Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage and a pair of wings. Each wing is coupled to the fuselage at a wing-fuselage joint, and is supported by a strut coupled to the fuselage at a strut-fuselage joint and coupled to the wing at a strut-wing joint. The strut-fuselage joint is located below and at least partially aft of the wing-fuselage joint. The wing generates a lifting force when air passes over the wing. The lifting force induces a vertical moment about the wing-fuselage joint due to the location of the strut-fuselage joint below and at least partially aft of the wing-fuselage joint. The wing and/or the strut has a structural arrangement configured to counteract the vertical moment.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage and a pair of wings. Each wing is coupled to the fuselage at a wing-fuselage joint, and is supported by a strut coupled to the fuselage at a strut-fuselage joint and coupled to the wing at a strut-wing joint. The strut-fuselage joint is located below and at least partially aft of the wing-fuselage joint. The wing generates a lifting force when air passes over the wing. The lifting force induces a vertical moment about the wing-fuselage joint due to the location of the strut-fuselage joint below and at least partially aft of the wing-fuselage joint. The wing and/or the strut has a structural arrangement configured to counteract the vertical moment.

Abstract: Described herein is an aircraft. The aircraft comprises a body. The aircraft also comprises a wing coupled to and extending from the body. The wing comprises a wing inboard end portion, a wing outboard end portion, opposite the wing inboard end portion, and an intermediate portion between the wing inboard end portion and the wing outboard end portion. The aircraft further comprises a strut. The strut comprises a strut inboard end portion coupled to and extending from the body and a strut outboard end portion coupled to and extending from the intermediate portion of the wing. The aircraft additionally comprises at least one aerodynamic control surface movably coupled to the strut.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to extend a leading-edge vortex of a highly-swept wing aircraft wing are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a shoulder wing coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft above a highly-swept wing of the aircraft, the shoulder wing operative in a first position to extend a leading-edge vortex spanwise along the highly-swept wing of the aircraft.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a body, a wing coupled to and extending from the body, and a strut. The wing includes a wing thickest region bounded by a wing thickest region leading boundary and a wing thickest region trailing boundary. The strut includes a strut thickest region bounded by a strut thickest region leading boundary and a strut thickest region trailing boundary. In a planform view, the wing thickest region overlaps the strut thickest region at an overlap region, where the overlap region including less than fifteen percent of the strut thickest region.

Abstract: An aircraft that comprises a body, a wing, and a strut. The wing is coupled to and extends from the body. The wing comprises a wing inboard end portion, a wing outboard end portion, opposite the wing inboard end portion, and an intermediate portion between the wing inboard end portion and the wing outboard end portion. The strut comprises a strut inboard end portion and a strut outboard end portion. The strut inboard end portion is coupled to and extends from the body and the strut outboard end portion is coupled to and extends from the intermediate portion of the wing. The strut outboard end portion of the strut is configured to generate a download acting on the strut outboard end portion of the strut when the aircraft is in flight.

Abstract: An aircraft nose gear-mounted flight control device promotes aircraft stability during low-speed phases of flight, including take-offs and landings. The flight control device is an operable airfoil secured to an aircraft nose gear, either to a vertical support strut or to a wheel axle thereof. The airfoil is deployed when the nose gear is deployed, and is retracted when the nose gear is retracted. Upon deployment, the airfoil is effective to at least provide aircraft pitch control. In some configurations, the airfoil deploys as two separate but mirror-imaged left and right airfoil components that move in concert to provide pitch control. In other configurations, the airfoil components move at relatively different angular rates and amounts to provide both pitch and roll control. The entire airfoil may be pivotal for pitch control, or may instead be fixed, but have moveable flaps or flap-like portions that provide pitch control.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an aircraft that comprises a body, a wing, and a strut. The wing is coupled to and extends from the body. A strut inboard end portion is coupled to and extends from the body and a strut outboard end portion is coupled to and extends from an intermediate portion of the wing. The wing further comprises a first thinned portion adjacent the intermediate portion of the wing. An overall thickness of the first thinned portion of the wing decreases and increases in a spanwise direction along the wing. The strut further comprises a second thinned portion adjacent the outboard end portion of the strut. An overall thickness of the second thinned portion of the strut decreases and increases in a spanwise direction along the strut.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a body, a wing coupled to and extending from the body, and a strut. The wing includes a wing thickest region bounded by a wing thickest region leading boundary and a wing thickest region trailing boundary. The strut includes a strut thickest region bounded by a strut thickest region leading boundary and a strut thickest region trailing boundary. In a planform view, the wing thickest region overlaps the strut thickest region at an overlap region, where the overlap region including less than fifteen percent of the strut thickest region.

