| AIRBUS UK LIMITED Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20110231056 | METHOD OF OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A method of operating an aircraft fuel management system for an aircraft having at least one fuel tank, each fuel tank having an associated fuel quantity indicator arranged to provide an indication of the amount of fuel in the associated fuel tank, the method comprising calculating a value for the amount of fuel on board (FOB_FailedFQI) the aircraft to be utilised by the fuel management system in the event of a failure of at least one of the fuel quantity indicators, the amount of fuel on board being calculated as a value for the initial amount of fuel on board (FOBinit) minus the amount of fuel used. Additionally or alternatively a value for the gross weight centre of gravity of the aircraft is calculated using an assigned value of fuel for each of the fuel tanks having an associated failed fuel quantity indicator. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110226906 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF AN AIRCRAFT - A method of controlling the centre of gravity of an aircraft having a plurality of fuel tanks, the method comprising transferring fuel from one or more of the fuel tanks according to a predetermined sequence, the timing of the sequence being dependent on the decrease in gross weight of the aircraft. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110224871 | FUEL TRANSFER MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A fuel monitoring system for automatically monitoring a fuel transfer in an aircraft fuel system, the fuel system including a plurality of fuel tanks, the fuel monitoring system comprises a fuel quantity sensor arranged to measure the quantity of fuel in a first fuel tank and a data processor arranged to receive a fuel quantity measurement from the sensor, wherein in response to receiving a command to transfer fuel from the first fuel tank to one or more further fuel tanks the data processor is arranged to determine the rate of change of fuel quantity in the first tank from the received fuel quantity measurement and if the rate of change of fuel quantity is less than a threshold value and the received fuel quantity measurement is greater than an expected value then the data processor is further arranged to provide an output indicating that the commanded fuel transfer has failed. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110220006 | COMPOSITE LAMINATE STRUCTURE - A structure comprising a composite laminate having an edge; and an impact indicator which is carried by the edge and comprises a resin which fractures upon impact. The fracture provides permanent visible evidence of impact damage, for instance by cracking or by one or more pieces breaking off from the impact indicator. As well as providing such visible evidence of impact damage, the impact indicator may also provide an element of impact protection. Typically the impact indicator is formed from a resin which is more brittle and less strong than the material forming the composite laminate. For instance the material forming the composite laminate may be reinforced, and the resin forming the impact indicator may be un-reinforced. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110198997 | AIRCRAFT LIGHT UNIT - This invention relates to aircraft light units, in particular aircraft light units used when landing and taxiing an aircraft. The invention provides an aircraft light unit comprising a first light source with a principal beam axis in a first direction and a second light source with a principal beam axis in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction. The first and second light sources are arranged such that they can combine to create a net light beam in a plurality of different directions by variation of the power supplied to the light sources. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110185553 | REMOVAL OF COMPONENTS FROM AIRCRAFT - A method of removing a component from an aircraft includes attaching a device comprising a guide member to the aircraft; attaching the component (such as an actuator) to the guide member; detaching the component from the rest of the aircraft; and moving the guide member so that the component follows a predefined path of removal of the component. A device for use in such a method is also described. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110147994 | Method for forming composite components and tool for use therein - A method of making an aircraft component is provided, wherein the method comprises the steps of: | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110146570 | Self curing injection nozzle - An injection nozzle having a nozzle body defining an injection cavity and at least one curing device integrally formed within the nozzle body. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110139937 | Method and apparatus for deploying an auxiliary lift foil - Apparatus connecting an auxiliary lift foil, such as a flap or slat, to a main lift element. The apparatus comprises: a drop link pivotally coupled to the main lift element by a first hinge and to the auxiliary lift foil by a second hinge, wherein the drop link is substantially rigid between the first and second hinges; and a linkage mechanism pivotally coupled to the auxiliary lift foil by a third hinge which is spaced from the second hinge, and to the main lift element by as fourth hinge. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110036944 | SLAT DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM - An aircraft slat deployment mechanism comprising: a first drive member coupled to the slat at a first pivot point; and a second drive member coupled to the slat at a second pivot point which is offset from the first pivot point. A first rack is provided on the first drive member, and a first pinion is carried by the drive shaft. The first pinion is arranged to transmit mechanical power from the drive shaft to the first drive member via the first rack. A second rack is provided on the second drive member, and a second pinion is carried by the drive shaft. The second pinion has a different radius to the first pinion. The second pinion is arranged to transmit mechanical power from the drive shaft to the second drive member via the second rack, such that the second drive member moves at a different speed to the first drive member. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110031348 | LANDING GEAR WITH COMPOSITE LEAF SPRING - An aircraft landing gear comprising: an arm mounted to a pivot and carrying one or more wheel assemblies; and a composite leaf spring which is coupled to the arm and arranged to provide a resilient biasing force which opposes rotation of the arm about the pivot. The arm can be made relatively stiff in comparison with the leaf spring, so that load is transferred directly into the pivot without a large amount of bending of the leg. The leaf spring shock absorber typically has a reduced part count compared with a conventional oleo-pneumatic shock absorber. By forming the leaf spring from a composite material, its weight is significantly reduced in comparison with a conventional metal spring, making it suitable for use on a relatively large aircraft. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110024557 | LANDING GEAR - In the retracted position, aircraft landing gear of an aircraft is supported by an uplock hook. The deployment of the aircraft landing gear includes the steps of supporting at least part of the weight of the landing gear by a releasable catch in the form of an uplock hook, applying a lifting force to the landing gear to remove at least part of the load sustained by the releasable catch, releasing the catch and effecting the downward movement of the landing gear to the deployed position. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110001004 | Landing Gear - An aircraft landing gear is arranged such that in its deployed position it is configured to reduce, during the approach on landing, the noise generated by the interaction of the landing gear and the air flowing past the landing gear. Various means are described to reduce the amount of turbulent air flow generated in the region of the landing gear, including inverting and fairing the nose-gear shock-absorbing leg, providing faired twin in-line oleos and providing fairings that produce shielding air curtains. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20100318327 | METHOD OF DESIGN OPTIMISATION - A method of design optimization includes: a) producing a first computer model of a first geometry, the first computer model including: i) a set of nodes; and ii) a set of construction points each having a position defined by a local co-ordinate system; b) producing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) mesh from the first computer model; c) using the CFD mesh to produce a measure of the fluid dynamic performance of the first geometry, such as drag count or lift coefficient; d) producing a new computer model of a new geometry by: i) moving one or more of the nodes; and ii) recalculating the positions of the construction points in response to movement of the one or more nodes; e) producing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) mesh from the new computer model; f) using the CFD mesh to produce a measure of the fluid dynamic performance of the new geometry, such as drag count or lift coefficient; and g) identifying an optimal geometry using the fluid dynamic performance measurements of the first and new geometries produced in steps c and f. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100308163 | APPARATUS WITH DAMAGE INDICATION FEATURE - A method of designing and manufacturing apparatus. The method comprises: creating a design space; analysing expected loads acting on the design space to calculate a first load path within the design space; analysing expected loads acting on the design space when the apparatus is in a damaged state to calculate a second load path within the design space; selecting a region of the second load path which falls outside the first load path; and creating a final design which includes: a primary structure falling within the first load path; and a damage indication feature falling within the selected region. The damage indication feature is designed to provide a visual indication when the load transmitted by the damage indication feature exceeds a threshold. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100301172 | AERODYNAMIC STRUCTURE WITH SERIES OF SHOCK BUMPS - An aerodynamic structure ( | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100282898 | AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE WITH MODIFIED CONTROL DEVICE HINGE LINE - An aircraft structure including a main structure element, a control device, a hinge assembly and an actuator. The hinge assembly includes a spar bracket attached to a rear spar in the main structure element, and a control device bracket attached to control device spar. The hinge assembly is pivotally coupled to the spar bracket about a hinge line, about which the actuator rotates the control device. The actuator is pivotally coupled to the main element at a first pivot point and to the control device at a second pivot point, the length of the actuator between the pivot points being adjustable for rotation of the control device. The hinge line is positioned closer to the rear spar than to the control device spar. A flexible line is fixed to the main structure element, and extends in a span-wise direction along the structure. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100264778 | ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER - An acoustic transducer is disclosed in which a set of electrode arrays is arranged around a nominal centre point and comprising a set of circumferentially disposed electrode elements. A piezoelectric material is located between a common electrode and said electrode elements. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100243826 | LINE ROUTING CLIP - A routing clip for securing a line to a structure comprising: a base for attaching the clip to a structure; and a clamp comprising: a first flexible strap which extends from the base and has one or more projections extending from its side; and a second flexible strap which extends from the base and has a passageway for receiving the first flexible strap and a locking surface which is arranged to engage one of the projections on the first flexible strap to prevent the first flexible strap from being withdrawn from the passageway. At least part of the clip is made from an elastomeric material. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100236043 | REMOVAL OF COMPONENTS FROM AIRCRAFT - A method of removing a component from an aircraft includes attaching a device comprising a guide member to the aircraft; attaching the component (such as an actuator) to the guide member; detaching the component from the rest of the aircraft; and moving the guide member so that the component follows a predefined path of removal of the component. A device for use in such a method is also described. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100230542 | STRINGER FOR AN AIRCRAFT WING AND A METHOD OF FORMING THEREOF - The present invention relates to a stringer for an aircraft wing and a method of forming such a stringer in which the stringer is formed form a single piece of material and has differential strength along its length. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100223029 | Method of designing a composite panel - A method of designing a composite panel, the panel comprising a plurality of zones, each zone comprising a plurality of plies of composite material, each ply in each zone having a respective orientation angle, and some of the plies running continuously between adjacent zones. A design is provided comprising a set of design variables including a thickness for each of the zones, and a ply percentage for each orientation angle for each of the zones, each ply percentage identifying a percentage of plies within a zone having a particular orientation angle. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100221064 | FASTENER JOINT WITH SEALING GASKET - A joint comprising: a first component having a face and a bore defined by a bore wall; a second component; a fastener joining the first component to the second component, the fastener comprising a head and a shaft protruding from the head; and a polysulphide gasket comprising a ring which is compressed between the head of the fastener and the face of the first component; and a collar between the shaft of the fastener and the bore wall. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100209255 | AEROFOIL STRUCTURE AND A METHOD OF MAKING A RIB FOR AN AEROFOIL STRUCTURE - An aerofoil structure comprises first and second opposed skin components which are joined together and spaced apart by a pair of opposed spar components. The skin components have respective outer and inner surface profiles. The skin and spar components define a space envelope and a rib is arranged within the space envelope. The rib comprises a rib body and a series of rib feet. The rib feet comprise a leg and a rib foot plate. The rib foot plate is dimensioned, positioned and angled so as to conform to the inner surface profile of the skin component against which it is intended to be arranged. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100178453 | ELONGATE COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL MEMBER - A composite material elongate structural member, such as a spar or stringer, for use in an aerospace structure, comprises a web having an angled portion, for example in the form of a chamfer, curved surface or the like, which joins a foot of the member to the rest of the web. A first surface on the foot is shaped to abut a structure to be stiffened. The foot also has a second surface opposite the first surface. The web has a third surface and a fourth surface at the same layer in the composite material as the first and third surfaces, respectively. On/in the interposed portion there is a fifth surface which joins the first and third surfaces. The geometry of the member may vary along its length (L) so that with increasing distance, the first surface is displaced towards the second surface as the width of the fifth surface decreases. The risk of causing, during fabrication of the elongate member, undesirable creasing, stressing or stretching of composite material layers in a region in which the geometry of the member varies may be reduced by means of such an arrangement. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100170989 | ELONGATE COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL MEMBERS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREIN - A composite material elongate structural member, such as a spar, for use in an aerospace structure, comprises a web disposed between upper and lower flanges. The web may include a clockwise twist about an axis parallel to the length L at a first portion towards the wing-root-end of the spar and a counter-twist in the anticlockwise direction at a second portion towards the wing-tip-end of the spar. The geometry of the spar may vary non-linearly along its length (L) so that the developed width of the spar as measured from a distal edge of the upper flange via the web to a distal edge of the lower flange varies linearly with increasing distance along the length (L). The risk of causing, during fabrication of the spar, undesirable creasing, stressing or stretching of composite material layers in a region in which the geometry of the member varies non-linearly may be reduced by means of such an arrangement. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100170985 | COMPOSITE PANEL STIFFENER - A multi layer composite L-shaped stringer for use in an aerospace structure comprises a foot and a web extending from an edge of the foot. A first surface on the foot is shaped to abut a structure to be stiffened. The foot also has a second surface opposite the first surface. The web has a third surface and a fourth surface at the same layer in the composite material as the first and third surfaces, respectively. The geometry of the stringer may vary along its length (L) so that as the first surface is displaced towards the second surface, the fourth surface is displaced towards the third surface. The developed width (DW) from the distal edge of the foot to the distal edge of the web of the stringer may be substantially constant for all cross-sections along a length of the stringer. The risk of causing, during fabrication of the stringer, undesirable creasing, stressing or stretching of composite material layers in a region in which the geometry of the stringer varies may be reduced by means of such arrangements. