Abstract: A method for manufacturing a composite rear section assembly having a continuous skin solution including obtaining a vertical tail plane tooling that has intermediate tooling for tooling intermediate preforms of a vertical tail plane (800), obtaining a fuselage barrel tooling (420a), (420b), (420c) and (420d) the fuselage barrel tooling having a cut-out (503a), (503b), (503c) and longitudinal cavities (501a), (501b), (501c) and (501d), attaching the vertical tail plane tooling to the fuselage barrel tooling by the cut-out of the fuselage barrel tooling, performing a composite skin lay-up (801) over the fuselage barrel tooling and the vertical tail plane tooling to obtain a continuous skin, curing the composite skin lay-up, the vertical tail plane tooling and the fuselage barrel tooling and demolding the tools to obtain the composite assembly with a continuous skin (1300), (1600).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing the trailing edge ribs and the bearing ribs of trailing edges of aircraft lifting surfaces, in which the trailing edge ribs and the bearing ribs are made by joining simple C-shaped parts and/or simple L-shaped parts so as to obtain the final trailing edge ribs and bearing ribs. The manufacturing of the simple C-shaped parts uses the same tooling both for the trailing edge ribs and the bearing ribs, and the manufacturing of the simple L-shaped parts uses the same tooling both for the trailing edge ribs and the bearing ribs.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an aircraft rear section including a tail cone and a vertical tail plane, the method includes: providing pre-cured frames (1) each of which includes a section of the tail cone (2) and a section of the vertical tail plane (3); providing pre-cured stringers (4); placing the pre-cured stringers (4) each in respective positions within the pre-cured frames (1); placing a skin (5) around an external surface of the pre-cured frames (1); and curing the pre-cured frames (1), the pre-cured stringers (4), and the skin (5), forming the final aircraft rear section.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a composite assembly with a continuous skin for a rear end of an aircraft by obtaining an upper part of the rear end by composite tooling. The upper part comprises a multi-spar vertical tail plane. The spars of the vertical tail plane comprise widening roots that form an upper shell of the rear end and an upper skin. Furthermore, a lower part comprises a lower shell of the rear end including semi-complete frames and stringers and a lower skin. The upper and lower parts are assembled with a joining procedure. The upper and lower skins are joined to obtain the composite assembly with the continuous skin.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a composite assembly of an empennage and rear-fuselage having a continuous skin solution. The method obtains parts of the sub-structure. For each part, it is obtained a plurality of stringers performs and frames preforms by composite tooling. The frames are transferred to curing frames molds and a sub-structure skin is obtained. Furthermore, the method includes integrating the parts over an integration tool having cavities for locating the curing frames molds and the stringer performs. Furthermore, the method includes co-curing the integration tool in one shot on an autoclave, demolding the sub-structure skin sections and disassembling the curing frame molds to obtain the composite assembly of the rear section.

Abstract: A lightweight shield for aircraft protection against threat of high energy impacts, which comprises, a structural layer that has a first side and a second side, the first side being intended for receiving the impact, and a ballistic material layer for absorbing high energy impacts, having a first side and a second side. The first side of the ballistic material layer is faced to the second side of structural layer and joined to the structural layer via a progressively detachable interface and, the second side of the ballistic material layer is a free surface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing, layer-upon-layer, an integral composite aeronautical structure, wherein the method comprises: (a) providing an additive manufacturing tool comprising a depositing mold shaping an aerodynamic surface and at least one head configured to be moved over the depositing mold and to deposit fibrous material reinforcement and/or meltable material; (b) depositing fibrous material reinforcement embedded within meltable material onto the depositing mold, at least one layer of a lower aerodynamic face-sheet being built thereby; (c) depositing meltable material onto at least a portion of the outer layer of the lower aerodynamic face-sheet, at least one layer of core structure being built thereby; and (d) depositing fibrous material reinforcement embedded within meltable material onto at least the outer layer of the core structure, at least one layer of an upper aerodynamic face-sheet being built thereby; wherein steps (b), (c) and (d) are performed using Additive Manufacturing technology.

Abstract: A leading edge for an airfoil comprising a torsion box, the leading edge comprising a leading plate and a first inflatable element suitable for being filled with air. The leading plate comprises a convex side and a concave side. The first inflatable element is in contact with at least part of the concave side, thus reinforcing the leading plate. An airfoil comprising such a leading edge is also provided.

Abstract: A joining method for thermoplastic elements that comprises the steps of providing two thermoplastic parts having two surfaces to be joined, locating a graphene layer between the two thermoplastic parts adjacent to the surfaces to be joined, and heating the graphene layer such that the graphene layer melts the thermoplastic resin of the adjacent surfaces of the two thermoplastic parts that are to be joined.