Abstract: Described herein is an aircraft. The aircraft comprises a body. The aircraft also comprises a wing coupled to and extending from the body. The wing comprises a wing inboard end portion, a wing outboard end portion, opposite the wing inboard end portion, and an intermediate portion between the wing inboard end portion and the wing outboard end portion. The aircraft further comprises a strut. The strut comprises a strut inboard end portion coupled to and extending from the body and a strut outboard end portion coupled to and extending from the intermediate portion of the wing. The aircraft additionally comprises at least one aerodynamic control surface movably coupled to the strut.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an aircraft that comprises a body, a wing, and a strut. The wing is coupled to and extends from the body. A strut inboard end portion is coupled to and extends from the body and a strut outboard end portion is coupled to and extends from an intermediate portion of the wing. The wing further comprises a first thinned portion adjacent the intermediate portion of the wing. An overall thickness of the first thinned portion of the wing decreases and increases in a spanwise direction along the wing. The strut further comprises a second thinned portion adjacent the outboard end portion of the strut. An overall thickness of the second thinned portion of the strut decreases and increases in a spanwise direction along the strut.

Abstract: An aircraft that comprises a body, a wing, and a strut. The wing is coupled to and extends from the body. The wing comprises a wing inboard end portion, a wing outboard end portion, opposite the wing inboard end portion, and an intermediate portion between the wing inboard end portion and the wing outboard end portion. The strut comprises a strut inboard end portion and a strut outboard end portion. The strut inboard end portion is coupled to and extends from the body and the strut outboard end portion is coupled to and extends from the intermediate portion of the wing. The strut outboard end portion of the strut is configured to generate a download acting on the strut outboard end portion of the strut when the aircraft is in flight.

Abstract: An aircraft nose gear-mounted flight control device promotes aircraft stability during low-speed phases of flight, including take-offs and landings. The flight control device is an operable airfoil secured to an aircraft nose gear, either to a vertical support strut or to a wheel axle thereof. The airfoil is deployed when the nose gear is deployed, and is retracted when the nose gear is retracted. Upon deployment, the airfoil is effective to at least provide aircraft pitch control. In some configurations, the airfoil deploys as two separate but mirror-imaged left and right airfoil components that move in concert to provide pitch control. In other configurations, the airfoil components move at relatively different angular rates and amounts to provide both pitch and roll control. The entire airfoil may be pivotal for pitch control, or may instead be fixed, but have moveable flaps or flap-like portions that provide pitch control.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to extend a leading-edge vortex of a highly-swept wing aircraft wing are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a shoulder wing coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft above a highly-swept wing of the aircraft, the shoulder wing operative in a first position to extend a leading-edge vortex spanwise along the highly-swept wing of the aircraft.

Abstract: Multi-directional control using upper surface blowing systems is described herein. One disclosed example method includes a flow director of an aircraft, where the flow director is to cause an exhaust stream of an upper surface blowing system to attach to a fuselage of the aircraft, and a controller to control the flow director to affect one or more of a pitch, a yaw or a roll of the aircraft by varying a degree of the attachment of the exhaust stream to the fuselage.

Abstract: An airfoil may include a leading edge and a shape control mechanism. The leading edge may include a flexible leading edge skin having a first end, a second end, and an arc length defined therebetween. The shape control mechanism may be attached to the flexible leading edge skin at a plurality of support locations and may transition the flexible leading edge skin from a first shape having a first curvature profile to a second shape having a second curvature profile different than the first curvature profile without a change in the arc length.

Abstract: Multi-directional control using upper surface blowing systems is described herein. One disclosed example method includes a flow director of an aircraft, where the flow director is to cause an exhaust stream of an upper surface blowing system to attach to a fuselage of the aircraft, and a controller to control the flow director to affect one or more of a pitch, a yaw or a roll of the aircraft by varying a degree of the attachment of the exhaust stream to the fuselage.

Abstract: A mechanism for changing a shape of a leading edge of an airfoil may include a first rib and a second rib. The first rib may include a plurality of first rib segments. The first rib may move between a first folded shape and a first extended shape. The second rib may include a plurality of second rib segments. The second rib may move between a second folded shape and a second extended shape. An actuator may be coupled to the first rib, the second rib, or both, to move the first rib, the second rib, or both, between their respective folded and extended shapes.

Abstract: A mechanism for changing a shape of a leading edge of an airfoil may include a first rib and a second rib. The first rib may include a plurality of first rib segments. The first rib may move between a first folded shape and a first extended shape. The second rib may include a plurality of second rib segments. The second rib may move between a second folded shape and a second extended shape. An actuator may be coupled to the first rib, the second rib, or both, to move the first rib, the second rib, or both, between their respective folded and extended shapes.

Abstract: A vortex generator may include a depression in an aerodynamic surface, and a vortex generator leading edge located in the depression. The vortex generator leading edge may include a leading edge upper surface. The leading edge upper surface may be positioned at or below a tangent line defined at a location along the aerodynamic surface upstream of the depression relative to an oncoming local flow.