Abstract: A trunk route aircraft has at least one wing for supporting the aircraft during flight, and at least one propulsor for forward propulsion of the aircraft. The trunk route aircraft further includes a pressurized trunk route fuselage having a double-bubble cross-sectional shape and a generally vertically-oriented longitudinal bulkhead dividing the trunk route fuselage interior into two side-by-side trunk route payload compartments. The longitudinal bulkhead is loaded in tension when the trunk route fuselage is pressurized. The trunk route payload compartments are each configured to receive a plurality of lightweight ISO (International Organization for Standardization) geometry containers arranged end-to-end, or a plurality of container inserts arranged end-to-end, each container insert also configured to be received within the lightweight ISO-geometry container, or a combination of one or more lightweight ISO-geometry containers and one or more container inserts arranged end-to-end.

Abstract: A galley cart stowage system for stowing galley carts in a galley of an aircraft includes a lower cart compartment and an upper cart compartment located above the lower cart compartment both configured to receive at least one galley cart. At least one vertical conveyance device extends between the cart compartments to move the galley carts between the cart compartments. A galley workspace having a workspace volume is located between the cart compartments. The galley workspace has a countertop movable between a deployed position and a clearance position to form an opening between the lower cart compartment and the upper cart compartment to allow movement of the galley carts between the lower cart compartment and the upper cart compartment.

Abstract: A galley cart stowage system includes lower and upper cart compartments defining lower and upper galley cart cavities receiving the galley carts. The lower galley cart cavity is defined by walls and the upper galley cart cavity is defined by walls. A vertical conveyance device extends between the lower and upper cart compartments to move galley carts therebetween. A galley workspace has a countertop and a workspace volume located above the lower cart compartment and located below the upper cart compartment.

Abstract: Provided are vertical tail structures with symmetry action slat systems. Specifically, a vertical tail structure comprises a main element and a leading edge element. The leading edge element comprises a first slat body and a second slat body that are symmetrically positioned on either side of a longitudinal centerline of the vertical tail structure. Each slat body is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position to increase a camber sag of an airfoil of the vertical tail structure and thereby increase a maximum aerodynamic yawing moment provided by the vertical tail structure. In a first operable mode, each of the slat bodes are in the respective retracted position. In a second operable mode, one of the slat bodies is in the respective extended position. The extended position of each of the slat bodies includes a pitch angle and an extension distance from the main element.

Abstract: A fuselage is described that includes a plurality of frames and a plurality of seat rows spaced apart according to a seat pitch. Each frame includes a lateral floor beam, and each seat row of the plurality of seat rows includes a load-bearing structural base with a plurality of legs attached to a proximal lateral floor beam and a distal lateral floor beam. Each seat row also includes a seat or bank of seats attached to the load-bearing structural base, where the seat or bank of seats includes at least one seat bottom and at least one seat back. Further, each seat row includes an interface between (i) the load-bearing structural base and (ii) the seat or bank of seats to allow for attachment and detachment of the seat or bank of seats relative to the load-bearing structural base.

Abstract: A galley cart stowage system includes lower and upper cart compartments defining lower and upper galley cart cavities receiving the galley carts. The lower galley cart cavity is defined by walls and the upper galley cart cavity is defined by walls. A vertical conveyance device extends between the lower and upper cart compartments to move galley carts therebetween. A galley workspace has a countertop and a workspace volume located above the lower cart compartment and located below the upper cart compartment.

Abstract: A trunk route aircraft has at least one wing for supporting the aircraft during flight, and at least one propulsor for forward propulsion of the aircraft. The trunk route aircraft further includes a pressurized trunk route fuselage having a double-bubble cross-sectional shape and a generally vertically-oriented longitudinal bulkhead dividing the trunk route fuselage interior into two side-by-side trunk route payload compartments. The longitudinal bulkhead is loaded in tension when the trunk route fuselage is pressurized. The trunk route payload compartments are each configured to receive a plurality of lightweight ISO (International Organization for Standardization) geometry containers arranged end-to-end, or a plurality of container inserts arranged end-to-end, each container insert also configured to be received within the lightweight ISO-geometry container, or a combination of one or more lightweight ISO-geometry containers and one or more container inserts arranged end-to-end.

Abstract: Provided are vertical tail structures with symmetry action slat systems. Specifically, a vertical tail structure comprises a main element and a leading edge element. The leading edge element comprises a first slat body and a second slat body that are symmetrically positioned on either side of a longitudinal centerline of the vertical tail structure. Each slat body is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position to increase a camber sag of an airfoil of the vertical tail structure and thereby increase a maximum aerodynamic yawing moment provided by the vertical tail structure. In a first operable mode, each of the slat bodes are in the respective retracted position. In a second operable mode, one of the slat bodies is in the respective extended position. The extended position of each of the slat bodies includes a pitch angle and an extension distance from the main element.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an air-driven augmentor fan equipped aircraft propulsor. The augmentor fan may increase the effective bypass ratio of the aircraft propulsor and reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions of the aircraft. The augmentor fan may be driven by air energized by a ducted fan powered by the core engine of the aircraft propulsor. The energized air may be received by an inlet, flowed through a flow path, and exhausted out the outlet to drive the augmentor fan. The exhausted energized air may impart a torque on the augmentor fan or blades of the augmentor fan. One or more of the inlet, flow path, or outlet may be variable in size to control the volume of air flowed through the flow path.

