Abstract: An aircraft wing (2) including a main wing (3) and a wing tip device (4) at the tip of the main wing (3), wherein the wing tip device (4) has a variation of leading edge droop with respect to unrolled span-wise position such that flow separation on the wing tip device (4) first occurs in an outboard region (O) of the wing tip device (4). The leading edge droop of the wing tip device (4) may be a maximum in an outboard region (O) of the wing tip device.

Abstract: A power generating windmill having a plurality of blade extending radially outward from a central rotor in position to be engaged by a moving fluid stream is provided. Each blade partially overlaps the blade prior to and behind it to increase lift forces on the blades.

Abstract: A method of using a split winglet includes providing an aircraft having a winglet attach fitting attaching a split winglet to a wing. The split winglet has an upper winglet and a lower winglet. The method additionally includes maintaining the winglet attach fitting and winglet at a first height relative to a fuselage when the aircraft is non-flying, and moving the winglet attach fitting and winglet to a second height relative to the fuselage when the aircraft is flying, the second height being higher than the first height.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include a curved planar wingtip for a straight wing and a curved planar wingtip for a swept wing of an aircraft. The curved planar wingtips include a member that extends from the end of the wing in a direction aft of the wing trailing edge while remaining substantially planar with the wing. The curved planar wingtips curve continuously from leading and trailing edges of the wing to form a tip located aft of the wing. Other embodiments of the curved planar wingtip are configured for a horizontal or vertical tail. Yet another embodiment includes a curved wingtip that extends aft of a trailing edge of the wing by a distance greater than the curved wingtip extends above a top surface of the wing.

Abstract: Vortex disruption apparatus are permanently or removably installed or attached to cargo and passenger vans, busses, box-trucks, tractor-trailer combinations, or any other vehicle to increase transportation efficiency by reducing drag by minimizing the formation of trailing end vortex flow. A plurality of vortex disruption devices is disposed in proximity to the trailing end of a cargo trailer and in adjacently spaced relation whereby they extend away from the vehicle or trailer surface well beyond the fluid dynamic laminar boundary layer formed as the vehicle passes through the air. Once installed the vortex disruption devices disperse the air flowing over the disrupter while allowing air to flow normally through the spaces between the devices. The vortex disruption devices thereby inhibit the natural convergence of airflow and prevent the formation of a low-pressure vortex beyond the trailing edge of the vehicle.

Abstract: A high-lift device of a flight vehicle includes: a flap main body provided at a trailing edge portion of a main wing of the flight vehicle so as to be extracted from and be retracted in the trailing edge portion and extending in a wing span direction of the main wing; and a vortex suppressing portion provided at a tip end portion of the flap main body in a wing span direction of the flap main body and configured to suppress a vortex rolling up from a lower surface of a tip end portion of the flap main body to an upper surface of the tip end portion.

Abstract: An airfoil tip vortex mitigation device comprising an intake port disposed in a first surface of an airfoil and an exit port in fluid communication with the intake port and disposed in a second surface of the airfoil where air pressure is less than at the first surface when the airfoil is producing lift. The channel and exit port are positioned and configured to direct diverted air in such a way as to weaken an airfoil tip vortex that's produced by the airfoil when the airfoil is producing lift.

Abstract: A wing of an aircraft has a pressure-side flow surface and a suction-side flow surface relative to an assumed main direction of attack and comprises a flow fence disposed on a flow surface, wherein the flow fence extends in the main wing chordwise direction and between a location of the pressure-side flow surface and a location of the suction side flow surface.

Abstract: A method of improving aerodynamic performance of foils by the application of conformal, elastomeric vortex generators. The novel use of elastomers allows the application of various forms of vortex generators to sections that have been problematic from engineering and cost considerations. A novel and efficient vortex generator profile is identified, which develops an additional co rotating vortex at low energy expenditure. The mechanisms allow for the application of transverse vortex generators, or Gurney Flaps/Lift Enhancement Tabs/Divergent Trailing Edges, to propellers, rotorblades, and to wings/flaps/control trailing edges. Cove Tabs are additionally described using an elastomeric transverse vortex generator to achieve performance improvements of a high lift device.

