Abstract: One embodiment is a rotorcraft comprising a fuselage; an empennage at an aft end of the fuselage; a tail rotor connected to the empennage; and a tail rotor guard (TRG) around the tail rotor, the TRG shrouding to the tail rotor; and a light emitting diode (LED) lighting element integrated into at least one surface of the TRG.

Abstract: One embodiment is an apparatus for inhibiting accidental contact by a human with a tail rotor connected to an empennage of an aircraft. The apparatus includes an inverted V-tail connected to an empennage of the aircraft forward of the tail rotor, the inverted V-tail stabilizer comprising a first V-tail stabilizer on a side of the empennage to which the tail rotor is connected and a second V-tail stabilizer on a side of the empennage opposite the side of the empennage to which the tail rotor is connected; and a shroud bar having a first end connected to an outboard end of the first V-tail stabilizer and a second end opposite the first end connected to the empennage aft of the tail rotor, wherein a horizontal distance from the shroud bar to the tail rotor is greater than a length of an arm of the human.

Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, including: a vehicle controller circuit programmed to operate the VTOL aircraft without an onboard human operator; a rotor system; an airframe; and an external cargo coupling to receive an external payload of at least approximately 300 pounds beneath the airframe.

Abstract: An aircraft has a seat that has at least one of (1) a nonplanar back surface profile and a touch sensitive film display system carried by the seat and configured to conform to the nonplanar back surface profile and (2) a privacy screen selectively stowed within an interior of the seat. An aircraft has a pilot seat, a passenger seat disposed aft relative to the pilot seat, and a holographic display system configured to project a holographic image in a space between the pilot seat and the passenger seat.

Abstract: A shoe includes a sole and an upper secured to the sole. The sole has an outsole, a molded chassis, a forefoot cushion, and a heel cushion. The medial midfoot region of the outsole is devoid of the outsole such that the chassis member is visible as viewed in a bottom plan view. The molded chassis has a forefoot opening and a heel opening, with both the forefoot opening and the heel opening being through openings extending through the molded chassis. The forefoot opening is in one or more of the toe region and the ball region of the sole, and the heel opening is in the heel region of the sole. The forefoot cushion is in the forefoot opening, and the heel cushion is in the heel opening. The molded chassis is coupled to the outsole and coupled to the upper.

Abstract: A shoe includes a sole and an upper secured to the sole. The sole has an outsole, a molded chassis, a forefoot cushion, and a heel cushion. The medial midfoot region of the outsole is devoid of the outsole such that the chassis member is visible as viewed in a bottom plan view. The molded chassis has a forefoot opening and a heel opening, with both the forefoot opening and the heel opening being through openings extending through the molded chassis. The forefoot opening is in one or more of the toe region and the ball region of the sole, and the heel opening is in the heel region of the sole. The forefoot cushion is in the forefoot opening, and the heel cushion is in the heel opening. The molded chassis is coupled to the outsole and coupled to the upper.