Abstract: A hybrid fuel airplane and methods are presented. A cryogenic fuel is transferred to an airplane propulsor from an airplane fuel system comprising a cryogenic fuel tank and a jet fuel tank. The cryogenic fuel tank conforms to an outer mold line and carries a cryogenic fuel, and is located in a portion of the airplane body while not extending beyond the outer mold line. The jet fuel tank carries a jet fuel and is located in an airplane wing, or an airplane body, or both. A dynamic aircraft load is born on the cryogenic fuel tank, and the airplane propulsor is operated using the cryogenic fuel to generate thrust for the hybrid fuel airplane. An aerodynamic lift is generated using the airplane wing coupled to the airplane body.

Abstract: Hybrid aircraft propulsors having electrically-driven augmentor fans are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a turbofan having a core engine and a ducted fan to be rotated via the core engine. The ducted fan includes a plurality of ducted fan blades arranged circumferentially around the core engine and circumscribed by a nacelle. The example apparatus further includes an augmentor fan having an augmentor hub ring and a plurality of augmentor fan blades. The augmentor fan blades are arranged circumferentially around the augmentor hub ring and project outwardly relative to an outer surface of the nacelle. The augmentor fan is to rotate separately from the ducted fan. The example apparatus further includes an electrical drive to rotate the augmentor hub ring in response to a supply of electrical energy provided to the electrical drive.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage, having a crown section and a keel, a first passenger cabin, having a first floor, located in an aft portion the fuselage, and a first cargo deck, located below at least a portion of the first passenger cabin. A forward split level cabin including an upper second cabin having a second floor above the level of the first floor, and a lower third cabin beneath the upper second cabin and having a third floor below the level of the first floor. A second cargo deck is located in the forward portion of the fuselage and beneath at least a portion of the lower third cabin. The crown section has a substantially constant cross-sectional shape fore-to-aft above the first passenger cabin and the split level cabin.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an air-driven augmentor fan equipped aircraft propulsor. The augmentor fan may increase the effective bypass ratio of the aircraft propulsor and reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions of the aircraft. The augmentor fan may be driven by air energized by a ducted fan powered by the core engine of the aircraft propulsor. The energized air may be received by an inlet, flowed through a flow path, and exhausted out the outlet to drive the augmentor fan. The exhausted energized air may impart a torque on the augmentor fan or blades of the augmentor fan. One or more of the inlet, flow path, or outlet may be variable in size to control the volume of air flowed through the flow path.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an air-driven augmentor fan equipped aircraft propulsor. The augmentor fan may increase the effective bypass ratio of the aircraft propulsor and reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions of the aircraft. The augmentor fan may be driven by air energized by a ducted fan powered by the core engine of the aircraft propulsor. The energized air may be received by an inlet, flowed through a flow path, and exhausted out the outlet to drive the augmentor fan. The exhausted energized air may impart a torque on the augmentor fan or blades of the augmentor fan. One or more of the inlet, flow path, or outlet may be variable in size to control the volume of air flowed through the flow path.

Abstract: Hybrid aircraft propulsors having electrically-driven augmentor fans are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a turbofan having a core engine and a ducted fan to be rotated via the core engine. The ducted fan includes a plurality of ducted fan blades arranged circumferentially around the core engine and circumscribed by a nacelle. The example apparatus further includes an augmentor fan having an augmentor hub ring and a plurality of augmentor fan blades. The augmentor fan blades are arranged circumferentially around the augmentor hub ring and project outwardly relative to an outer surface of the nacelle. The augmentor fan is to rotate separately from the ducted fan. The example apparatus further includes an electrical drive to rotate the augmentor hub ring in response to a supply of electrical energy provided to the electrical drive.

Abstract: A fuselage is described that includes a plurality of frames and a plurality of seat rows spaced apart according to a seat pitch. Each frame includes a lateral floor beam, and each seat row of the plurality of seat rows includes a load-bearing structural base with a plurality of legs attached to a proximal lateral floor beam and a distal lateral floor beam. Each seat row also includes a seat or bank of seats attached to the load-bearing structural base, where the seat or bank of seats includes at least one seat bottom and at least one seat back. Further, each seat row includes an interface between (i) the load-bearing structural base and (ii) the seat or bank of seats to allow for attachment and detachment of the seat or bank of seats relative to the load-bearing structural base.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an engine mounted to a wing by a first support, such as a strut, configured to secure the engine to the wing in a position above the wing. A second support, secured to a fuselage portion of the aircraft, is defined by a bridge structure configured to separately and independently secure the engine to the fuselage. The engine is thus secured by the first support directly to the aircraft wing, and via the second support, in concert with the first, to a portion of an aircraft fuselage spaced laterally of the engine-to-wing attachment. In one embodiment the bridge structure, which extends between the engine and fuselage, may be bowed upwardly so as to define a convex curvature when viewed along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Such a curvature may, inter alia, optimize aerodynamic spacing of the bridge from the wing to minimize undesirable shock waves.

Abstract: A method and apparatus comprising a plurality of seating systems and a frame for use in a passenger aircraft. A first seating system in the plurality of seating systems may have different dimensions from a second seating system in the plurality of seating systems. A frame may be configured to be connected to the plurality of seating systems.

Abstract: An ultra-efficient “green” aircraft propulsor utilizing an augmentor fan is disclosed. A balanced design is provided combining a fuel efficient and low-noise high bypass ratio augmentor fan and a low-noise shrouded high bypass ratio turbofan. Three mass flow streams are utilized to reduce propulsor specific fuel consumption and increase performance relative to conventional turbofans. Methods are provided for optimization of fuel efficiency, power, and noise by varying mass flow ratios of the three mass flow streams. Methods are also provided for integration of external propellers into turbofan machinery.

Abstract: An aircraft configuration having a crown cabin above a main cabin, with the crown cabin having a hanging floor structure. This enables a fuselage design that substantially increases passenger seating capacity relative to traditional single-passenger-deck configurations, while minimizing fuselage perimeter and fuselage wetted area relative to double-passenger-deck configurations.