Abstract: An aircraft with an aft-fuselage propulsion system comprises a thermal engine, a first electric motor coupled to a first propulsor, a second electric motor coupled to a second propulsor, and a mechanical interlink system integrating the thermal engine, the first electric motor, the second electric motor, plural battery systems and associated power electronics, and cabling elements connecting the electric machines. An aircraft has plural mirrored aft-fuselage propulsion systems, each aft-fuselage propulsion system comprising a thermal engine, an electric motor, a propulsor, and a mechanical interlink system integrating the thermal engine, electric motor, and propulsor elements.

Abstract: A thrust propeller variable pitch actuator is controlled by a governor that uses propeller pitch as a variable to increase or decrease torque—not to maintain the propeller speed or RPM but instead to maintain certain established electric current supplied to rotate the thrust propeller.

Abstract: An aircraft compensates for asymmetry of engine failure by drawing part of the energy produced by the still-operating engine to generate thrust at the tip of the opposite wing. For example, the left engine drives its own thrust on the left wing, but a portion of the energy the left engine produces is delivered at a propeller at the tip of right wing. Similarly, the right engine drives its own thrust on the right wing, but a portion of the energy the right engine produces is delivered at a propeller at the tip of the left wing. In this way, every pair of engines and opposite tip thrust generators are intrinsically balanced. In the event of one engine failure, no yaw moment will be noticed.

Abstract: An aircraft compensates for asymmetry of engine failure by drawing part of the energy produced by the still-operating engine to generate thrust at the tip of the opposite wing. For example, the left engine drives its own thrust on the left wing, but a portion of the energy the left engine produces is delivered at a propeller at the tip of right wing. Similarly, the right engine drives its own thrust on the right wing, but a portion of the energy the right engine produces is delivered at a propeller at the tip of the left wing. In this way, every pair of engines and opposite tip thrust generators are intrinsically balanced. In the event of one engine failure, no yaw moment will be noticed.

Abstract: Galley units are provided having a moveable galley structure in the interior aircraft cabin. During passenger ingress/egress and during certain phases of the aircraft's flight (e.g., take-off and landing), the galley structure may be moved so as to be laterally adjacent the main cabin door and thereby provide access to the door. During other phases of the aircraft's flight (e.g., during cruise flight at altitude), the galley structure may be moved laterally so as to cover the main cabin door and thereby provide enhanced acoustic and/or thermal insulation in the main cabin door area. The space vacated by the moveable galley structure may thus expose other galley structures and/or equipment. An aircraft which includes such an aircraft galley unit and methods to achieve acoustic and/or thermal insulation for an aircraft cabin door using such an aircraft galley unit are also provided.

Abstract: Rudder assist mechanisms and methods are capable of being operably connected to an aircraft's rudder control system. The rudder assist mechanisms most preferably have over-the-center spring biasing functions so as to cause either substantially no spring force (i.e., when the linkage is over the spring-bias center) or substantially all spring force (i.e., when the linkage is left or right of the spring-bias center) to be exerted on the rudder control system. The rudder assist mechanism may include a control spring assembly, and a linkage assembly which operably connects the control spring assembly to the rudder control assembly. The linkage assembly is moveable operably between a null position wherein substantially no spring force of the control spring assembly is transferred to the rudder control system by the linkage assembly, and right and left spring-biased positions wherein right and left spring forces of the control spring assembly are transferred to the rudder control system, respectively.

Abstract: Galley units are provided having a moveable galley structure in the interior aircraft cabin. During passenger ingress/egress and during certain phases of the aircraft's flight (e.g., take-off and landing), the galley structure may be moved so as to be laterally adjacent the main cabin door and thereby provide access to the door. During other phases of the aircraft's flight (e.g., during cruise flight at altitude), the galley structure may be moved laterally so as to cover the main cabin door and thereby provide enhanced acoustic and/or thermal insulation in the main cabin door area. The space vacated by the moveable galley structure may thus expose other galley structures and/or equipment. An aircraft which includes such an aircraft galley unit and methods to achieve acoustic and/or thermal insulation for an aircraft cabin door using such an aircraft galley unit are also provided.

Abstract: Rudder assist mechanisms and methods are capable of being operably connected to an aircraft's rudder control system. The rudder assist mechanisms most preferably have over-the-center spring biasing functions so as to cause either substantially no spring force (i.e., when the linkage is over the spring-bias center) or substantially all spring force (i.e., when the linkage is left or right of the spring-bias center) to be exerted on the rudder control system. The rudder assist mechanism may include a control spring assembly, and a linkage assembly which operably connects the control spring assembly to the rudder control assembly. The linkage assembly is moveable operably between a null position wherein substantially no spring force of the control spring assembly is transferred to the rudder control system by the linkage assembly, and right and left spring-biased positions wherein right and left spring forces of the control spring assembly are transferred to the rudder control system, respectively.