A system for slowing down the speed of flying objects by applying electrodynamic and aerodynamic braking forces. The system is comprised of plurality of stubs, where each stub is made of dielectric material surrounded by metal foil and another metal foil is inserted in the middle of the stub, where the outer metal foil and the inner metal foil are isolated from each other, so that they form a capacitor. Each stub is stored in a barrel before being used. When activated, the stubs are stretched from the barrel as a tail behind the flying object. The area of the stub generates aerodynamic drag. The stub capacitor is charged by a generator so that free electrons are present in the outer metal layer of the stub. The electric field produced by these charges interacts with ions in the atmosphere.

A rotor blade for a rotary aircraft is disclosed. The rotor blade includes a body and an airflow duct extending within the body of the rotor blade. An airflow outlet of the airflow duct is located at a tip of the blade. The airflow outlet has a cross-sectional area that is equal to or greater than a cross-sectional area of the airflow duct. The rotor blade is used to mitigate brownout during flight. Air exits the rotor blade at the airflow outlet in order to disrupt a blade vortex created by rotation of the rotor blade.

Enhanced high-speed aircraft performance, including increased lift/drag ratio, from localized high-temperature speed of sound increases, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative method for operating a vehicle includes, while a lifting body of the vehicle is immersed in a gas, heating the gas in a target volume sufficiently to increase the speed of sound in the gas relative to the speed of sound in the gas outside the target volume. The target volume can be positioned adjacent to, forward of, and/or along a pressure surface of the lifting body.

An assembly for arrangement to the surface of an aerodynamic profile comprises an array of actuators, which are designed as piezo actuators and plasma actuators.

A fluid interaction apparatus includes a wing having a first configuration with a first profile drag coefficient and a second configuration with a second profile drag coefficient that is less than the first profile drag coefficient. The fluid interaction apparatus further includes a body having a longitudinal axis, wherein the body is coupled to the wing. The fluid interaction apparatus further includes an actuator configured to change the wing from the first configuration when moving in a first direction relative to the body to the second configuration when moving in a second direction relative to the body, the second direction having a substantial component parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body.

A component is provided for an aircraft. This aircraft component includes an object and a multi-layer coating. The object includes an object surface. The multi-layer coating includes a barrier layer and a laminar flow layer. The covers at least a portion of the object surface. The barrier layer a fluoropolyether, a silicon rubber and/or a polyurethane. The laminar flow layer covers the barrier layer and forms an exterior surface of the component. The laminar flow layer includes a sol-gel siloxane, a rare-earth oxide and/or a phosphate.

An engine nacelle is provided for an aircraft. The engine nacelle comprises: an inlet for receiving an air flow to generate a thrust force for the aircraft; a lip portion positioned at the inlet and surrounding the inlet; and at least one strake provided on a surface of the engine nacelle.

An airflow separation detecting method includes: applying an alternating-current voltage having a predetermined voltage value to a plasma actuator, the plasma actuator being disposed on a part of a surface of an object; and detecting that separation, from the surface of the object, of an airflow flowing on the surface of the object is occurring, in a case where an absolute value of a temporal variation rate of an electric power consumption value of the plasma actuator or an absolute value of a temporal variation rate of a current value of the plasma actuator is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the temporal variation rate being a rate of variation relative to time, the electric power consumption value or the current value of the plasma actuator being measured under application of the alternating-current voltage having the predetermined voltage value to the plasma actuator.

Shield assemblies for an aircraft landing gear include an aerodynamic shield, a first support bracket assembly, and a second support bracket assembly. The first support bracket assembly is configured to couple with a structural member of the aircraft landing gear, to support a first end of the aerodynamic shield, and to have a first position that is fixed relative to the structural member in an x-direction, a y-direction, and a z-direction. The first support bracket assembly has a first clamp that is configured to fix the first support bracket assembly relative to the structural member in the x-direction. The second support bracket assembly is configured to support a second end of the aerodynamic shield and to have a second position that is fixed relative to the structural member in the y-direction and the z-direction.

A support arrangement for a leading-edge high lift device comprising a support arm for movably supporting the leading-edge high lift device on a wing structure. In order to accommodate the supply of the leading-edge high lift device with a fluid such as an anti-ice fluid, for example pressurized hot air, the support arm is configured as a fluid conduit for feeding fluid to and/or from the leading-edge high lift device. The leading-edge high lift device may be configured as a droop nose device.