Pneumatic air systems for use onboard aircraft include a compressor configured to receive air from an air supply and increase a pressure of said received air to generate compressed air, a heat exchanger configured to receive the compressed air as a first working fluid and a treating air as a second working fluid, the heat exchanger configured to convert the compressed air to compressed and temperature treated air, one or more aircraft systems configured to receive the compressed and temperature treated air, and a surge prevention circuit arranged to prevent surge of air at the compressor, wherein the surge prevention circuit comprises a mechanical valve that is actuated based on a detected pressure within a sense line operably coupled to the mechanical valve.

Methods and systems for a full-scale vertical takeoff and landing manned or unmanned aircraft, having an all-electric, low-emission or zero-emission lift and propulsion system, an integrated ‘highway in the sky’ avionics system for navigation and guidance, a tablet-based motion command, or mission planning system to provide the operator with drive-by-wire style direction control, and automatic on-board-capability to provide traffic awareness, weather display and collision avoidance. Automatic computer monitoring by a programmed triple-redundant digital autopilot computer controls each motor-controller and motor to produce pitch, bank, yaw and elevation, while simultaneously restricting the flight regime that the pilot can command, to protect the pilot from inadvertent potentially harmful acts that might lead to loss of control or loss of vehicle stability. By using the results of the state measurements to inform motor control commands, the methods and systems contribute to the operational simplicity, reliability and safety of the vehicle.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the use of the fuel cell systems on board aircraft and other passenger transportation vehicles and to methods of using heat, air, and water generated by such fuel cell systems. The heat may be used to address condensation within the aircraft. The heat may be used to help evaporate excess water that would otherwise condense in the aircraft skin. The excess water collected may be used to create humidification for cabin air. In other examples, the heat, warmed air, or warmed water may be delivered to other locations or heating systems for beneficial use.

Various aspects provide for a solar assembly. The solar assembly may be a mechanical structure that allows many small solar cells to be integrated into the wing design of an aircraft without placing them on the surface area of the wing or the vehicle. Additional aspects may provide for an adjustable solar assembly. The adjustable solar assembly may be configured to be installed into a structure having a structural profile. When installed, the solar assembly may conform to the structural profile such that the structural profile is maintained. The solar assembly may further comprise an adjustable carrier system comprising a plurality of solar cells attached thereto. The adjustable carrier system may be configured to dynamically adjust the orientation of the solar cells so as to maintain an optimal angle with respect to an external light source.

An environmental control system includes an air conditioning subsystem and a contaminant removal subsystem downstream of the environment to be conditioned. The contaminant removal subsystem includes: a first gas-liquid contactor-separator; a second gas-liquid contactor-separator; and a dehumidifier disposed either upstream of the first gas-liquid contactor-separator or downstream of the second gas-liquid contactor-separator.

An air cycle machine for extracting bleed air from a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The air cycle machine extracts a stream of low pressure bleed air and a stream of high pressure bleed air from a compressor section of the gas turbine engine. The air cycle machine includes a compressor that receives the stream of low pressure bleed air and a turbine that receives the stream of high pressure bleed air. The stream of high pressure bleed air is expanded as it drives the turbine, and the stream of low pressure bleed air is compressed by the compressor. The resulting streams of bleed air are substantially the same pressure, such that they may be merged using a junction into a combined bleed air stream having a temperature and pressure suitable for use by a variety of aircraft accessory systems, such as an environmental control system. The air cycle machine may further power or be powered from an electrical storage device or generator on the fan.

The invention relates to an air conditioning system for a cabin (10) of an aircraft (80) comprising: a bleed air source (12); a ram-air circulation channel (13); a network of pipes and control valves; an air cycle turbine engine comprising at least one compressor (3) and a power turbine (4) which are mechanically connected to one another; and at least one primary cooling exchanger (PHX) which is accommodated in said channel (13), characterized in that said pipe network comprises a thermal power pipe (53) which is suitable for being able to fluidically connect, upon control of at least one control valve (25, 21), said air outlet (4b) of said power turbine (4) and said ram-air circulation channel (13) upstream of said primary exchanger (PHX) so that said bleed air expanded by said power turbine (4) can form a thermal energy source for said ram air being supplied to said primary circuit of said primary exchanger (PHX).

An aeronautical car includes a ground-travel system including a drivetrain; an air-travel system including a detachable portion configured to house a propulsion device configured to provide thrust and to be driven by the drivetrain when the detachable portion is connected to the aeronautical car, and at least one flight mechanism configured to provide lift once the aeronautical car is in motion; and a weather manipulation device. The weather manipulation device may be configured to manipulate at least one aspect of a weather condition while the aeronautical car is in the air.

A side wall portion of an aircraft has an integrated structural battery and heating member. The side wall portion has a plurality of solar cells arranged on an inner circumferential surface of a window frame structure. The electrical energy produced by the solar cells is stored in the structural battery and output to the heating members, so as to heat the side wall portion. With this a thinner thermal insulation of the fuselage structure is possible in the vicinity of the seats so as to allow for an additional seat in the abreast direction.

A system for cooling a motor operating within an aircraft system includes an enclosure receiving ram air from a first ram air duct and discharging ram air to a second ram air duct to form a cooling path. The second ram air duct is discrete and independent from the second ram air duct. The system can discharge ram air between a heat exchanger and a fan within the second ram air duct that define a reduced or negative pressure region within the second ram air duct.