Abstract: A strut system for a wing of an aircraft, includes a strut member extending from the wing and a first jury strut assembly associated with the wing. The first jury strut assembly includes a first jury strut, which has a first end connected to the strut member and a second jury strut, which has a first end connected to the strut member, wherein a second end of the first jury strut and a second end of the second jury strut are each connected to the wing spaced apart from one another in a direction of a chord.

Abstract: A device for simultaneously and progressively varying the camber and the angle of attack of a hydrodynamic and aerodynamic profile of a wing, the latter being able to adopt multiple positions including a position at rest, the said profile at rest being in a plane, the device having a wing with a profile having a leading edge at the front and a trailing edge at the rear, a seat arranged in the upper part of the profile of the wing connected at one of its ends to the front upper part of the profile by a first pivot, and at its other end to a lever by a connection point, a lever connected to the rear upper part of the profile by a second pivot, and that at rest, a seat and at least one lever are aligned or substantially aligned along the same axis and are included in the same plane as the profile.

Abstract: A method for regulating an actuator for a control surface is provided, which actuator has an angular position controlled by an autopilot on an aircraft with mechanical flight control. When the value of the torque exerted by the actuator is less than a threshold torque value, the actuator is regulated in terms of position and the maximum speed of movement of the control surface is limited to a value that is dependent on the torque value. When the value of the torque exerted by the actuator is greater than the threshold torque value, the actuator is regulated in terms of torque.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and device for attenuating vertical turbulence encountered by an aircraft during flight. Incorporated into the method and device is a wind determination device, which is used to determine a vertical wind component existing outside the aircraft. A severity level determination unit is used to determine a severity level of the vertical wind component determined by the wind determination device. A control unit calculates at least one control order based on the vertical wind component determined by the wind determination device. In addition, the control unit determines the actual existence of activation conditions determined according to the severity level determined by the severity level determination unit. Upon verifying the activation conditions, the control unit transmits the control order to at least one actuator of the at least one controllable movable member.

Abstract: The Tail Load Monitoring System detects faulty low frequency (e.g. those in the range from 0.1 to 1 Hz) oscillatory conditions caused by Flight Control System malfunctions while the aircraft is in air by means of a continuous assessment of the estimated tail load behavior and data processing. Both estimation and data processing activities are provided by a dedicated architecture featuring a tail load estimation module, a band-pass filter and three independent paths that continuously monitor nuisance fault detection events avoidance, catastrophic events avoidance (addressing a limit load criterion), and structural damage avoidance (addressing fatigue life criteria).

Abstract: Circuits and methods for use on a mobile platform including a flight control system, a structure, an aerodynamic surface, and an actuator operatively coupled to the surface to control the surface. The circuit includes a first and a second input, a summing element, and an output. The first input accepts commands from the flight control system while the second input accepts a vibration signal from the structure. The summing element communicates with the inputs and sums the signal and the command. In turn, the summing element controls the actuator with the summed signal and command.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for suppressing an external acoustic signature of an aircraft having at least one pair of non-intermeshing multiple-blade rotors. During operation of the aircraft, the at least one pair of rotors are rotated in an asymmetrically indexed manner that causes the blades of one of each pair of rotors to be consistently out of phase from the blades of the other of each pair of rotors. The selected amount in degrees of asymmetrical indexing is equal to the desired phasing in degrees divided by a number of blades of one of the rotors.

Abstract: A numerical model related to fluttering of an insect, when an equivalent model of actual structure of a wing of the insect is moved in the air in accordance with a model of fluttering motion of the wing of the insect is calculated by fluid-structure interactive analysis, in which behavior of the wing and behavior of the air are given as numerical values, including interaction therebetween. Thereafter, a method of controlling a fluttering robot, wing shape and the like are determined by modifying numerical models of fluttering of an insect prepared by fluid-structure interactive analysis, in accordance with sensitivity analysis. Accordingly, a method of preparing numerical models of wing and air considering the behavior of the wing of the insect in the air is provided and, in addition, a method of manufacturing a fluttering robot utilizing the numerical model prepared by this method of preparing numerical model can be provided.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for hybrid actuation and suppressing vibration are disclosed. In one embodiment, a hybrid actuator includes a first actuator and a second actuator linked to move a component a combined actuation distance. The first actuator may include a hydraulic piston, and the second actuator may include a piezo-electric actuator. In another embodiment, the first actuator is activated within a first frequency range, and the second actuator is activated within a second frequency range. In another aspect, a method is provided combining a first actuation movement and a second actuation movement. In another embodiment, a system is provided for suppressing movement of a component including a combination of actuators. In a further embodiment, an aircraft is provided with hybrid motion suppression including a first actuator and a second actuator linked to activate a control surface.