Abstract: A vortex generation apparatus including a vortex generator that deploys in response to deployment of a wing leading edge lift augmentation device. The vortex generator deploys into a position to generate vortices over a main wing body upper surface region trailing the vortex generator.

Abstract: An airfoil tip vortex mitigation device comprising an intake port disposed in a first surface of an airfoil and an exit port in fluid communication with the intake port and disposed in a second surface of the airfoil where air pressure is less than at the first surface when the airfoil is producing lift. The channel and exit port are positioned and configured to direct diverted air in such a way as to weaken an airfoil tip vortex that's produced by the airfoil when the airfoil is producing lift.

Abstract: An airfoil tip vortex mitigation arrangement comprising one or more flow directors configured and positioned to re-direct freestream air over a low pressure surface of an airfoil in such a way as to displace and weaken a main tip vortex generated at a tip of the airfoil.

Abstract: A rakelet comprises a raked portion and a winglet portion that selectively integrate features of raked wingtips and winglets into a wingtip device that improves aircraft endurance and range over standard wings and over other wingtip devices such as raked wings, winglets, and the like. The features of the rakelet can be configured to improve and maximize the range and endurance for any particular aircraft.

Abstract: A winglet comprising a root connected to a distal end of a wing; an upwardly angled section; a tip; and a transition between the upwardly angled section and the tip at which an outboard cant angle of the winglet decreases relative to a reference plane of the wing. In one embodiment the winglet is continuously curved and includes a point of inflection at which the span-wise curvature of the winglet changes sign. In another embodiment the upwardly angled section is planar. The winglet generates a tip vortex when in flight. The tip vortex is displaced outboard from the winglet due to the decrease in outboard cant angle at the transition.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a wing having a positive dihedral, the wing having a tip and a wing tip device mounted in the region of the tip. The wing tip device is generally downwardly extending and has a region inclined at a cant of more than 180 degrees. The region is arranged to generate lift during flight. The region inclined at a cant of more than 180 degrees may be located at the distal end of the wing tip device. The wing tip may be swept and may aeroelastically deform during flight.

Abstract: A method and a device for creating a continuous protected space along the path of an aircraft, in which protected space a maximum induced speed Vtc in a vortex of radius Rtc in the wake of an aircraft is decreased by increasing the radius Rtc. The method includes a preliminary step of identifying changes in the aerodynamic configurations of the aircraft liable to initiate disruptions in the wake that will have the effect of increasing the radius Rtc, —for each change in configuration determining beforehand the characteristics of propagation of the wake disturbances in the vortex, —carrying out, along the course of the aircraft, at least two configuration changes separated by a distance such that spaces, in which the effects of the wake disturbances resulting from each of the configuration changes propagated for a predetermined length of time, forms a substantially continuous protected space.

Abstract: A method of assembling a blade extension assembly for use with a wind turbine. The method includes removing a tip end of a tip portion of a rotor blade and coupling a tip wall to the tip portion. The tip wall extends between a first sidewall and a second sidewall and includes a plurality of slots defined therein. A blade extension assembly is coupled to the tip portion.

Abstract: A system and method for docking various types of aircraft is disclosed. An aerodynamic lifting structure docking mechanism for docking two or more aircraft is provided comprising an aerodynamic lifting structure. The aerodynamic lifting structure includes a first and second airflow adjustment mechanism. The aerodynamic lifting structure further includes a first hard docking mechanism, and a second hard docking mechanism, and still further includes a soft docking mechanism. The first and second airflow adjustment mechanisms are configured to substantially remove any aerodynamic lifting structure vortices around each of the aerodynamic lifting structure tip areas. The soft docking mechanism is configured to soft dock a first aerodynamic lifting structure with a second aerodynamic lifting structure. The first hard docking mechanism is configured to hard dock with the second hard docking mechanism, thereby temporarily attaching the first aerodynamic lifting structure with the second aerodynamic lifting structure.

