Air data sensing apparatus comprising: an aircraft panel; a blister arranged on a surface of the aircraft panel, the blister comprising an upstream portion and a downstream portion, the upstream portion being rounded in three dimensions and having a rounded outer edge surface spaced laterally from the aircraft panel; a plurality of apertures in the surface of the aircraft panel, the apertures being adjacent to the upstream portion of the blister, and spaced from the blister; a plurality of conduits, each conduit being in fluid communication with a respective aperture; and one or more pressure sensors arranged to measure a pressure in each of the conduits.

An air data probe is disclosed. The air data probe may include a probe body having an interior cavity and coated by a protective shell. A sensing port may be disposed in the air data probe and may extend through the probe body. The sensing port may also be lined by the protective shell. The protective shell may be made of an austenitic nickel-chromium alloy, or stainless steel, or any relatively corrosion resistant material. The probe body may be made of nickel, or a nickel alloy, or any relatively thermally conductive material. The protective shell may be joined to the probe body by additive manufacturing, such as laser cladding. In this manner, an air data probe capable withstanding high temperatures without corrosion and yet also being relatively thermally conductive is disclosed.

An air data probe is disclosed. The air data probe may include a probe body having an interior cavity and coated by a protective shell. A sensing port may be disposed in the air data probe and may extend through the probe body. The sensing port may also be lined by the protective shell. The protective shell may be made of an austenitic nickel-chromium alloy, or stainless steel, or any relatively corrosion resistant material. The probe body may be made of nickel, or a nickel alloy, or any relatively thermally conductive material. The protective shell may be joined to the probe body by additive manufacturing, such as laser cladding. In this manner, an air data probe capable withstanding high temperatures without corrosion and yet also being relatively thermally conductive is disclosed.

Embodiments of methods and apparatus for close formation flight are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of operating aircraft for flight in close formation includes establishing a communication link between a first aircraft and a second aircraft, assigning to at least one of the first aircraft or the second aircraft, via the communication link, initial positions relative to one another in the close formation, providing flight control input for aligning the first and second aircraft in their respective initial positions, tracking, by at least one aircraft in the close formation, at least one vortex-generated by at least one other aircraft in the close formation, and based on the tracking, providing flight control input to adjust a relative position between the first aircraft and the second aircraft.

Embodiments of methods and apparatus for close formation flight are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of sensing three dimensional (3D) airflow by an aircraft includes: collecting measurements characterizing airflow near the aircraft; analyzing the collected measurements; creating, by a processor, a computer model predicting one or more 3D airflow patterns parameter values based on the analyzing; obtaining one or more additional measurements characterizing airflow near an aircraft of the plurality of aircraft, and evaluating an error between an airflow parameter value predicted by the computer model and the one or more additional measurement.

A corrosion resistant apparatus for an air data probe with a sleeve being cylindrical in shape with a first end and a second end, at least one circumferentially extending groove on an outside of the sleeve configured to accommodate coils of a heater, and a bore at a center of the sleeve and extending between the first end and the second end configured to provide a pneumatic pathway that allows atmospheric conditions to reach measurement equipment of the air data probe.

A corrosion resistant apparatus for an air data probe with a sleeve being cylindrical in shape with a first end and a second end, at least one circumferentially extending groove on an outside of the sleeve configured to accommodate coils of a heater, and a bore at a center of the sleeve and extending between the first end and the second end configured to provide a pneumatic pathway that allows atmospheric conditions to reach measurement equipment of the air data probe.

A method of inspecting an air data probe for damage or misalignment on a mounting surface includes retrieving reference data for the air data probe from a database, capturing images of the air data probe via a camera and generating dimensions from the captured images of the air data probe via a feature extractor. An alignment calculator analyzes the generated dimensions from the captured images of the air data probe and the reference data for the air data probe from the database to identify misalignment of the air data probe, and analyzes the generated dimensions from the captured images of the air data probe and the reference data for the air data probe from the database to identify damage of the air data probe. A maintenance recommendation for the air data probe is generated and outputted, based on the identified misalignment or damage of the air data probe.

A method, apparatus, and system for managing sensor system for an aircraft. A presence of erroneous sensor data generated by a set of external sensors on an exterior of the aircraft is detected. A set of deployable sensors is deployed in response to the erroneous sensor data being received from the set of external sensors on the exterior of the aircraft when an undesired environmental condition adverse to the set of external sensors on the exterior of the aircraft is absent. Sensor data is received from the set of deployable sensors.

An air data probe includes a faceplate, a body connected to the faceplate, and a heating system comprising a coil, the coil being connected to the faceplate. The coil generates an electromagnetic field that couples with the body to heat the body.