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100155541 | WINGLET - 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. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100155531 | AIRCRAFT TOILET FACILITY - The invention relates to an aircraft toilet facility, particularly an aircraft toilet facility on a single passenger-deck aircraft. The invention provides a first toilet unit ( | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100130065 | ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR - An electrical connector for providing electrical communication between a fixed structure ( | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100121504 | AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR MONITORING APPARATUS - An apparatus is disclosed for monitoring the load on at least one part of an aircraft landing gear during landing of the aircraft. The apparatus comprises a housing containing a sensor which senses a parameter indicative of the load in the part of the landing gear, a processor which receives signals from the sensor and processes the signals to produce data representative of the parameter measured by the sensor, a battery which provides electrical power to the processor, a memory for storing measurement data from the processor, and a wireless transmitter which is controlled by the processor. The wireless transmitter is arranged to transmit at least some of the measurement data from the processor to a remote device located outside of the housing. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100116930 | LANDING GEAR - In an aircraft having an aircraft landing gear, the aircraft landing gear includes an arm, a leg and a bogie at the lower end of the leg. The bogie is moveable in a direction along the length of the leg and pivotable between a trimmed deployed position and a stowable position. The arm is mounted on the landing gear and is rotatable between a first position in which the bogie is positioned in the trimmed deployed position, and a second position in which the bogie is positioned in the stowable position. Movement of the arm can be effected by a positioning rotary actuator, which is not located in the primary or secondary load paths. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100086765 | METHOD OF PROCESSING A COMPOSITE MATERIAL - A method of processing a composite material comprising heating a porous layer in contact with the composite material above its melting point whereby it melts and becomes incorporated into the composite material. The material may be formed by a matrix diffusion process. In this case the porous layer acts as a distribution layer. Alternatively the material may be formed as a stack of prepregs. In this case the porous layer acts as a breather layer. The porous layer may comprise a polysulphone or polyethersulphone which increases the toughness of the material. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100071774 | WATER SCAVENGING SYSTEM - engine, the system comprising: first and second fuel pumps each having a pump inlet for collecting fuel from the fuel tank; and a water scavenging line coupling a water inlet to the pump inlet of the first pump. The first pump is configured to pump fuel towards the engine at a higher rate than the second pump, unless the first pump fails. A method of removing water from an aircraft fuel tank, the method comprising collecting water from a pool at the bottom of the fuel tank during take off or climb and feeding the water to an engine of the aircraft. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100068527 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING COMPOSITE COMPONENTS - A method of fabricating a composite component comprising the steps of: loading a preform into a component forming environment, filling the environment with a solvent carrying a catalyst material in solution or suspension, draining this liquid from the mould thereby leaving a residue of the catalyst material on the perform and/or the interior surface of the forming environment, heating the forming environment and subsequently or concurrently introducing a carbonaceous gas under such conditions as to grow a carbon nanotube structure on the preform and/or the forming environment surfaces, removing the carbonaceous gas, and introducing a liquid resin material into the forming environment whereby the resin disperses through the preform and carbon nanotube structure thereby forming the finished composite component once the resin is cured or set. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100068450 | COMPOSITE STRUCTURE - A composite structure comprising: a panel formed from two or more plies of composite material, the panel having a surface formed with a step where the thickness of the panel changes. Two or more stiffeners are attached to the surface of the panel. One of the stiffeners engages at least part of the step so as to transmit load forces in the panel. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100065687 | Aircraft structure - An aircraft structure comprising: a spar; a primary cover attached to the spar and extending on a first side of the spar; and a secondary cover positioned on a second side of the spar and partially overlapping an internal surface of the primary cover. A bracket is attached to the spar, and a spacer is provided between the secondary cover and the bracket. The spacer is sized so that the primary and secondary covers together form a substantially continuous external aerodynamic surface. The structure provides an alternative to conventional butt-strap arrangements. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100051744 | ENGINE PYLON FOR THE SUSPENSION OF A TURBO ENGINE UNDER AN AIRCRAFT WING - According to the invention, the engine pylon for the suspension of a turbo engine under an aircraft wing is such that the trailing edge of the rear lower part of the engine pylon is shifted toward the root of the wing. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100032520 | CONTROL SURFACE FAILSAFE DROP LINK - An aircraft control surface failsafe hinge configuration is disclosed. The arrangement comprises a drop link configuration which is adapted to attach a control surface to an aircraft structure where the drop link additionally incorporates a failsafe hinge means which provides a backup hinge connection between the control surface and the aircraft structure to which it is attached. The improved failsafe hinge construction may be applied to any aircraft control surface such as an aileron, elevator, vertical tail plane and the like. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100012792 | CABLE ROUTING CLIP - A cable routing clip comprises a base for attaching the clip to a structure. At least one cable clamp extends from the base. The, or each, cable clamp comprises a ring of resilient material having a split to enable a cable to be inserted therein. A plurality of fastening means are provided for closing the split or splits to retain a cable therein. Each of the plurality of fastening means is arranged to independently retain a cable in the event of the failure of another of the fastening means. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100006048 | WATER SCAVENGING SYSTEM - A fuel system comprising: a fuel line coupled to an engine; a fuel pump having an inlet coupled to a fuel tank and an outlet coupled to the fuel line; and a water scavenging system having an inlet for collecting water and an outlet coupled to the fuel line in parallel with the pump. The water scavenging system is powered by the hydraulic action of fuel in the fuel line using for example a venturi arrangement or a motor/pump combination. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100004388 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING COMPOSITE MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a composite material, the method comprising: growing a layer of reinforcement; and impregnating the layer with a matrix. The reinforcement layer may be formed by a chemical vapour deposition process. The method can be used as an additive layer manufacturing technique to form a component with a desired shape and physical characteristics, or can be used to form a thin sheet material. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20090321559 | Aircraft noise reduction apparatus - The invention relates to aircraft noise reduction apparatus, in particular, but not exclusively, to noise reduction apparatus on an aircraft landing gear. The aircraft noise reduction apparatus comprises a noise reduction attachment for a landing gear of an aircraft. The noise reduction apparatus is movable between a first position in which it deflects air away from a noise inducing component of the landing gear and a second position in which it allows access to the noise inducing component. The movement of the noise reduction attachment between the first and second positions is actuated by a part of the landing gear. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090314884 | JAM-TOLLERANT ACTUATOR - An actuator, comprises a housing, a first prime mover for producing rotary motion, a first gearbox arranged to convert in use the rotary motion from the first prime mover into rotary motion having higher torque and lower speed. The first gearbox comprises a casing mounted for rotation relative to the housing of the actuator and a second gearbox arranged to convert rotary motion of the casing of the first gearbox into rotary motion having lower torque and higher speed. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20090312989 | Method of designing an airfoil assembly - A method of analyzing a finite element model of an airfoil assembly. The airfoil assembly comprises a main airfoil element and a plurality of control surfaces. The method comprises: generating a loads interface model of the airfoil assembly comprising: data which defines the spatial positions of a set of nodes, and data which associates each node with either the main element or one of the control surfaces. Load data is generated which defines loads acting on the nodes of the loads interface model, and mapped onto a finite element model to produce a loaded finite element model. A stress analysis is then performed on the loaded finite element model, and the finite element model can be refined as a result of the stress analysis. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090309249 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CURING A THERMOSETTING MATERIAL - A method and apparatus for curing a thermosetting material. The method comprises heating the material with a liquid heating medium; measuring an electrical or optical property of the material with a cure sensor; and regulating the temperature of the liquid heating medium in accordance with the measured property of the material. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090308981 | AIRCRAFT WING ASSEMBLY - An aircraft wing assembly comprising: a main wing element; an inboard rib and an outboard rib, each mounted to the main wing element; a bridging structure attaching the inboard rib to the outboard rib; an inboard flap and an outboard flap; and an inboard bearing and an outboard bearing, each mounted to the bridging structure and each engaging a respective one of the flaps. The bridging structure ensures that an accurate distance is maintained between the ribs during installation, and maximises the stiffness of the assembly. Also, the bridging structure can act as a shear plate supporting both the inboard and outboard bearings, thus removing any twisting moment on the ribs. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090308975 | APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING VARIABLE THERMAL INSULATION FOR AN AIRCRAFT - Apparatus is disclosed for providing variable thermal insulation for an aircraft. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090302169 | Aircraft wing - An aircraft wing comprising a leading element and a trailing element moveably coupled together, said elements being positionable relative to each other so that air can flow from the underside of the leading element over the top of the trailing element through a gap between the leading element and the trailing element, wherein a trailing edge of the leading element proximate to the trailing element is configured to disrupt air flow as it flows over said trailing edge and through the gap. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090297726 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING COMPOSITE MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a composite sheet, the method comprising:
| 12-03-2009 |
| 20090269152 | CUTTING TOOL AND METHOD - A cutting tool comprising: a rotatable hollow tube with an inlet at a distal end of the tube and a cutting edge at the perimeter of the inlet, the tube being arranged so as to rotate when in use so as to cut a work piece with the cutting edge; and an auger housed within the hollow tube, the auger being arranged so as to rotate when in use so as to feed cut material from the inlet along the hollow tube, wherein a distal end of the auger is set back from the cutting edge of the tube. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090269132 | Drill guide - A method of joining together a first and second workpieces. The method comprises; drilling a first hole at least partially through the first workpiece with a drill bit oriented in a first direction; drilling a second hole at least partially through the first workpiece with a drill bit oriented in a second direction which is not parallel with the first direction, the drill bit passing through the first workpiece into a side of the first hole; inserting a fastener through the second workpiece and into the first hole; inserting an anchor into the first hole via the second hole; and securing the fastener within the first hole with the anchor. The invention also relates to a drill guide for use in such a method. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090267304 | Flight surface seal - A seal for sealing a gap between a first ( | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090265120 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A STRUCTURE - A method of monitoring a structure, the method comprising positioning one or more strain gauges on the structure; acquiring strain data with the gauges(s); analyzing the strain data to determine whether the structure has undergone plastic deformation; and providing an output in accordance with the analysis. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090218450 | FITTING FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING AERODYNAMIC CONTROL ELEMENT TO AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE - A method of installing an aerodynamic control element on an aircraft structure. The method comprising: attaching a fitting to the aircraft structure, the fitting comprising a pair of hinge ribs extending away from the aircraft structure and a spacer extending between the pair of hinge ribs; maintaining a desired distance between the pair of hinge ribs with the spacer as the fitting is attached; and pivotally mounting the aerodynamic control element to each hinge rib via a respective hinge. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090218446 | AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE WITH HINGE RIB ASSEMBLY - An aircraft structure comprising; a rear spar, an upper cover which is attached to the rear spar and overhangs to its rear; a lower cover which is attached to the rear spar and overhangs to its rear, a hinge rib assembly comprising: a first hinge rib arm attached to a first one of the covers; and a second hinge rib arm connected to the first hinge rib arm and attached to a second one of the covers; and an aerodynamic control element pivotally mounted to the hinge rib assembly. The first and second hinge rib arms are separate parts. This provides the ability to disassemble the hinge rib in-situ for repair or maintenance purposes; the ability to install or remove the hinge rib without having to move it inboard along the structure; reduced material wastage during manufacture; and the ability to install one or more elongate lines which extend in a span-wise direction along the aircraft structure. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090218442 | TRAILING EDGE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE WITH OVERHANGING COVER - An aircraft structure comprising: a rear spar; and a composite cover attached to the rear spar and having an overhanging portion extending to its rear. The overhanging portion of the cover comprises one or more ramps along which the thickness of the cover reduces. A second cover is attached to the rear spar and overhangs to its rear. A hinge rib is attached to one or both of the covers, and an aerodynamic control element such as an aileron, rudder or elevator is pivotally mounted to the hinge rib. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090217487 | HINGE RIB - A hinge rib for pivotally connecting an aerodynamic control element such as a spoiler or aileron to an aircraft structure. The hinge rib comprises: a first hinge rib arm having a grain oriented in a first direction; and a second hinge rib arm having a grain oriented in a second direction which is not parallel with the first grain direction. The arms may be formed together from a single piece of material, or more typically they are formed separately before being attached together such that the grain of the first arm is not parallel with the grain of the second arm. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090212162 | AIRCRAFT WINGS AND FUEL TANKS - On failure, a burst rotor of a wing-mounted engine ( | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090209129 | AIRCRAFT WIRING INSTALLATION - An aircraft wiring installation connecting a set of fuel side wires in an aircraft fuel tank to a set of airside wires outside the fuel tank, the installation comprising: a connector box having a fuel side wall ( | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090208284 | Clamped friction joint - A clamped friction joint comprising: a composite component; and a second component which overlaps with the composite component in a region of overlap. A clamping member engages a first surface of the composite component in the region of overlap and a first surface of the second component outside the region of overlap. A fastener is arranged to pull the clamping member and the second component together so as to compress the composite component between the clamping member and the second component in the region of overlap. The clamping force applied by the clamping member and the second component facilitates load transfer across the joint without requiring any bolt hole in the composite component, or any additional bonding material. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090200423 | WING COVER PANEL ASSEMBLY AND WING COVER PANEL FOR AN AIRCRAFT WING AND A METHOD OF FORMING THEREOF - A wing cover panel assembly, wing cover and method of forming thereof are disclosed in which an attachment surface of the wing cover panel is provided with a locating channel into which a wing structural element such as a stringer or spar is captured so as to fix the wing structural element to the wing cover panel. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090197050 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING COMPOSITE PART - A method of manufacturing a composite part, the method comprising: placing a charge on a male tool having a convex surface region; debulking the charge on the male tool by applying pressure to the charge, the applied pressure varying over the surface of the charge so as to be intensified where the charge engages the convex surface region of the male tool; and curing the charge on a female tool having a concave surface region. The charge is formed and debulked in a series of stages to form a laminate. The charge is formed at a first temperature T | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090194636 | STRINGER FOR AN AIRCRAFT WING AND A METHOD OF FORMING THEREOF - The present invention relates to a stringer for an aircraft wing and a method of forming such a stringer in which the stringer is formed from a single piece of material and then machined to optimise the dimensions and weight of the stringer. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090184477 | BLADE SEAL - A blade seal comprising: a base; a tip; a first part formed from an elastomeric material which extends continuously from the base to the tip; and a second part formed from an elastomeric material mixed with conductive filler which extends continuously from the base to the tip. The blade seal is manufactured by compressing the first and second parts together; and curing one or both of the parts as they are compressed together. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090184208 | AERODYNAMIC SEALING MEMBER FOR AIRCRAFT - A sealing member for forming a seal in an aircraft, the sealing member comprising: a sealing material; and a stiffening element which provides structural support to the sealing material and comprises a material with a glass transition temperature below +50° C. The stiffening element is relatively flexible when the aircraft is at low altitude (high temperature) but becomes relatively stiff (increasing resistance to seal flutter) when the aircraft is at cruise altitude (low temperature). | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090169825 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING COMPOSITE MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a composite material, the method comprising: growing two or more layers of reinforcement in-situ; and impregnating each layer with a matrix before growing the next layer. The reinforcement layers may be formed by a chemical vapour deposition process. The method can be used as an additive layer manufacturing technique to form a component with a desired shape and physical characteristics. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090141280 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING GAS CONCENTRATION IN A FLUID - A monitor for monitoring gas concentration in an aerospace application is described, one such application being measuring the concentration of oxygen in or next to aviation fuel. The monitor comprises: a substance, the spectroscopic properties of which change when the substance is exposed to the gas; a light source, arranged to irradiate the substance with light; and a photosensor, arranged to detect light from the substance. The substance may be mounted on a solid substrate. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090139341 | Apparatus for indicating loading in a structure having exceeded a predetermined threshold - Apparatus for indicating loading in a structure having exceeded a predetermined threshold is disclosed in which deformation of a structural element is identified by the torque required to rotate a gauge assembly integrated in the structure. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090134281 | Aircraft wing and flap deployment system - An aircraft wing comprising: a main wing element; and a flap connected to the main wing element by a deployment system which can deploy the flap from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the wing has a trailing edge which is swept, at least in the region of the flap, when the flap is in its retracted position, and wherein the deployment system is arranged such that the flap reduces the degree of sweep of the trailing edge of the wing in the region of the flap as it is deployed. The deployment system comprises a first actuator configured to rotate the flap horizontally so as to change the sweep angle of the flap and a second actuator configured to rotate the flap vertically so as to increase the camber of the wing, and the first and second actuators are operable independently of each other. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090127406 | AILERON ACTUATOR BRACKET - An aircraft wing comprising: a trailing edge cove extending in a span-wise direction along a trailing edge of the wing, the trailing edge cove having a front face, a top face and a bottom face; an actuator bracket which is mounted to the front and top faces of the trailing edge cove, but not to its bottom face; an aileron actuator coupled at one end to an aileron and at the other end to the actuator bracket, the aileron actuator being adjustable from a retracted position to a deployed position to deploy the aileron; and a channel extending in a span-wise direction along the wing and positioned below the actuator bracket. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090127402 | SLAT SUPPORT FUNK PLATE - An aircraft wing high lift assembly comprising a movable element and a load receiving element including a body portion having a first load receiving region arranged to receive loads from the movable element in a first direction during normal operation of the high lift assembly and including at least one restraining arm projecting from the body portion, the or each restraining arm having a second load receiving region arranged to receive loads from the movable element in a second direction in the event of a failure within the high lift assembly. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090121077 | Method and apparatus for operating an aircraft landing system - A method and apparatus is disclosed in which an aircraft landing system is at least partly primarily powered by power provided by a ram air turbine (RAT). | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090116777 | BEARING FAILURE INDICATOR - The invention provides a bearing failure indication arrangement comprising a bearing having an inner and outer race, a first part arranged to be attached in fixed relation to either the bearing inner race or bearing outer race, a failure indicator arranged in fixed relation to both the first part and either the bearing inner race or the bearing outer race, the failure indicator constructed so that if relative movement occurs between the first part and the bearing race to which it is attached, the failure indicator responds to the relative movement thereby indicating failure of the bearing. The failure indicator is particularly adapted for use in aircraft structures and indicates full of partial bearing failure by means of movement and/or deformation of the indicator. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090108142 | Aircraft wing with slotted high lift system - An aircraft wing comprising: a leading element; a trailing element positioned behind the leading element relative to a direction of movement of the aircraft; an actuation system for moving one of the elements between a retracted position and an extended position in which there is an air gap between a lower surface of the leading element and a surface of the trailing element. Two or more elongate stiffening ridges extend downwards from the lower surface of the leading element, and each adjacent pair of ridges is separated by a channel. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090105864 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE AND GENERATING A REPORT - A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising: storing a set of manufacturing instructions for a machine; inputting at least some of the manufacturing instructions into the machine; manufacturing an article with the machine in accordance with the input manufacturing instructions; generating a realization log which is indicative of the operations that the machine has actually performed in manufacturing the article; and generating a report by comparing the realization log with the stored set of manufacturing instructions. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090101759 | PANEL WITH IMPACT PROTECTION MEMBRANE - An aircraft leading edge panel having an outer aerodynamic surface; and an inner surface carrying the elastomeric impact protection membrane. The membrane comprises a woven or knitted fabric which is impregnated with an elastomeric material. The membrane and the panel may be bonded by an adhesive or co-cured to bond the membrane to the panel. The membrane provides impact protection to the panel by de-bonding from the face of the panel and absorbing at least part of the energy of an object impacting the panel. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090100791 | SHIM FOR ARRANGEMENT AGAINST A STRUCTURAL COMPONENT AND A METHOD OF MAKING A SHIM - A method of making a shim comprises the steps of providing a first structural component, such as a rib foot of an aircraft wing. The rib foot is then scanned or mapped to generate the surface profile of the rib foot. The shim is then formed to include a feature on its surface which complements the surface profile of the assembly surface. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090091052 | Method of monitoring the performance of a pressure intensifier - A method of monitoring the performance of a pressure intensifier for use in the manufacture of a composite part. The method comprises: placing an array of pressure sensors adjacent a curved region of a mould tool; compressing the pressure sensors between a pressure intensifier and the mould tool; and monitoring the distribution of pressure across the curved region of the mould tool with the array of pressure sensors. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090084894 | LANDING GEAR - An aircraft landing gear is arranged such that in its deployed position it is configured to reduce, during the approach on landing, the noise generated by the interaction of the landing gear and the air flowing past the landing gear. Various means are described to reduce the amount of turbulent air flow generated in the region of the landing gear, including inverting and fairing the nose-gear shock-absorbing leg, providing faired twin in-line oleos and providing fairings that produce shielding air curtains. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090076668 | Method and apparatus for providing power in an aircraft to one or more aircraft systems - A method and apparatus is disclosed in which an aircraft system such as the landing gear system or braking system is operated at least partially under power provided by a generator driven by the wheels of the landing gear. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090057484 | AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY - An aircraft landing gear assembly comprises a four bar linkage arranged to be pivotably attached to an aircraft fuselage and movable between a deployed position and a retracted position, wherein when in the retracted position at least a first portion of the landing gear assembly is housed within a wing at the aircraft. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090056431 | TESTING STRUT ASSEMBLY - A method of testing a steerable wheel assembly incorporating a shock absorber strut, comprising providing a combined linear and rotary actuator, engaging a lower end of the assembly with the actuator so that the line of linear action of the actuator is aligned with the line of compression of the strut, operating the actuator to compress the strut, and operating the actuator in a rotary sense to apply a steering torque to the assembly. A linear actuator is engageable with the assembly via a load coupling to load the strut. The load coupling comprising a first part on the actuator adapted to engage a second part on the assembly, the two parts being adapted to provide a self-aligning action as the actuator engages the assembly. Preferably, one of the two parts comprises a tapered recess formation, and the other two parts comprises a tapered projecting formation engageable in the tapered recess formation. The actuator is preferably controlled by feedback control loops, one incorporating a load sensor, another a torque sensor, which may be combined in a sensor cell located between the actuator and the load coupling. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090050749 | Aircraft wing spoiler arrangement - An aircraft wing comprising an upper surface; and two or more spoilers pivotally attached to the upper surface, wherein at least two adjacent ones of the spoilers are separated by a gap, and wherein the width of the gap is: greater than 1 cm; and sufficiently small to choke the flow of air through the gap such that for at least one flight regime with the adjacent spoilers deployed, the average air flow speed through the gap is less than 10% of the true air speed. | 02-26-2009 |
| 20090040072 | AIRCRAFT STEERING ANGLE WARNING SYSTEM - A steering angle warning system comprising a rotation-measuring unit located on an aircraft, and an alarm unit. The rotation-measuring unit is arranged to output a first signal dependent on the steering angle between a nose landing gear of the aircraft and the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage. The alarm unit is arranged to generate an alarm, in dependence on the first signal, when the steering angle is greater than a predetermined value, for example, 60 degrees. The rotation-measuring unit may also be arranged to perform a function in relation to an aircraft steering system, for example to indicate the steering angle to the pilot during ground manoeuvres. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090026313 | Aircraft landing gear load sensor - An aircraft landing gear comprising a fibre optic load sensor for monitoring load in a component of the landing gear, such as an axle. The fibre optic cable is mounted on an inner surface of the component of the landing gear. Typically the fibre optic load sensor comprises one or more Bragg Grating sensors. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090021092 | JAM-TOLERANT ACTUATOR - An actuator comprises first and second linear motion devices, each able to extend the actuator and arranged such that jamming of one of the first and second linear motion devices does not preclude operation of the other. The first linear motion device comprises a first linear screw, a first nut, and a first prime mover arranged to impart relative linear motion between the screw and nut. Similarly, the second linear motion device comprises a second linear screw, a second nut, and a second prime mover arranged to impart relative linear motion between the second screw and nut. The first linear screw may have a bore in which the second linear screw is accommodated when the actuator is in the retracted position. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090019929 | ULTRASONIC FLUID MEASUREMENT METHOD - A method of measuring the level of a fluid in a tank of an aircraft, the method comprising: moving an ultrasonic transducer to a predetermined measurement position; measuring the level of the fluid by: transmitting ultrasound from the transducer into the fluid via an external surface of a wall of the tank, receiving an ultrasonic echo at the transducer, and deducing the fluid level based on the time of arrival of the ultrasonic echo; and removing the transducer from the measurement position. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090008506 | Aircraft Wing - An aircraft wing comprises a leading-edge slat, the slat including a main body portion and a slat extension arranged at a spanwise end of the main body portion. The cross-sectional area of the slat extension is less than the cross-sectional area of the main body portion. The slat extension may therefore provide some of the aerodynamic benefits of the slat, whilst enabling the volume of the leading-edge of the wing on which the slat is mounted, to be relatively large. The chord and thickness to chord ratio of the slat extension may be less than the equivalent dimensions on the slat. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090008502 | Aircraft Fuselage Interior - An aircraft fuselage interior comprises a side wall that extends in a direction along the length of the fuselage and includes an upper section that slopes inwardly. In one embodiment, the side wall comprises a multiplicity of visible elongate features, such as sloping lines, arranged along the length of the side wall. Each elongate feature extends from a lower portion to an upper portion and slopes relative to a notional line defined by the intersection of the interior surface of the side wall and a plane whose normal axis is parallel to the length of the fuselage. When viewed by a seated passenger, the sloping elongate features may cause the side wall to appear to have a degree of inward sloping less than the actual degree of inward sloping. The fuselage interior may therefore appear larger than it is. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090008501 | LANDING GEAR - An aircraft landing gear door assembly includes a door, which is moveable to an open position, in which an aperture is exposed, the landing gear being able to be deployed through said aperture, and moveable to a closed position, in which the door is closed across the aperture. The door is arranged for rotational movement of a first type, in which the door rotates about an axis that is substantially parallel to the length of the aircraft, between the closed position and the open position. The door is also arranged for movement of a second type, different from the first type, in which the door rotates, about an axis that is substantially transverse to the length of the aircraft, to a position in which it acts as a fairing to reduce the noise caused by the landing gear or a part thereof. In one embodiment, the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis that is substantially parallel to the door when in the closed position and the door forms a ramp type fairing. In another embodiment, the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis that is substantially transverse to the door when in the closed position and the door forms a V-shaped fairing (when viewed from above) with an opposite door. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090007692 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING COMPOSITE MATERIALS - A test coupon has a waisted central section from which respective load introduction sections extend, each load introduction section having a pair of divergent load introduction surfaces extending from a respective curved surface of the central section. Test apparatus includes a test coupon as described above and a plurality of angled pivotable load introduction blocks such that the test coupon may self-align during application of a load. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090001630 | Method for forming composite components and tool for use therein - A method of making an aircraft component is provided, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
| 01-01-2009 |
| 20080319557 | Program-Controlled Process - A drilling machine drills at a multiplicity of target locations on a component. Two robots, calibrated with calibration data, move the component in a 6-D coordinate system. A metrology system ascertains the position of the component relative to the drilling machine. The movement of the robots is effected by means of commands generated by means of off-line programming. The component is moved relative to the drilling machine to a target position, ready for drilling, by means of a closed-loop process in which the differences in position between the expected position (the target position) and the actual position (as viewed by the metrology system) are corrected. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080315038 | Fuel Tank Valve - Some water drain valves tend to fill with water which may freeze, thereby jamming the valve. This invention provides an aircraft water drain valve comprising a passageway, a shaft, a first sealing member and a second sealing member. The shaft is moveable between an open position in which the first and second sealing members are arranged to allow free passage of fluid through the passageway, and a closed position in which both the first and second sealing members are arranged to prevent free passage of fluid through the passageway thereby preventing ingress of fluid into the region between the first and second sealing members. Thus water may be hindered from collecting and freezing in the part of the valve close to the cold wall of the fuel tank. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080308669 | COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT COMPONENT - This invention relates to improving the tolerance of composite laminate structures to damage and/or delamination, resulting in weakening of the structure and/or to reducing the possibility of such damage and/or delamination. In particular, but not exclusively the invention relates to protecting the end surfaces of composite laminate structures present on aircraft from impact damage. The invention provides an aircraft component comprising a composite laminate structure, the composite laminate structure including an end surface at which a multiplicity of the layers of the laminate structure terminate, wherein the aircraft component further comprises a deformable strip mounted to protect the end surface of the composite laminate structure from direct impacts. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080308211 | Assembly of Aircraft Components - A method is provided for preparing a first part for assembly to form an aircraft component, by applying a shim to a first surface of the first part, the method comprising the steps of placing the first surface of the part adjacent to a second surface of a second part, inserting a solid shim into a gap between the first and second surfaces and holding the shim in the inserted position, and subsequently introducing a liquid shim through the first part into a region between the first part and the solid shim. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080308076 | Aircraft Fuel Tank Assembly - An aircraft fuel tank assembly includes a tank for holding fuel, a canister and a fuel pump assembly. The fuel pump assembly includes: an electric motor, a pump and an electronics unit. The electronics unit and canister are arranged so that, in use, a dry bay is defined between the electronics unit and the canister. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080302486 | FIBRE PLACEMENT TOOL - A fibre placement tool comprising a plurality of tool segments, each tool segment having an outer surface defining a predetermined profile, each tool segment being removably mounted on at least one elongate shaft. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080295905 | OVERPRESSURE PROTECTION FOR AN AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK SYSTEM - An aircraft venting tank (for example a surge tank) has a stack pipe unit. The stack pipe unit comprises first and second portions and houses a frangible overpressure protector element (for example a frangible disc). The stack pipe unit may be arranged to have a fitted configuration in which the first portion of the stack pipe unit is attached to a part of the venting tank structure, the first portion is coupled to the second portion, and the second portion is coupled to another part of the venting tank structure. The first portion may be held in a relationship with the second portion so as to form a seal between the frangible element, and the first and second portions. In a frangible element-replacement configuration the second portion may be coupled to the venting tank structure, such that the frangible overpressure protector element can be replaced without removal of the second portion from the venting tank structure. The venting tank may include a frangible element holder for holding a spare frangible element for use in an overpressure protector unit. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080292427 | Fastener Assembly - A fastener assembly includes a bolt having first and second ends and comprising a bolt head at the first end, a first shank portion having a smooth circumferential surface of a first diameter and a second shank portion coaxial with the first shank portion and of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. At least a part of the second shank portion is externally screw threaded and the first shank portion is positioned between the bolt head and the second shank portion. A nut has first and second ends and includes a first bore extending from the first end of the nut and of a diameter greater than the first diameter for fitting over part of the first shank portion of the bolt, and, in the region of the second end, a screw threaded bore for screw threaded engagement with the screw threaded second shank portion, the screw threaded bore being coaxial with and leading into the first bore. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080290220 | Unloading and loading of aircraft - An access platform ( | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080283660 | Aircraft Braking System - A method of braked pivot turning an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a fuselage and a landing gear assembly located to one side thereof. The landing gear comprises a bogie with wheels mounted thereon, at least one wheel being located on a first side of the bogie and at least one wheel being located on a second side of the bogie. The method includes the steps of applying thrust ( | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080277526 | Aircraft Cooling Duct - An aircraft structure, for example a wing, includes a section of skin, for example a lower wing panel, the panel defining an external (lower) surface that in use is on the exterior of the aircraft and an internal (upper) surface opposite the external surface, and a duct comprising a section of duct for transporting cooling fluid, for example air, between the internal and external surfaces of the panel from a first location in the panel to a second location that is spaced apart from the first location in a direction substantially parallel to the external surface of the panel. The cooling air cools an electronic hydrostatic actuator (EHA | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080273938 | Fastener Assembly - A fastener assembly includes a bolt having first and second ends and comprising a bolt head at the first end and a shank, at least a part of which is screw threaded, a nut for screw threaded engagement with the shank of the bolt, and a template alignment pin, wherein the bolt head is provided with a coupling formation for detachably coupling to a corresponding formation on the template alignment pin. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080272237 | Aircraft Auxiliary Fuel Tank System and Method - One or more main aircraft fuel tanks are provided with one or more fuel gauges arranged to provide a measure of the amount of fuel in said one or more main fuel tanks. One or more auxiliary fuel tanks are also provided. The aircraft uses fuel during a first phase of fuel consumption, upon commencement of which phase the auxiliary fuel tanks hold fuel. After the first phase said one or more auxiliary fuel tanks are empty and a second phase commences. During the first phase, an indication of the amount of fuel carried by the aircraft is provided by means of summing (i) the amount of fuel in the main fuel tanks as measured by said one or more fuel gauges and (ii) the amount of fuel remaining in said one or more auxiliary fuel tanks as calculated using a measure relating to the fuel consumption rate. During the second phase of fuel consumption, an indication of the amount of fuel carried by the aircraft is provided on the basis of the amount of fuel measured by said one or more fuel gauges. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080265112 | Standoff support system - A standoff support system comprises a standoff support including a mounting foot and a body portion, with the body portion having a first engagement portion formed on a free end of it and the further comprising clip tray having a second engagement portion such that the first and second engagement portions are arranged to be engagable with one another and have complementary mating services arranged limit the orientation of the clip tray relative to the standoff support to one or more predefined orientations. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080265103 | AEROFOIL - An aerofoil comprising: an upper surface; a lower surface; a leading edge between the upper and lower surfaces at the front of the aerofoil; and a trailing edge between the upper and lower surfaces at the rear of the aerofoil. The leading edge has a projection where it meets the lower surface, and a cove between the projection and the upper surface. A flow vortex is formed in the cove which exhibits increasingly strong axial flow that retains flow attachment to higher angles of attack. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080265094 | Structural Element and Method of Manufacture - In a method for manufacturing a structural element intended for aeronautical construction, at least a first and second metal block are made available, the limit of elasticity under compression of the first metal block being greater than that of the second metal block. The first metal block is machined in such a manner as to obtain a first machined monolithic part which has a first web portion and at least one stringer element whose height is such that a stringer portion extends beyond the first web portion. There is prepared, by shaping the second metal block, at least one second part having at least a second web portion capable of co-operating with the first web portion to form the web. The first monolithic part and the second part are assembled by placing the first and second web portions end-to-end over their entire common length. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080265089 | Method and apparatus for deploying an auxiliary lift foil - Apparatus connecting an auxiliary lift foil, such as a flap or slat, to a main lift element. The apparatus comprises: a drop link pivotally coupled to the main lift element by a first hinge and to the auxiliary lift foil by a second hinge, wherein the drop link is substantially rigid between the first and second hinges; and a linkage mechanism pivotally coupled to the auxiliary lift foil by a third hinge which is spaced from the second hinge, and to the main lift element by as fourth hinge. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080258008 | Joint for Use in Aircraft Construction - A joint for use in aircraft construction, for example a wing, comprises: a cover skin having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a distal portion, said distal portion having an exterior-facing surface; and a butt-strap having a first portion for connection to the skin, said first portion having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a distal end. The first portion of the butt-strap is connected to the distal portion of the skin such that a junction is formed between the exterior surface of the skin and the exterior surface of the first portion of the butt-strap. The exterior-facing surface of the distal portion of the skin is of a shape complementary to the shape of the interior surface of the first portion of the butt-strap. The first portion of the butt-strap tapers towards its distal end such that, at said junction, the exterior surface of the skin and the exterior surface of the first portion of the butt-strap form a substantially continuous exterior surface. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080256788 | Assembly of Aircraft Components - A method of assembling parts to form an aircraft component, in which a first surface of a first part (for example a wing skin) is to be positioned in the assembly adjacent to a second surface of a second part (for example a rib foot). The method comprises the steps of taking measurements of the first part, taking measurements of the second part with a laser, and calculating the size and shape of the space that will be generated when the first and second parts are assembled. A shim of varying thickness in dependence upon the results of the calculating step is manufactured, for example by stereolithography, and the first and second parts are assembled with the shim positioned between the first and second parts, the varying thickness of the shim compensating for a varying spacing of the first and second surfaces. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080223991 | Wing Tip Device - An aircraft comprises a wing having a positive dihedral, the wing comprising 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. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080214780 | METHOD OF PRODUCING STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS HAVING IMPROVED TOUGHNESS - A method of producing a structural component comprising manufacturing a structural component from a moisture absorbable material the toughness of which increases with increasing moisture absorption and subsequently subjecting the structural component to at least one of elevated temperature and humidity for a period of time such that the structural component attains a predetermined moisture content and distribution. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080201002 | Machining Template Based Computer-Aided Design and Manufacture Of An Aerospace Component - A CAD model of a component is designed by means of a CAD system that modifies the shape of the design of the component represented by the CAD model by means of templates held in a database of templates. The templates include machining data concerning the machining actions necessary to effect the alteration, represented by the template, of the shape of a work-piece. The CAD system outputs a computer model of the component comprising not only part geometry data concerning the shape of the component but also machining geometry data concerning the machining actions necessary for manufacturing from a work-piece a component having a shape in accordance with the outputted model of the component. This outputted computer model is then converted into an NC (numeric control) program by means of an NC program conversion module, by extracting NC code sequences from a database, the NC code sequences extracted corresponding to the templates of the UDF library used to design the shape of the CAD model. | 08-21-2008 |
