A composite hat stringer for stiffening a panel includes a plurality of composite fabric plies arranged to form a cap, a pair of flanges and a pair of webs respectively connecting the cap with the pair of flanges. The cap includes at least one 0° composite tape ply interleafed in the composite fabric plies within the cap.

A system includes a U-shaped chute, one or more feeder mechanisms, a sock application assembly, and a film application assembly. The chute has a chute inlet and a chute outlet and is configured to receive a mandrel having a mandrel length. The one or more feeder mechanisms are configured to move the mandrel into the chute inlet and through the chute. The sock application assembly has a sock material spool containing a breather sock in tubular form. The sock application assembly is configured to progressively apply the breather sock over the mandrel length as the mandrel exits the chute outlet. The film application assembly has a film material spool containing a film in tubular form. The film application assembly is configured to progressively apply the film over the breather sock covering the mandrel exiting the sock application assembly to thereby form a film-sock-mandrel assembly.

An improved composite stiffener and methods and tooling used to form the same. The stiffener includes one or more base flanges, a composite rod extending in an axial direction, a bulb cap surrounding the composite rod, and an upright web extending from the one or more base flanges to the base cap. The upright web includes a non-linear profile in the axial direction providing the improved lateral stiffness. The method includes providing tooling including a first compression tool extending in the axial direction and including a first web portion having a non-linear profile, and a second compression tool extending in the axial direction and including a second web portion having a non-linear profile. Plies are placed within the tooling and compressed such that at least a portion of plurality of plies are compressed in the web forming portion thereby forming a web of the bulb stiffener having a non-linear profile.

A tolerance compensation subassembly in the form of a tolerance compensation element or a tolerance compensation region to improve the production, maintenance and repair of aircraft. The tolerance compensation subassembly contains an actuator which is formed from an electro-active polymer so that the tolerance compensation subassembly is electrically switchable between a fixed state and a non-fixed state. As a result, automation of the assembly of aircraft components on each other can be enabled or facilitated.

Aircraft stringers having carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) material reinforced flanges are disclosed. An example stringer to be coupled to a skin of an aircraft comprises a flange. The flange includes a first portion of a first stiffening segment. The flange further includes a first portion of a second stiffening segment coupled to the first portion of the first stiffening segment. The flange further includes a CFRP reinforcement segment coupled to the first portion of the first stiffening segment and to the first portion of the second stiffening segment. The CFRP reinforcement segment strengthens the first portion of the first stiffening segment and the first portion of the second stiffening segment.

A decorative laminate is disclosed, including a first laminate layer containing an anti-microbial agent and a second laminate layer. A decorative layer is disposed selectively between the first laminate layer and the second laminate layer. The first and second laminate layers include a thermoplastic fluoropolymer material. The first laminate layer, the decorative layer, and the second laminate layer are laminated together to form the decorative laminate, which is configured for application to a structural component.

An aircraft, such as a rotorcraft, may have (an) area(s) designated to house (a) fuel cell(s) and (an) aircraft structure(s) that may translate, during a drop impact of the aircraft, into the area(s) designated to house the fuel cell(s). (A) shaped fuel cell(s) may be provided and deployed therein, in accordance with the present systems and methods. Each respective shaped fuel cell may define (a) respective through-void(s) defined through the respective shaped fuel cell, and/or (an) respective edge cavit(y)(ies) defined along an edge of the shaped fuel cell, wherein the respective through-void(s) and/or the respective edge cavit(y)(ies) correspond to the respective aircraft structure(s) that may translate, during the drop impact of the aircraft, into the area(s) of the aircraft designated to house the respective fuel cell(s) to receive and accommodate the respective structure(s) during the drop impact.

To provide an aircraft that can efficiently improve speed performance and fuel efficiency, the aircraft is an aircraft capable of forward flight and hovering, and includes a lift generating part, a frame for holding the lift generating part, and a loadable object provided on the frame and to be mounted. The front projection area of the frame and the mounting part during forward flight is smaller than the front projection area of the frame and the mounting part during hovering.

A method for integrating and fitting at least one item of equipment and/or at least one line in a technical bay of an aircraft, comprising the steps comprising attaching the equipment and/or the line(s) on an integration module outside the fuselage of the aircraft, introducing the integration module into the fuselage of the aircraft via an opening of a baggage hold, and securing the integration module to a structure of the aircraft. An integration module is provided which comprises a chassis bounding a volume in which are positioned and attached at least one item of equipment and/or at least one line and having a cross section that is approximately identical to that of a baggage container and a length which is less than or equal to that of a baggage container.

Embodiments herein describe UAVs that utilize tail boom assemblies from pre-existing aircraft designs as lift generating elements. In one embodiment, a UAV includes a fuselage having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a first tail boom coupler disposed at the first end, and a second tail boom coupler disposed at the second end. Each of the first tail boom coupler and the second tail boom coupler are configured to mechanically couple with a plurality of tail boom assemblies procured from a pre-existing aircraft design.