Abstract: A system and method for configuring an aircraft for low sonic boom supersonic flight conditions includes redistributing lift of a wing by configuring the wing with one or more areas of far-field expansion ahead of areas of far-field compression. An equivalent area distribution goal curve is scaled to account for the equivalent area reduction due to excursions below to goal curve. A relaxed constraint allows the equivalent area distribution of the aircraft to be at or below the equivalent area distribution goal curve to enable multiple parameters to be configured to meet the equivalent area distribution constraint, as well as other constraints. The system and method can be adapted to aid in the design of any type of vehicle whose surfaces are subject to supersonic fluid flow, especially to reduce sonic boom.

Abstract: An aircraft capable of supersonic flight comprises a body portion including a fuselage, a wing, and an engine nacelle mounted below the wing. The aircraft may also include a high-mounted aft, tail. The area/lift distribution of the body portion is tailored to reduce sonic boom disturbance. The body portion further includes a blunt nose and a gull dihedral wing configuration that further reduces sonic boom disturbance and eases constraints on area/lift distribution tailoring. The gull dihedral wing or tail is configured to carry lifting force to its trailing edge to create an expansion at the aft end of the aircraft that reduces aft sonic boom ground shock strength. The volume of the mid-portion of the fuselage can be reduced above the wing to create a sloped surface that generates an expansion fan over the wings.

Abstract: A wing for use on a supersonic aircraft that includes an inboard section a central section of the wing outboard of the inboard portion, and an outboard section. The outboard section can be a winglet oriented anhedrally relative to a lateral axis of the supersonic aircraft. Leading edge segments on the inboard section, central section and outboard winglet may have mounted thereon leading-edge flaps. These flaps are adjusted by a control system operable to reposition the leading-edge flaps in order to improve the aerodynamic performance of the supersonic aircraft. This winglet promotes sonic boom minimization. Further, the wing tip anhedral allows greater inboard dihedral. This effectively pushes lift aft for sonic boom and control purposes while minimizing the movement of control surfaces.

Abstract: A supersonic aircraft comprises a fuselage extending forward and aft, wings coupled to lateral sides of the fuselage, and canards coupled to lateral sides of the fuselage forward of the wings. The individual canards are configured to generate shocks that wrap around the fuselage and intersect with wing leading edges on opposing sides of the fuselage.

Abstract: A vertical stabilizer is configured to minimize the rate of change of cross-sectional area distribution of the vehicle or device to which the vertical stabilizer is mounted. One or more “waisted” areas can be included at the tip and/or the root of the vertical stabilizers, as well as over the distance from tip to root of the vertical stabilizer. In some situations, a strake is mounted on the vehicle or device, such as an aircraft, and the vertical stabilizer is mounted to the tip of the strake. The strake can also be area ruled with one or more “waisted” sections at the juncture of the vertical stabilizer. Applying area ruling to the vertical stabilizer helps to further reduce the drag of the vehicle or device.

Abstract: A supersonic cruise configuration aircraft comprises a fuselage extending on a longitudinal axis from a forward nose to an aft tail, and a wing coupled at an inboard section to the fuselage and extending to an outboard tip, and having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The aircraft further comprises a landing gear that is coupled to the wing and capable of stowing into the wing and fuselage on retraction. The landing gear has a landing gear strut. The wing is gulled with a dihedral at an angle that is increased inboard and aligns with the retracted landing gear. The wing has a minimum thickness sufficient to enclose the landing gear.

Abstract: An aircraft thickness/camber control device mounts to the lower surface of a airfoil configuration, for example on a fuselage, and extends along a longitudinal axis. The device, when deployed, generates expansions ahead of compressions generated by off-design conditions, inlet spillage for example, and enables maintenance of a low boom signature. The device, when positioned at appropriate locations, may also be used as a drag reduction device. The thickness/camber control device comprises a structural member capable of coupling to the airfoil at a position forward of the concentrated source of added compression and a control element. The control element is coupled to the structural member and controls the structural member to adjust thickness/camber of the configuration to cancel the far-field effect of the extra compression or concentrated pressure source.

