of the tubular channels are filled with a material to define a series of filled tubular channels which are adjacent to a region of open tubular channels. Certain ones of the open tubular channels may be partially filled with an acoustic dampening material. Discontinuous viscoelastic layers may be positioned so as to overlay central regions of the adjacent plurality of the open tubular channels which are bounded by an array of the filled tubular channels.

Abstract: Composite acoustic panels are provided which may usefully be employed for aircraft interior panel assemblies. The composite acoustic panels may include a core member defining opposed surfaces, and a pair of exterior face sheets each attached to a respective one of the opposed surfaces of the core member. At least one of the face sheets may be microperforated. The core member comprises an adjacent plurality of tubular channels extending through a thickness dimension of the core member between the opposed surfaces thereof, while predetermined adjacent ones of the tubular channels are filled with a material to define a series of filled tubular channels which are adjacent to a region of open tubular channels. Certain ones of the open tubular channels may be partially filled with an acoustic dampening material. Discontinuous viscoelastic layers may be positioned so as to overlay central regions of the adjacent plurality of the open tubular channels which are bounded by an array of the filled tubular channels.