An airframe design may include a bonded frame or assembly, and one or more components that may be removably attached to the bonded frame. The bonded frame may include struts, central bulkheads, a tail section, a plurality of wing sections, and motor mounts that are adhered together using adhesive. The one or more attachable components may include a forward fuselage, motors, propellers, motor pod fairings, stabilizer fins, and landing gear that are attached using fasteners. The bonded frame may reduce the number of parts of the airframe design and may also reduce complexity, cost, and weight, while also increasing stiffness and strength. Further, the various attachable components may facilitate fabrication, assembly, and maintenance of an aerial vehicle having the airframe design.

An airframe design may include a bonded frame or assembly, and one or more components that may be removably attached to the bonded frame. The bonded frame may include struts, central bulkheads, a tail section, a plurality of wing sections, and motor mounts that are adhered together using adhesive. The one or more attachable components may include a forward fuselage, motors, propellers, motor pod fairings, stabilizer fins, and landing gear that are attached using fasteners. The bonded frame may reduce the number of parts of the airframe design and may also reduce complexity, cost, and weight, while also increasing stiffness and strength. Further, the various attachable components may facilitate fabrication, assembly, and maintenance of an aerial vehicle having the airframe design.

An aircraft has a vertical stabilizer with a multi-spar box and a base rib assembly secured to the multi-spar box. The base rib assembly has front longitudinal lugs, rear longitudinal lugs, and opposing middle longitudinal lugs. Front clevises corresponding to the front longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members of the fuselage of the aircraft and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Rear clevises corresponding to the rear longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Middle clevises corresponding to the middle longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has only first and second mounting arms. Retaining members inserted through mounting holes in each longitudinal lug and mounting holes in each corresponding clevis secures the vertical stabilizer to the fuselage.

An aircraft has a vertical stabilizer with a multi-spar box and a base rib assembly secured to the multi-spar box. The base rib assembly has front longitudinal lugs, rear longitudinal lugs, and opposing middle longitudinal lugs. Front clevises corresponding to the front longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members of the fuselage of the aircraft and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Rear clevises corresponding to the rear longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Middle clevises corresponding to the middle longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has only first and second mounting arms. Retaining members inserted through mounting holes in each longitudinal lug and mounting holes in each corresponding clevis secures the vertical stabilizer to the fuselage.

A compound helicopter includes a fuselage, a fixed wing, a rotary wing, and a barrier member. The fixed wing is fixed to the fuselage. The rotary wing is rotatably coupled to the fuselage. The barrier member is attached to a part, of the fuselage, that is above the fixed wing and is between the rotary wing and the fixed wing. The barrier member is configured to generate no lift upon forward flight.

An aircraft has a vertical stabilizer having a multi-spar box and a base rib assembly secured to the multi-spar box. The base rib assembly has a pair of middle longitudinal lugs between a front and rear of the base rib assembly, a pair of front lateral lugs along the front of the base rib assembly, and a pair of rear lateral lugs along the rear of the base rib assembly. There are no lateral lugs between the pairs of middle lugs. A pair of middle clevises extend through corresponding apertures in an outer skin of the fuselage and are secured to one of the plurality of frame members and a plurality of retaining members are inserted through mounting holes in each middle longitudinal lug and mounting holes in each middle clevis to secure the vertical stabilizer to the aircraft fuselage.

An aircraft has a vertical stabilizer having a multi-spar box and a base rib assembly secured to the multi-spar box. The base rib assembly has a pair of middle longitudinal lugs between a front and rear of the base rib assembly, a pair of front lateral lugs along the front of the base rib assembly, and a pair of rear lateral lugs along the rear of the base rib assembly. There are no lateral lugs between the pairs of middle lugs. A pair of middle clevises extend through corresponding apertures in an outer skin of the fuselage and are secured to one of the plurality of frame members and a plurality of retaining members are inserted through mounting holes in each middle longitudinal lug and mounting holes in each middle clevis to secure the vertical stabilizer to the aircraft fuselage.

An aircraft has a vertical stabilizer with a multi-spar box and a base rib assembly secured to the multi-spar box. The base rib assembly has front longitudinal lugs, rear longitudinal lugs, and opposing middle longitudinal lugs. Front clevises corresponding to the front longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members of the fuselage of the aircraft and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Rear clevises corresponding to the rear longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Middle clevises corresponding to the middle longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has only first and second mounting arms. Retaining members inserted through mounting holes in each longitudinal lug and mounting holes in each corresponding clevis secures the vertical stabilizer to the fuselage.

An aircraft has a vertical stabilizer with a multi-spar box and a base rib assembly secured to the multi-spar box. The base rib assembly has front longitudinal lugs, rear longitudinal lugs, and opposing middle longitudinal lugs. Front clevises corresponding to the front longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members of the fuselage of the aircraft and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Rear clevises corresponding to the rear longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has a first, second, and third mounting arms. Middle clevises corresponding to the middle longitudinal lugs are secured to frame members and each has only first and second mounting arms. Retaining members inserted through mounting holes in each longitudinal lug and mounting holes in each corresponding clevis secures the vertical stabilizer to the fuselage.

An aerostructure assembly of an aircraft is disclosed having a first aerostructure portion extending in a direction between a first position and a second position and including structurally of at least one rib or spar portion at least partially enclosed by a cover portion; a corresponding second aerostructure portion connected to the first aerostructure portion and extending continuously in the direction from the first aerostructure portion between the second position and a third position and including structurally of at least one further rib or further spar portion at least partially enclosed by a further cover portion. The first aerostructure portion has a first aerodynamic planform area (SI) and the corresponding second aerostructure portion has a corresponding second aerodynamic planform area (S2). A total aerodynamic planform area of the first aerostructure portion and corresponding second aerostructure portion is equal to the sum of the first aerodynamic planform area and the corresponding second aerodynamic planform area.