A wing assembly is disclosed. The wing assembly includes a main structure having a first contact face and a first recess arranged to receive a portion of a tension bolt; and a modular edge having a second contact face and a second recess arranged to receive a portion of the tension bolt. The modular edge is pivotally mounted on the main structure for rotation between an installation position and an operational position in which the modular edge is aligned with the main structure to form at least part of an edge of the wing assembly. The wing assembly is arranged such that, when the modular edge is in the operational position, tension in a tension bolt received in the first and second recesses acts to press the first and second contact faces together, thereby forming a tension joint that resists pivoting of the modular edge relative to the main structure.

A wing assembly is disclosed. The wing assembly includes a main structure having a first contact face and a first recess arranged to receive a portion of a tension bolt; and a modular edge having a second contact face and a second recess arranged to receive a portion of the tension bolt. The modular edge is pivotally mounted on the main structure for rotation between an installation position and an operational position in which the modular edge is aligned with the main structure to form at least part of an edge of the wing assembly. The wing assembly is arranged such that, when the modular edge is in the operational position, tension in a tension bolt received in the first and second recesses acts to press the first and second contact faces together, thereby forming a tension joint that resists pivoting of the modular edge relative to the main structure.

Continuous skin leading edge slats are disclosed. A disclosed example leading edge slat for use with an aircraft includes a single-piece nose skin defining upper and lower external surfaces of the leading edge slat, where the single-piece nose skin is to extend between a fore end and an aft end of the leading edge slat, and a box spar coupled to an inner surface of the single-piece nose skin. The box spar includes lateral walls extending away from the inner surface of the single-piece nose skin. The lateral walls define at least one compartment of the box spar.

A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to cool the leading edge of certain portions of the hypersonic aircraft that are exposed to high thermal loads, such as extremely high temperatures and/or thermal gradients. Specifically, the leading edge assemblies may include an outer wall tapered to a leading edge or stagnation point. A coolant supply may be in fluid communication with at least one fluid passageway that passes through the outer wall to deliver a flow of cooling fluid to the stagnation point. In addition, a nose cover is positioned at least partially over or within the at least one fluid passageway and is formed from a material that ablates or melts when the leading edge is exposed to a predetermined critical temperature, the nose cover being configured for restricting the flow of coolant until the nose cover is ablated or melted away.

This invention discloses a new foil design for generating and changing lift in a fluid dynamic environment. The vessel/aircraft can change foil's lift coefficient by using independently rotatable and locking tubes with at least one flat area attached to axles which enables modification of the surface conformation of the foil. The foil is provided with means to control a pitch, a roll and a yaw motion and to control the position and stability of the aircraft. In one embodiment the foil is capable of maintaining lift upon inversion, or flipping of a vessel. In another embodiment the invention provides a novel device and methodology for modifying foil surface configurations for in-motion fluid dynamic efficiency.

This invention discloses a new foil design for generating and changing lift in a fluid dynamic environment. The vessel/aircraft can change foil's lift coefficient by using independently rotatable and locking tubes with at least one flat area attached to axles which enables modification of the surface conformation of the foil. The foil is provided with means to control a pitch, a roll and a yaw motion and to control the position and stability of the aircraft. In one embodiment the foil is capable of maintaining lift upon inversion, or flipping of a vessel. In another embodiment the invention provides a novel device and methodology for modifying foil surface configurations for in-motion fluid dynamic efficiency.

A leading-edge component for an aircraft includes at least a part of a flow body having a front skin, a hollow space at least partially delimited by the front skin and at least one separate retention device. The at least one retention device comprises a flexible structure with a mesh, a web, a fabric or a plurality of strings. The retention device is arranged behind the front skin in a distance thereto and extends along a main extension direction of at least a section of the front skin. The retention device is configured to retain a front skin that deforms to move into the hollow space upon an impact of a foreign object.

A leading-edge component for an aircraft includes at least a part of a flow body having a front skin, a hollow space at least partially delimited by the front skin and at least one separate retention device. The at least one retention device comprises a flexible structure with a mesh, a web, a fabric or a plurality of strings. The retention device is arranged behind the front skin in a distance thereto and extends along a main extension direction of at least a section of the front skin. The retention device is configured to retain a front skin that deforms to move into the hollow space upon an impact of a foreign object.

A section of an aircraft wing including a leading edge of the aircraft wing. A leading edge part of the section includes ribs; and a skin fixedly attached to the ribs to form a spanwise series of adjacent cells. Each cell includes an enclosed volume bounded by the skin at the leading edge and a pair of the ribs. At least one cell of the series of adjacent cells is a dry cell include a mounting point for mounting a leading edge high-lift device support apparatus in the dry cell. The skin at the leading edge provides a primary load path for carrying at least some of a spanwise primary load experienced by the section when in use on an aircraft.

A section of an aircraft wing including a leading edge of the aircraft wing. A leading edge part of the section includes ribs; and a skin fixedly attached to the ribs to form a spanwise series of adjacent cells. Each cell includes an enclosed volume bounded by the skin at the leading edge and a pair of the ribs. At least one cell of the series of adjacent cells is a dry cell include a mounting point for mounting a leading edge high-lift device support apparatus in the dry cell. The skin at the leading edge provides a primary load path for carrying at least some of a spanwise primary load experienced by the section when in use on an aircraft.