Abstract: A health and monitoring system or “HUMS” mounted within a hollow structural subassembly of an aircraft landing gear assembly, the subassembly having an access port for access to the HUMS without requiring disassembly of the structural subassembly so as to require jacking up the aircraft.

Abstract: An aircraft assembly having a first region, a second region spaced from the first region by a flexible region, and a deflection sensor. The first region has greater positional stability than the second region such that the second region deflects further from its default position than the first region during in-use loads. The deflection sensor includes a first gyroscope at the first region to generate a first signal representing rotation of the first region about one or more orthogonal axes, and a second gyroscope at the second region to generate a second signal representing rotation of the second region about the one or more axes. The second gyroscope is synchronised in time with the first. A controller subtracts one of the first and second signals from the other to obtain a differential signal representing deflection of the second region relative to the first due to flexing of the flexible region.

Abstract: An aircraft health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) having one or more monitoring sensors arranged to be coupled to an aircraft subassembly to monitor the health of one or more parts of the subassembly and a trigger subsystem. The trigger subsystem includes a sound transducer and a processor, the processor being coupled to the sound transducer to receive and process sound signals from the sound transducer to extract sound information and being coupled to the monitoring sensors to provide control commands to the monitoring sensors. The processor is configured to provide a first control command to the monitoring sensors in response to a first criteria having been met, the first criteria including first sound information.

Abstract: An aircraft assembly having a first region, a second region spaced from the first region by a flexible region, and a deflection sensor. The first region has greater positional stability than the second region such that the second region deflects further from its default position than the first region during in-use loads. The deflection sensor includes a first gyroscope at the first region to generate a first signal representing rotation of the first region about one or more orthogonal axes, and a second gyroscope at the second region to generate a second signal representing rotation of the second region about the one or more axes. The second gyroscope is synchronised in time with the first. A controller subtracts one of the first and second signals from the other to obtain a differential signal representing deflection of the second region relative to the first due to flexing of the flexible region.

Abstract: An aircraft health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) having one or more monitoring sensors arranged to be coupled to an aircraft subassembly to monitor the health of one or more parts of the subassembly and a trigger subsystem. The trigger subsystem includes a sound transducer and a processor, the processor being coupled to the sound transducer to receive and process sound signals from the sound transducer to extract sound information and being coupled to the monitoring sensors to provide control commands to the monitoring sensors. The processor is configured to provide a first control command to the monitoring sensors in response to a first criteria having been met, the first criteria including first sound information.

Abstract: A health and monitoring system or “HUMS” mounted within a hollow structural subassembly of an aircraft landing gear assembly, the subassembly having an access port for access to the HUMS without requiring disassembly of the structural subassembly so as to require jacking up the aircraft.

Abstract: The invention provides an integrated Phased Array (PhA) structural radar transducer, permanently bonded to a structure, that can provide reliable electromechanical connection with corresponding miniaturized electronic SHM device installed above it. The integrated PhA transducer consists of a set of aligned piezo-electric discs with wrap around electrodes for transceiving of elastic ultrasonic waves, plurality of electrical traces and contact pads, several layers of a flexible printed circuit board, electromagnetic shielding between channels and overall, one electromechanical multi-pinned connector and all that integrated into one small unit easy for surface installation by bonding and final application on real structures.

Abstract: The invention provides an integrated Phased Array (PhA) structural radar transducer, permanently bonded to a structure, that can provide reliable electromechanical connection with corresponding miniaturized electronic SHM device installed above it. The integrated PhA transducer consists of a set of aligned piezo-electric discs with wrap around electrodes for transceiving of elastic ultrasonic waves, plurality of electrical traces and contact pads, several layers of a flexible printed circuit board, electromagnetic shielding between channels and overall, one electromechanical multi-pinned connector and all that integrated into one small unit easy for surface installation by bonding and final application on real structures.