Abstract: An aircraft capable of supersonic flight comprises a body portion including a fuselage, a wing, and an engine nacelle mounted below the wing. The aircraft may also include a high-mounted aft, tail. The area/lift distribution of the body portion is tailored to reduce sonic boom disturbance. The body portion further includes a blunt nose and a gull dihedral wing configuration that further reduces sonic boom disturbance and eases constraints on area/lift distribution tailoring. The gull dihedral wing or tail is configured to carry lifting force to its trailing edge to create an expansion at the aft end of the aircraft that reduces aft sonic boom ground shock strength. The volume of the mid-portion of the fuselage can be reduced above the wing to create a sloped surface that generates an expansion fan over the wings.

Abstract: A method and design system for a low drag vehicle includes determining a plurality of configurations for at least two different Mach numbers that minimize the rate of change of cross-sectional area of the vehicle in accordance with the Sears-Haack minimum drag body. A user can specify design objectives and constraints to meet in determining optimum configurations for the vehicle, and the configurations are averaged to determine a final configuration. The at least two configurations can be weighted to emphasize optimum performance at particular operating conditions before averaging the configurations. The second order derivative of cross-sectional area for the final configuration can be smoothed, and then integrated twice to determine the cross-sectional area.

Abstract: An aircraft lift device comprises a strake capable of coupling to an aircraft fuselage and extending to a leading edge of a wing. The strake has a leading edge. The life device further comprises a leading-edge flap coupled to the strake leading edge.

Abstract: A supersonic aircraft comprises a fuselage extending forward and aft along a longitudinal axis, the fuselage having a lower surface and an upper surface, a highly swept low aspect ratio wing coupled to the fuselage and having a forward leading edge and an aft trailing edge, an effector flap coupled to the wing trailing edge, and a tail empennage. The tail empennage is coupled to the fuselage aft of the wing on the fuselage upper surface in a position high relative to the wing. The tail empennage forms a channel region subject to complex shock patterns at transonic conditions. The aircraft further comprises an effector coupled to the tail empennage and a controller coupled to the effector flaps and the effectors. The controller further comprises a control process that reduces drag through channel relief by deflecting both the effector flap down and the effector up.

Abstract: A supersonic aircraft comprises a wing, a fuselage, a plurality of fuel tanks contained within the wing and/or fuselage, and a fuel transfer system communicatively coupled to the plurality of fuel tanks and capable of transferring fuel among the plurality of fuel tanks. The aircraft further comprises at least one sensor capable of indicating a flight parameter and a controller. The controller is coupled to the one or more sensors and to the fuel transfer system. The controller can transfer fuel among the plurality of fuel tanks and adjust the aircraft center of gravity to reduce trim drag and increase aircraft range.

Abstract: A system receives information regarding current flight conditions of a device such as an aircraft and determines the acoustic level of the sonic boom and/or other noise generated by the device during operation. The current acoustic level is compared to a desired level, and various cues are displayed to operators regarding corrective actions that can be taken to reduce or maintain the acoustic level at the desired level. The system also predicts future acoustic levels based on current operating conditions, and varies the urgency of the cues based on whether and how quickly the device will exceed the desired acoustic level. Options to limit maneuvers and to automatically adjust operating condition parameters can be enabled. Options to display additional information regarding past, current, and predicted acoustic levels can also be selected. Signals that can be used to automatically control the acoustic level of a device during operation can also be generated for use in devices that can operate autonomously.

Abstract: A method for integrating an engine nacelle below the wing of a supersonic aircraft with low sonic boom capabilities includes determining the shape of a reflexed portion of the airfoil on the underside of the wing, and a corresponding shape for the upper surface of the nacelle to provide favorable interaction between the wing and the nacelle. In some configurations, the reflex and/or the nacelle are shaped to maintain positive pressure under the reflexed portion of the wing, to the trailing edge of the wing. A gull dihedral wing is designed to form a partial shroud around the nacelle. Such configurations reduce drag at the trailing edge of the wing, and the force of the positive pressure on the gull dihedral wing portion provides additional lift that partially offsets drag from the nacelle.