Abstract: A pressure bulkhead for an aircraft comprising a fuselage. The pressure bulkhead comprises an inflatable element, suitable for being filled with air, which in turn comprises a cover which delimits an inner zone. The pressure bulkhead further comprises a seal suitable for providing an airtight seal between the cover and the fuselage of the aircraft.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-spar torsion box structure comprising a plurality of spars of composite material arranged to form a multi-cell structure with two or more cells extending longitudinally along the torsion box, and upper and lower skin covers formed of composite material and joined to upper and lower surfaces of the multi-cell structure, respectively. The structure further comprises at least one belt-like reinforcing element extending around the outer perimeter of the torsion box, and fixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the multi-cell structure, and transversely arranged with respect to the longitudinal direction of the torsion box. The belt-like reinforcing element is made of a metallic or a composite material. The disclosed torsion box can advantageously be used in the manufacture of aircraft lifting surfaces, such as horizontal tailplanes (HTP) or wings.

Abstract: An external part of an aircraft (such as a fairing) comprising a skin made with flexible materials attached to rigid supporting elements (such as longerons and frames) arranged in, at least, two directions. The skin comprises inner inflatable panels in all bays delimited by the rigid supporting elements and/or an external inflatable panel. The skin is joined to the supporting elements so that its external surface complies with aerodynamic requirements.

Abstract: An inflatable panel comprising two flexible face sheets and a core located between the two flexible face sheets, and lateral joining members configured to be joined to an aircraft structure and coupled to the inflatable panel. The lateral joining members cover at least part of the linear contour of the two flexible face sheets and have a first part covering an edge portion adjacent to the contour of one of the face sheets and a second part covering an edge portion adjacent to the contour of the other face sheet.

Abstract: A lifting device including: a movable discontinuity (1) located in a surface of the lifting device, the movable discontinuity (1) being movable between: an active position in which the movable discontinuity (1) acts as vortex generator, and a passive position in which the movable discontinuity (1) is integrated into the surface of the lifting surface, a conduit (2) located in the spanwise direction of the lifting surface and in communication with the movable discontinuity (1), the lifting surface including openings (3) in its surface spanwise distant from each other in communication with the conduit (2), the movable discontinuity (1) and the conduit (2) being configured such that when an airflow goes through the conduit (2), this airflow activates the movable discontinuity (1) to act as a vortex generator of the lifting surface.

Abstract: An aircraft including a propulsion system formed by engines arranged to ingest boundary layer air. These engines are placed inside of nacelles partially embedded in the aircraft fuselage and, thus, their intake conduits are delimited by specific fuselage areas and the nacelles. For the specific fuselage areas skins are disclosed with a flexible portion and actuation systems over them for changing their surfaces to adapt them to the needs of the propulsion system.

Abstract: A lifting surface comprising a movable discontinuity located in the surface of the lifting surface. The movable discontinuity is movable between an active position in which the movable discontinuity acts as vortex generator, and a passive position in which the movable discontinuity is integrated into the surface of the lifting surface without acting as vortex generator. The lifting surface may be in an elevator, the elevator being rotatable around a hinge line with respect to the rest of the lifting surface. A bar is rigidly joined to the elevator. The bar, the elevator and the movable discontinuity are configured such that when the elevator rotates with respect to the rest of the lifting surface, the bar moves the movable discontinuity that departs from the surface of the lifting surface, acting as a vortex generator.

Abstract: An aircraft stabilizer (15, 17) with an enlarged area of laminar flow. The lateral skins (45a, 45b; 65a, 65b) of its torsion box (43; 63) include joggled areas (53a, 53b; 73a, 73b) as attachment areas of its leading edge (41; 61) which are arranged in a rearward position with respect to the forward most spar of the stabilizer (15, 17).

Abstract: A lightweight shield for aircraft protection against threat of high energy impacts, which comprises, a structural layer that has a first side and a second side, the first side being intended for receiving the impact, and a ballistic material layer for absorbing high energy impacts, having a first side and a second side. The first side of the ballistic material layer is faced to the second side of structural layer and joined to the structural layer via a progressively detachable interface and, the second side of the ballistic material layer is a free surface.

Abstract: A pressure bulkhead for an aircraft comprising a fuselage. The pressure bulkhead comprises an inflatable element, suitable for being filled with air, which in turn comprises a cover which delimits an inner zone. The pressure bulkhead further comprises a seal suitable for providing an airtight seal between the cover and the fuselage of the aircraft.

Abstract: A leading edge for an airfoil comprising a torsion box, the leading edge comprising a leading plate and a first inflatable element suitable for being filled with air. The leading plate comprises a convex side and a concave side. The first inflatable element is in contact with at least part of the concave side, thus reinforcing the leading plate. An airfoil comprising such a leading edge is also provided.