Systems, methods, and aircraft for managing center of gravity (CG) while transporting large cargo are described. Management of CG is achieved in many ways. In some instances, the aircraft itself is designed to assist in managing CG by providing fuel tanks that minimize the impact of fuel on the net CG of the aircraft. The fuel tanks utilize only a small amount of available volume in the wings for fuel. Disclosures related to properly managing CG while loading wind turbines onto cargo aircraft are also provided. The CG management techniques provided for herein allow for the transportation of wind turbine blades via aircraft, running counter to the typical rail or truck transportation of the same. One such management technique includes accounting for how a rotation of the blades when loading impacts the CG of the blades, and thus taking this into account when placing the blades in the aircraft.

A Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft has a fuselage with an axis and an engine providing thrust, a first aileron at an end of a first wing, a second aileron at an end of a second wing, a first slot having a length through the first wing proximate the first aileron, orthogonal to the axis; a second slot having a length through the second wing proximate the second aileron, orthogonal to the axis; a first electric motor in the first wing driving a first two-blade propeller in the first slot, a second electric motor in the second wing driving a second two-blade propeller in the second slot, and a control mechanism enabling a user to drive the first and second electric motors in a same rotary direction, to reverse the rotary direction, and to drive the first and second motors at a same rpm.

A Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft has a fuselage with an axis and an engine providing thrust, a first aileron at an end of a first wing, a second aileron at an end of a second wing, a first slot having a length through the first wing proximate the first aileron, orthogonal to the axis; a second slot having a length through the second wing proximate the second aileron, orthogonal to the axis; a first electric motor in the first wing driving a first two-blade propeller in the first slot, a second electric motor in the second wing driving a second two-blade propeller in the second slot, and a control mechanism enabling a user to drive the first and second electric motors in a same rotary direction, to reverse the rotary direction, and to drive the first and second motors at a same rpm.

An aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe with first and second M-wings having first and second pylons extending therebetween, each M-wing forming a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle. A propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to the airframe proximate one of the leading apexes. Each of the propulsion assemblies includes a rotor assembly having a tilting degree of freedom. A flight control system is operable to control the propulsion assemblies including tilting the rotor assemblies to generate variable thrust vectors. In the vertical takeoff and landing fight mode, the aircraft operates responsive to thrust-borne lift from the propulsion system. In the forward flight mode, the aircraft operates responsive to wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation.

An aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe with first and second M-wings having first and second pylons extending therebetween, each M-wing forming a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle. A propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to the airframe proximate one of the leading apexes. Each of the propulsion assemblies includes a rotor assembly having a tilting degree of freedom. A flight control system is operable to control the propulsion assemblies including tilting the rotor assemblies to generate variable thrust vectors. In the vertical takeoff and landing fight mode, the aircraft operates responsive to thrust-borne lift from the propulsion system. In the forward flight mode, the aircraft operates responsive to wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation.

There is provided a composite structure for an aerodynamic component having an aerofoil-like cross-section and a leading edge, the composite structure being in the form of a torsion box arrangement made from composite materials and having a core, the torsion box having a forward wall, an aft wall, a top wall and a bottom wall, together defining the core, the front wall being formed as the leading edge of the aerodynamic component. Also provided is a load-bearing composite structure for use with an aerodynamic component and configured for supporting at least one external load, this composite structure being made from composite materials and configured for being joined to the external aerodynamic surface of the aerodynamic component such as to be in overlying abutting relationship with at least a contact surface portion of the external aerodynamic surface, including the leading edge, at least a forward portion of each of the suction surface and the pressure surface thereof.

An autonomous propeller propulsion system for an aircraft. The autonomous system comprises a chassis with first attachment systems which engage with second attachment systems of the wing to ensure detachable attachment of the autonomous system, a fuel cell attached to the chassis, an electric motor attached to the chassis and having an output shaft, a propshaft rotated by the output shaft, a propeller attached to the propshaft, a controller converting an electric current delivered by the fuel cells into an electric current delivered to the electric motor, a hydrogen feed duct and an air feed duct, a set of auxiliary equipment, and a first connection arrangement, which connects with a second connection arrangement of the aircraft.

An autonomous propeller propulsion system for an aircraft. The autonomous system comprises a chassis with first attachment systems which engage with second attachment systems of the wing to ensure detachable attachment of the autonomous system, a fuel cell attached to the chassis, an electric motor attached to the chassis and having an output shaft, a propshaft rotated by the output shaft, a propeller attached to the propshaft, a controller converting an electric current delivered by the fuel cells into an electric current delivered to the electric motor, a hydrogen feed duct and an air feed duct, a set of auxiliary equipment, and a first connection arrangement, which connects with a second connection arrangement of the aircraft.

A VTOL aircraft (1) having a fuselage (2) for transporting passengers and/or load, front and rear wings (3, 4) attached to the fuselage, a right connecting beam (5a) and a left connecting beam (5b), which connecting beams structurally connect the front wing and the rear wing, and which connecting beams are spaced apart from the fuselage, and at least two lifting units (M1-M6) on each one of the connecting beams. The lifting units each include at least one propeller (6b) and at least one motor (6a) driving the propeller, preferably an electric motor, and are arranged with their respective propeller axis in an essentially vertical orientation. The front wing, at least in portions thereof, has a sweep angle γ between γ=450 and γ=135°, and the rear wing, at least in portions thereof, has a forward sweep with sweep angle β≥30°.

A VTOL aircraft (1) having a fuselage (2) for transporting passengers and/or load, front and rear wings (3, 4) attached to the fuselage, a right connecting beam (5a) and a left connecting beam (5b), which connecting beams structurally connect the front wing and the rear wing, and which connecting beams are spaced apart from the fuselage, and at least two lifting units (M1-M6) on each one of the connecting beams. The lifting units each include at least one propeller (6b) and at least one motor (6a) driving the propeller, preferably an electric motor, and are arranged with their respective propeller axis in an essentially vertical orientation. The front wing, at least in portions thereof, has a sweep angle γ between γ=450 and γ=135°, and the rear wing, at least in portions thereof, has a forward sweep with sweep angle β≥30°.