Abstract: An aircraft capable of supersonic flight comprises a body portion including a fuselage, a wing, and an engine nacelle mounted below the wing. The aircraft may also include a high-mounted aft, tail. The area/lift distribution of the body portion is tailored to reduce sonic boom disturbance. The body portion further includes a blunt nose and a gull dihedral wing configuration that further reduces sonic boom disturbance and eases constraints on area/lift distribution tailoring. The gull dihedral wing or tail is configured to carry lifting force to its trailing edge to create an expansion at the aft end of the aircraft that reduces aft sonic boom ground shock strength. The volume of the mid-portion of the fuselage can be reduced above the wing to create a sloped surface that generates an expansion fan over the wings.

Abstract: A supersonic aircraft comprises a wing having upper and lower surfaces and extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge and at least two engine nacelles coupled to the lower surface of the wing on the trailing edge. The supersonic aircraft further comprises an inverted V-tail abutting to the upper side of the wing comprising a central vertical stabilizer, at least two inverted stabilizers coupled to sides of the central vertical stabilizer and coupled to the wing and supporting at least two engine nacelles, and at least two ruddervators respectively pivotally coupled to at least two inverted stabilizers. The supersonic aircraft also comprises a controller coupled to at least two ruddervators and capable of adjusting the aircraft longitudinal lift distribution throughout a flight envelope to maintain a reduced sonic boom and reduced drag trim condition.

Abstract: The present invention provides improvements for supersonic aircraft, joined-wing aircraft and sonic boom reduction, separately and in combination, for long range supersonic cruise aircraft with reduced sonic boom loudness. Several designs for integrating and supporting a propulsion system with reduced transonic and supersonic drag are disclosed. A tail-braced wing configuration for supporting a propulsion system installation with minimum draft interference and reduced structural weight is provided. A method for designing an improved wing in the presence of a propulsion system supersonic pressure disturbance is also provided. The drag reducing features synergistically help in meeting a shaped sonic boom minimized lift and area distribution. The tail-braced wing design and other asymmetric area distribution features further reduce the shaped sonic boom minimum. For example, boom pressure at audible frequencies may be reduced 30 to 100 times for business jets.

Abstract: An aircraft capable of supersonic flight comprises a body portion including a fuselage, a wing, and an engine nacelle mounted below the wing. The aircraft may also include a high-mounted aft, tail. The area/lift distribution of the body portion is tailored to reduce sonic boom disturbance. The body portion further includes a blunt nose and a gull dihedral wing configuration that further reduces sonic boom disturbance and eases constraints on area/lift distribution tailoring. The gull dihedral wing or tail is configured to carry lifting force to its trailing edge to create an expansion at the aft end of the aircraft that reduces aft sonic boom ground shock strength. The volume of the mid-portion of the fuselage can be reduced above the wing to create a sloped surface that generates an expansion fan over the wings.

Abstract: The present invention provides improvements for supersonic aircraft, joined-wing aircraft and sonic boom reduction, separately and in combination, for long range supersonic cruise aircraft with reduced sonic boom loudness. Several designs for integrating and supporting a propulsion system with reduced transonic and supersonic drag are disclosed. A tail-braced wing configuration for supporting a propulsion system installation with minimum draft interference and reduced structural weight is provided. A method for designing an improved wing in the presence of a propulsion system supersonic pressure disturbance is also provided. The drag reducing features synergistically help in meeting a shaped sonic boom minimized lift and area distribution. The tail-braced wing design and other asymmetric area distribution features further reduce the shaped sonic boom minimum. For example, boom pressure at audible frequencies may be reduced 30 to 100 times for business jets.