Electric aircraft power plants and associated methods are provided. One power plant includes an emergency power unit (EPU) for providing electric power in the event of a malfunction of a battery pack of an electric aircraft to permit the electric aircraft to make an emergency maneuver. The EPU includes a rocket engine for generating a stream of exhaust fluid using a rocket propellant, a turbine operatively connected to extract energy from the stream of exhaust fluid generated by the rocket engine, and an electric generator operatively connected to be driven by the turbine and to supply electric power to an electric motor propelling the electric aircraft.

A turbine engine includes integrated electric machines in the compressor section and the turbine section to supplement power produced from fuel with electric power. The example compressor section includes a compressor electric motor that is coupled to a compressor generator. The example turbine section includes a turbine electric motor that is coupled to the geared architecture to supplement power driving the fan section. A turbine generator provides electric power to the turbine electric motor.

An unducted single fan engine includes a housing having one or more fan blades coupled to the housing and configured to rotate circumferentially. The engine has one or more outlet guide vanes coupled to the housing. Each of the one or more guide vanes has a leading edge portion having a variable leading edge. The engine has one or more actuation devices coupled to each of the one or more outlet guide vanes. The one or more actuation devices are configured to control the variable leading edge of the respective outlet guide vane. The variable leading edge is controllable to vary the pitch, camber, lean angle, or sweep of the respective outlet guide vane.

An unducted single fan engine includes a housing having one or more fan blades coupled to the housing and configured to rotate circumferentially. The engine has one or more outlet guide vanes coupled to the housing. Each of the one or more guide vanes has a leading edge portion having a variable leading edge. The engine has one or more actuation devices coupled to each of the one or more outlet guide vanes. The one or more actuation devices are configured to control the variable leading edge of the respective outlet guide vane. The variable leading edge is controllable to vary the pitch, camber, lean angle, or sweep of the respective outlet guide vane.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the figures, where a system for vibration detection is shown, the system comprising: one or more drivelines including a rotatable component rotatable about a rotational axis relative to another component; an electrical machine having a rotor and a stator rotatable with respect to one another, the rotor being arranged to at least one of drive and be driven by a part of the driveline, the electrical machine being adapted to provide signals indicative for at least one of a motion and a force between the rotor and the stator and a torque applied on the rotor; and an analysis unit adapted to receive the signals and to detect a vibration signature of the rotatable component with respect to the other component based on the signals.

A system includes a gas turbine engine having a low speed spool, a high speed spool, and a combustor. The system also includes a low spool motor configured to augment rotational power of the low speed spool. The system further includes a controller configured to cause fuel flow. The controller is operable to control the low spool motor to drive rotation of the low speed spool responsive to a thrust command while the controller does not command fuel flow to the combustor.

A system includes a gas turbine engine having a low speed spool, a high speed spool, and a combustor. The system also includes a low spool motor configured to augment rotational power of the low speed spool. The system further includes a controller configured to cause fuel flow. The controller is operable to control the low spool motor to drive rotation of the low speed spool responsive to a thrust command while the controller does not command fuel flow to the combustor.

A vertical take-off and landing aircraft is provided. The aircraft comprises a fuselage which has a nose end, a tail end, and a plurality of seats disposed in the interior. A pair of rear wings extend outwardly from opposing sides of the fuselage between a cockpit and the tail end, and a pair of front wings extend outwardly from opposing sides of the fuselage between the cockpit and the nose end. Each of the pair of rear wings and front wings includes an adjustably mounted turbine which comprises a statically mounted fan pod, a duct rotatably connected to the fan pod, and an adjustable nozzle rotatably connected to the duct. The nozzle can be adjusted to a variety of configurations ranging between a vertical position and a horizontal position via the duct. The adjustably mounted turbine enables the aircraft to adjust thrust through vectors ranging between horizontal and vertical.

Electric engine to provide thrust to fly an aircraft. Engine includes housing, air inlet, shaft, bladed rotor having a plurality of magnets secured on shaft, stator having plurality of coils positioned so as to interact with plurality of magnets and an exhaust nozzle. Powering coils causes interaction with magnets that results in bladed rotor rotating and pressurizing and accelerating air received via air inlet and expelling via exhaust nozzle to provide thrust. Engine may include generator having stator with coils secured to shaft via bearings and plurality of rotors with magnets secured to shaft to rotate with shaft. Magnets rotating past coils results in electric generation. Second hollow shaft may be mounted to shaft with bearings and generator may be located with hollow shaft. Second bladed rotor may be connected to, and rotate, second shaft. Engine may include ducts external to bladed rotor and fan to route air therein.

Electric engine to provide thrust to fly an aircraft. Engine includes housing, air inlet, shaft, bladed rotor having a plurality of magnets secured on shaft, stator having plurality of coils positioned so as to interact with plurality of magnets and an exhaust nozzle. Powering coils causes interaction with magnets that results in bladed rotor rotating and pressurizing and accelerating air received via air inlet and expelling via exhaust nozzle to provide thrust. Engine may include generator having stator with coils secured to shaft via bearings and plurality of rotors with magnets secured to shaft to rotate with shaft. Magnets rotating past coils results in electric generation. Second hollow shaft may be mounted to shaft with bearings and generator may be located with hollow shaft. Second bladed rotor may be connected to, and rotate, second shaft. Engine may include ducts external to bladed rotor and fan to route air therein.