Abstract: A high-lift flap of an aircraft is provided having a device for influencing the flap vortex as well as a device for influencing the flap vortex at the lateral edge of the aerodynamic high-lift flap, which can be achieved effectively and at low cost.

Abstract: A system and a method according to the invention reduce wake turbulence of an aircraft in that a component affixed to the extremity of the wing of an aircraft disturbs the rolling action of the air in the region of the outer wing by periodic hingeing movements.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a wing having a positive dihedral, the wing having a tip and a wing tip device mounted in the region of the tip. The wing tip device is generally downwardly extending and has a region inclined at a cant of more than 180 degrees. The region is arranged to generate lift during flight. The region inclined at a cant of more than 180 degrees may be located at the distal end of the wing tip device. The wing tip may be swept and may aeroelastically deform during flight.

Abstract: A method of controlling an aircraft in a turn without the use of a rudder by producing induced yaw. Induced yaw being produced by creating a net induced drag differential between an inboard wing to the turn and an outboard wing to the turn, whereby the net induced drag differential overcomes adverse yaw produced by the outboard wing.

Abstract: An airfoil includes a plasma actuation surface integrated onto the airfoil surface. On the airfoil, the plasma actuation surface is configured to provide high-frequency plasma actuation along the plasma actuation surface such that excitation of the vortex flow or shear flow mitigates the vortex flow or the shear flow associated with the airfoil.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing variable geometry winglets to an aircraft are disclosed. In one embodiment, a winglet includes a base portion configured to attach to a wing. The winglet further includes a body portion. In turn, the body portion includes at least one of a deflectable control surface, a shape memory alloy (SMA) bending plate, and a SMA torque tube. The base portion is configured to attach to the wing such that the body portion projects at an upward angle from the wing.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for the controlled trailing wake flows. An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment is directed to an aircraft system that includes an airfoil having first and second oppositely facing flow surfaces and a tip. The system can further include a vortex dissipation device carried by the airfoil, with the vortex dissipation device including a fluid flow nozzle, a valve device, and a controller. The fluid flow nozzle can be coupleable to a source of pressurized fluid and can include an orifice positioned to direct a flow of fluid outwardly from the tip. The valve device can be coupled in fluid communication with the fluid flow nozzle to selectively control the flow passing through the orifice. The controller can be coupled to the valve device to direct the operation of the valve device. Accordingly, the vortex dissipation device can be activated to accelerate the rate at which vortices (e.g., wing tip vortices) dissipate after they are generated.

Abstract: Air pressure distribution for airfoil lower and upper surfaces is utilized to divert airflow using ducts formed in space-curve shapes placed inside the airfoil volume, through span-wise located inlets from high pressure areas on the airfoil lower surface near the leading edge and through chord-wise spaced inlets on the side face of the airfoil wing tip correspondingly to the side face of the airfoil wing tip through chord-wise spaced outlets on the side face of the airfoil wing tip and to span-wise located outlets to the low pressure areas on the airfoil upper surface. Triboelectric materials on the wing surfaces are employed to static charge the air in drag. Inside the ducts, the employment of either triboelectric linings and materials, or HV-supplied electrodes, or both, help to static charge the diverted air flow to and from the airfoil wing tip side face to diffuse wing tip vortex core early.

Abstract: A method of controlling an aircraft in a turn without the use of a rudder by producing induced yaw. Induced yaw being produced by creating a net induced drag differential between an inboard wing to the turn and an outboard wing to the turn, whereby the net induced drag differential overcomes adverse yaw produced by the outboard wing.

Abstract: A brake flap is provided for an aircraft, which brake flap, for the purpose of delaying the aircraft, can be set at an angle relative to the airstream flowing around it. The flap comprises a free edge which when set at an angle is spaced apart from the exterior skin of the aircraft, and generates an edge vortex in the airstream flowing around said aircraft. The free edge comprises a number of individual edge sections that divide the edge vortex into a number of partial vortices.