A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the ground effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

A landing gear assembly for an aircraft includes a landing member and an actuation mechanism coupled to the landing member. The actuation mechanism is configured to selectively actuate the landing member into a first landing position and a second landing position. The landing member is configured to support the aircraft in either the first landing position or the second landing position.

An aircraft assist system described herein includes an aircraft coupling counterpart attached to a strut of a landing gear of an aircraft, and an assist vehicle. The assist vehicle includes a frame, ground-engaging wheels mounted to the frame, a power source for driving one or more of the ground-engaging wheels, and a vehicle coupling counterpart for engagement with the aircraft coupling counterpart. The aircraft coupling counterpart and the vehicle coupling counterpart define a swivel connection for transferring a propulsive force from the takeoff assist vehicle to the aircraft. The aircraft coupling counterpart is disengageable from the vehicle coupling counterpart by upward movement of the aircraft coupling counterpart relative to the vehicle coupling counterpart.

An aircraft assist system described herein includes an aircraft coupling counterpart attached to a strut of a landing gear of an aircraft, and an assist vehicle. The assist vehicle includes a frame, ground-engaging wheels mounted to the frame, a power source for driving one or more of the ground-engaging wheels, and a vehicle coupling counterpart for engagement with the aircraft coupling counterpart. The aircraft coupling counterpart and the vehicle coupling counterpart define a swivel connection for transferring a propulsive force from the takeoff assist vehicle to the aircraft. The aircraft coupling counterpart is disengageable from the vehicle coupling counterpart by upward movement of the aircraft coupling counterpart relative to the vehicle coupling counterpart.

A fastening system having differentiable components includes a first bushing with a first mating feature to be inserted within a first receiver. A first fuse pin with a second mating figure and being configured to shear upon the application of a first predetermined load is configured to be inserted into the first receiver and mate with the first mating feature of the first bushing. The first and second mating features correspond and permit the insertion of the first fuse pin into the first bushing within the first receiver to selectively connect components. The first bushing may prevent the complete insertion of a second fuse pin having a third mating feature into the first receiver. A second bushing having a fourth mating feature may permit the complete insertion of the second fuse pin into the second bushing positioned within a second receiver.

A thin-skin support member is provided. The thin-skin support member may include a semi-circular edge and a flat edge that define a hollow cavity. A cylindrical cavity may be adjacent the hollow cavity and at least partially defined by the semi-circular edge. The cylindrical cavity may be configured to retain a strut assembly. A mounting interface may be coupled to the semi-circular edge and the flat edge. A torsion interface may be disposed adjacent the cylindrical cavity and configured to receive a torsion link. The thin-skin support member may be made using additive manufacturing and thus may have a grain structure grown in the direction of material being added.

A thin-skin support member is provided. The thin-skin support member may include a semi-circular edge and a flat edge that define a hollow cavity. A cylindrical cavity may be adjacent the hollow cavity and at least partially defined by the semi-circular edge. The cylindrical cavity may be configured to retain a strut assembly. A mounting interface may be coupled to the semi-circular edge and the flat edge. A torsion interface may be disposed adjacent the cylindrical cavity and configured to receive a torsion link. The thin-skin support member may be made using additive manufacturing and thus may have a grain structure grown in the direction of material being added.

An aircraft assembly having: a first part; a second part, the first part being movably mounted relative to a second part; a dynamic conduit arranged such that movement of the first part relative to the second part causes the dynamic conduit to move through a movement volume from a first conduit position to a second conduit position; a first fastener arranged to couple a component to the aircraft assembly, at least some of the first fastener residing within the movement volume of the dynamic conduit; and a safety guide arranged to be coupled to the first fastener, the safety guide comprising a bridge portion which extends away from the first fastener within the movement volume of the dynamic conduit so as to support the dynamic conduit when the dynamic conduit is in the second conduit position.

An aircraft assembly having: a first part; a second part, the first part being movably mounted relative to a second part; a dynamic conduit arranged such that movement of the first part relative to the second part causes the dynamic conduit to move through a movement volume from a first conduit position to a second conduit position; a first fastener arranged to couple a component to the aircraft assembly, at least some of the first fastener residing within the movement volume of the dynamic conduit; and a safety guide arranged to be coupled to the first fastener, the safety guide comprising a bridge portion which extends away from the first fastener within the movement volume of the dynamic conduit so as to support the dynamic conduit when the dynamic conduit is in the second conduit position.

The invention relates to the field of aviation, particularly to designs for vertical take-off and landing aircraft. A convertiplane comprises a fuselage, a pair of wings (a fore wing and an aft wing), propulsion systems comprising engines and propellers, a vertical stabilizer, a landing gear, and rotatable pylons. Two lifting propulsion systems are disposed on pylons having two degrees of freedom relative to the yaw and pitch angle on each side of the fuselage so as to be capable of being fixed in position and of retracting forward or backward into fuselage niches during horizontal flight. A marching propulsion system is installed on a pylon having one degree of freedom relative to the pitch angle so as to be capable of being fixed in position, or is completely fixed, and is capable of being disposed in either the nose part or the tail part of the fuselage, and likewise on the leading edge or the trailing edge of the vertical stabilizer. The invention allows for increasing reliability and service life, increasing flight distance, and decreasing production costs for the convertiplane.