Abstract: A method and a device reduces the vibration generated on the structure 17 of a helicopter 2 by the flow of air through the main rotor 5 and by the flow of air along the fuselage 3. The device 1 includes: at least one sensor 18, 19, 20 measuring the vibration generated on the structure 17; and computer element 30 responsive to the vibration measurements to determine variation in the angle of incidence of a tail fin 9 of the helicopter 2 suitable for generating an opposing force {right arrow over (T1)}, {right arrow over (T2)} for opposing the vibration, and transmitting the variation in angle of incidence as determined in this way to a control system 10 for controlling the angle of incidence of the tail fin 9.

Abstract: A method and a device allow for reducing the vibration generated on the structure 17 of a helicopter 2 by the air flow through the main rotor 5 and by the air flow along the fuselage 3. The device 1 includes: at least one sensor 18, 19, 20 measuring the vibration generated on the structure 17; and computer element 30 responsive to the measurements to determine a variation in angle of incidence for a stabilizer 39 of the helicopter 2 that is suitable for generating a vertical opposing force {right arrow over (TZ)} for opposing the vertical vibration, with the variation in angle of incidence as determined in this way being transmitted to a system 10 for controlling the angle of incidence of the stabilizer 39.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for use on a mobile platform including a flight control system, a structure, an aerodynamic surface, and an actuator operatively coupled to the surface to control the surface. The circuit includes a first and a second input, a summing element, and an output. The first input accepts commands from the flight control system while the second input accepts a vibration signal from the structure. The summing element communicates with the inputs and sums the signal and the command. In turn, the summing element controls the actuator with the summed signal and command.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a plurality of solar panels of a spacecraft is described. The method comprises the steps of providing a first step command to a first solar panel, and providing a second step command to a second solar panel at a time of a transient zero-crossing of a dynamic response of the spacecraft body to the first step command, wherein the second solar panel is disposed on an opposite side of the spacecraft from the first solar panel. The apparatus comprises a processor; a first solar panel driver, communicatively coupled to the processor, for providing a first step command to a first solar panel, and a second solar panel driver, communicatively coupled to the processor, for providing a second step command to a second solar panel at a time of a transient zero-crossing of a dynamic response of the spacecraft body to the first step command.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for hybrid actuation and suppressing vibration are disclosed. In one embodiment, a hybrid actuator includes a first actuator and a second actuator linked to move a component a combined actuation distance. The first actuator may include a hydraulic piston, and the second actuator may include a piezo-electric actuator. In another embodiment, the first actuator is activated within a first frequency range, and the second actuator is activated within a second frequency range. In another aspect, a method is provided combining a first actuation movement and a second actuation movement. In another embodiment, a system is provided for suppressing movement of a component including a combination of actuators. In a further embodiment, an aircraft is provided with hybrid motion suppression including a first actuator and a second actuator linked to activate a control surface.

Abstract: A method, computer system, and program product for optimizing a useful objective function with respect to a dynamic parameter vector and a static parameter vector. The method, called the static/dynamic control (MDC) method, either minimizes or maximizes the useful objective function subject to a state equation, initial conditions, terminal conditions, constraints, and dynamic limitations. The SDC method includes an algorithm having two formulations: a period formulation and a fully continuous formulation. With the period formulation, the dynamic optimization variables associated with the dynamic limitations are permitted to be discontinuous, parametric functions of time. With the fully continuous formulation, the dynamic optimization variables are permitted to be continuous, non-parametric functions of time. The SDC method is computer implementable and employs an iterative process including an inner loop and an outer loop.

Abstract: A three-axis stabilized, earth-oriented satellite has an attitude control system with regulators, actuators, an earth sensor that carries out measurements along two axes and a sun-sensor arrangement that also carries out measurements along two axes. The field of view of the sun-sensor arrangement covers the round angle on a plane of the satellite-fixed coordinate system. Only the sun-sensor arrangement and the earth sensor act as measurement transducers. A sun and earth acquisition process for such a satellite has the following steps: seeking the sun; setting the sun vector in a first direction of reference; setting the speed of rotation of the satellite around the sun vector at a constant value; setting the sun vector in a second direction of reference, so that by rotating the satellite around the latter the optical axis of the earth sensor sweeps over the earth; and picking up the earth. Special regulating rules are disclosed.