A compliant tail structure for a rotorcraft having rotating components and a fuselage. The tail structure includes a tail assembly having first and second oppositely disposed tail members. A tail joint connects the tail assembly to an aft portion of the fuselage. The tail joint includes at least four tail mounts configured to establish a nodding axis for the tail assembly. At least two of the tail mounts are resilient tail mounts that are configured to establish a nodding degree of freedom for the tail assembly relative to the fuselage about the nodding axis, thereby detuning dynamic fuselage responses from excitation frequencies generated by the rotating components.

A compliant tail structure for a rotorcraft having rotating components and a fuselage. The tail structure includes a tail assembly having first and second oppositely disposed tail members. A tail joint connects the tail assembly to an aft portion of the fuselage. The tail joint includes at least four tail mounts configured to establish a nodding axis for the tail assembly. At least two of the tail mounts are resilient tail mounts that are configured to establish a nodding degree of freedom for the tail assembly relative to the fuselage about the nodding axis, thereby detuning dynamic fuselage responses from excitation frequencies generated by the rotating components.

To improve the seal between a wing and a ventral fairing of an aircraft, an assembly includes an air seal system arranged in an opening, between the ventral fairing and the wing. The seal system includes a sealing blade, a first end of which presses against the wing, and a connecting device, on the ventral fairing, for a second blade end that is opposite the first end. The connecting device includes at least one first connecting layer, of which a first connecting face is secured to a first surface of the sealing blade, and of which a second face, opposite the first face, is secured to the ventral fairing, the first connecting layer being made of a material including an elastomer.

For sealing at the transition between high-lift devices and fairings, a shutter assembly can be installed in a high-lift system, thereby forming the shutter arrangement. The shutter assembly includes the shutter panel and possibly the driving member. The shutter assembly can be installed in the high-lift system, to form any embodiment of the shutter arrangement. The shutter arrangement covers the trunnion opening and is moveable in correspondence with the movement of the high-lift device in a continuous and strictly monotone manner.

For sealing at the transition between high-lift devices and fairings, a shutter assembly can be installed in a high-lift system, thereby forming the shutter arrangement. The shutter assembly includes the shutter panel and possibly the driving member. The shutter assembly can be installed in the high-lift system, to form any embodiment of the shutter arrangement. The shutter arrangement covers the trunnion opening and is moveable in correspondence with the movement of the high-lift device in a continuous and strictly monotone manner.

A process of joining a wing to an aircraft fuselage comprising the steps of: mapping the wing root of the wing, mapping the center-wing-box (CWB) of the aircraft fuselage, determining the position to provide the hole pattern on the CWB, providing the holes on the CWB, and attaching the wing root to the CWB. Primary and secondary templates with corresponding hole patterns may be used in combination with targets and laser trackers to implement the process. The hole pattern of the wing root can therefore be duplicated on the CWB at a position such that when the wings are joined to the fuselage, the aircraft will have optimum flight performance and dynamic symmetry. A predictive fit is thus provided, based on virtual representation and analysis, and advantageously permits the hole pattern to be provided without requiring the CWB and wing root to be brought together.

A process of joining a wing to an aircraft fuselage comprising the steps of: mapping the wing root of the wing, mapping the center-wing-box (CWB) of the aircraft fuselage, determining the position to provide the hole pattern on the CWB, providing the holes on the CWB, and attaching the wing root to the CWB. Primary and secondary templates with corresponding hole patterns may be used in combination with targets and laser trackers to implement the process. The hole pattern of the wing root can therefore be duplicated on the CWB at a position such that when the wings are joined to the fuselage, the aircraft will have optimum flight performance and dynamic symmetry. A predictive fit is thus provided, based on virtual representation and analysis, and advantageously permits the hole pattern to be provided without requiring the CWB and wing root to be brought together.

A system and method for forming an aft fuselage section of an aircraft include a forward section having a stabilizer channel. The forward section includes an upper sill beam and a lower sill beam. One or more pivot fittings are securely fastened between the upper sill beam and the lower sill beam. The one or more pivot fittings are configured to pivotally couple to a horizontal stabilizer within the stabilizer channel.

A simple, safe, and inexpensive flight control system in an aircraft. An anti-torque system for a rotary-wing aircraft has an airfoil with a first surface extending from a first trailing edge and a leading edge, and a second surface extending from a second trailing edge to join the first surface at the leading edge. The airfoil has a first moveable deflector panel pivotally coupled to the first trailing edge, and a second moveable deflector panel pivotally coupled to the second trailing edge. Means are provided to pivot the deflector panels in unison about their respective pivot axes to alter the direction of travel of the airflow downstream of the pivot axes over the surfaces of the deflector panels, thereby producing a lift in a direction perpendicular to the airflow to counteract the torque applied on the aircraft. The flight control system may be arranged within a fixed-wing aircraft.

A solar powered airship includes a cabin, at least one fuselage having an interior volume filled with a volume of a lighter-than-air gas such as helium, and a wing affixed to the fuselage. A plurality of solar panels are affixed to the wing and to the fuselage. A plurality of rotors are affixed to the wing, wherein each rotor is powered via an electric motor having a battery that is operably connected to the plurality of solar panels, thereby allowing for continuous flight. The solar powered airship may further include propellors, which may also be powered via the solar panels, or which may include gasoline powered motors. The solar powered airship can include various configurations and numbers of fuselages, wings, rotors, and propellors.