Systems and methods of improving the operation of an aircraft during flight are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises deploying spoilers as the speed of the aircraft approaches the maximum operating Mach number of the aircraft, and keeping the spoilers deployed when the speed of the aircraft is substantially at the maximum operating Mach number.

An aircraft wing has an upper surface element and a first actuator powered mechanism for varying the shape of the surface element which includes: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1, a downstream segment SEG.sub.2, an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 extends along the whole or at least a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and the whole or at least a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, and a link element LNK interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upper surface of the aircraft wing, and the first mechanism interconnecting a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the airfoil. The first mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2.

An aircraft wing has an upper surface element and a first actuator powered mechanism for varying the shape of the surface element which includes: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1, a downstream segment SEG.sub.2, an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 extends along the whole or at least a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and the whole or at least a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, and a link element LNK interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upper surface of the aircraft wing, and the first mechanism interconnecting a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the airfoil. The first mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2.

An aerofoil shaped body includes a plurality of longitudinal spars, an upper aerofoil cover, and a lower aerofoil cover. The spars and the covers are made of composite laminate material. One of the spars is integrally formed with one of the covers to form a spar-cover such that the composite laminate material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover. The fold region has a fold axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction, and the fold axis projected onto two orthogonal planes has curvature in both those planes.

An aerofoil shaped body includes a plurality of longitudinal spars, an upper aerofoil cover, and a lower aerofoil cover. The spars and the covers are made of composite laminate material. One of the spars is integrally formed with one of the covers to form a spar-cover such that the composite laminate material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover. The fold region has a fold axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction, and the fold axis projected onto two orthogonal planes has curvature in both those planes.

A wing tip device for fixing to the outboard end of a wing, the wing defining a wing plane, the wing tip device comprising: an upper wing-like element projecting upwardly with respect to the wing plane and having a trailing edge; and a lower wing-like element fixed with respect to the upper wing-like element and having a root chord and a trailing edge, the lower wing-like element root chord intersecting with the upper wing-like element, and the lower wing-like element projecting downwardly from the intersection, wherein the upper wing-like element is larger than the lower wing-like element and the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element is adjacent the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element at the intersection, and wherein an included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements at the intersection is less than, or equal to, 160 degrees.

A wing tip device for fixing to the outboard end of a wing, the wing defining a wing plane, the wing tip device comprising: an upper wing-like element projecting upwardly with respect to the wing plane and having a trailing edge; and a lower wing-like element fixed with respect to the upper wing-like element and having a root chord and a trailing edge, the lower wing-like element root chord intersecting with the upper wing-like element, and the lower wing-like element projecting downwardly from the intersection, wherein the upper wing-like element is larger than the lower wing-like element and the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element is adjacent the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element at the intersection, and wherein an included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements at the intersection is less than, or equal to, 160 degrees.

A braking force generation device is configured to have: a first mode in which a deflector and a blocker door are retracted with respect to a wing; a second mode in which, in a state where: (i) a leading edge of the deflector is separated from the wing; (ii) a trailing edge of the deflector is at or adjacent to the wing; and (iii) the blocker door is deployed: a first flow path is formed on a lower surface side of the deflector for fluid to flow from a rear of the wing to a front of the wing via a cross flow fan from an opening on a blocker door side to a leading edge opening on a leading edge side of the deflector in the first flow path; and a third mode in which a second flow path is formed on the lower surface side of the deflector.

A braking force generation device is configured to have: a first mode in which a deflector and a blocker door are retracted with respect to a wing; a second mode in which, in a state where: (i) a leading edge of the deflector is separated from the wing; (ii) a trailing edge of the deflector is at or adjacent to the wing; and (iii) the blocker door is deployed: a first flow path is formed on a lower surface side of the deflector for fluid to flow from a rear of the wing to a front of the wing via a cross flow fan from an opening on a blocker door side to a leading edge opening on a leading edge side of the deflector in the first flow path; and a third mode in which a second flow path is formed on the lower surface side of the deflector.

A method of securing a split winglet to a wing tip of an aircraft includes fastening an upper winglet to an upper winglet attachment portion of a wing attach fitting having a wing attachment portion. The method further includes fastening a lower winglet to a lower winglet attachment portion of the wing attach fitting. The method additionally includes fastening the wing attachment portion to the wing tip using tension fasteners installed from an inboard side of the wing tip to secure the split winglet to the wing.