Provided are flight control mechanisms, such as omnidirectional thrust mechanisms (OTMs), and methods of using such mechanisms. These mechanisms may be positioned in wings, tails, or other components of aircraft. A mechanism may comprise a center member and top and bottom panels. The center member may comprise two curved segments joint at a center edge. The top and bottom panels may be independently pivotable relative to the center member. At high speeds, the top panel and/or the bottom panel may be pivoted outward to change the lift, drag, roll, and/or other flight conditions. The mechanism may also include a gas nozzle to direct compressed gas to the center member. The center member and/or the top and bottom panels redirect this gas resulting in forces in one of four directions, which are used for controlling the aircraft at low speeds, down to hover.

Computerized system and method of controlling a refueling device including, when the device is in a non-engaged state: receiving a first roll angle of a tanker, determining a first desired roll angle, and providing a command for controlling a roll element, thereby attempting to achieve or maintain a first roll angle that is substantially the same as the roll angle of the tanker. And, when the device is in an engaged state: receiving a second roll angle of the tanker, determining a second desired roll angle, and providing a command related to the desired roll angle for controlling a yaw element, thereby attempting to achieve or maintain a second roll angle that is substantially the same as the roll angle of the tanker, wherein the roll angle of the device during the engaged state is facilitated due to a degree of freedom between the refueling device body and refueling nozzle.

Computerized system and method of controlling a refueling device including, when the device is in a non-engaged state: receiving a first roll angle of a tanker, determining a first desired roll angle, and providing a command for controlling a roll element, thereby attempting to achieve or maintain a first roll angle that is substantially the same as the roll angle of the tanker. And, when the device is in an engaged state: receiving a second roll angle of the tanker, determining a second desired roll angle, and providing a command related to the desired roll angle for controlling a yaw element, thereby attempting to achieve or maintain a second roll angle that is substantially the same as the roll angle of the tanker, wherein the roll angle of the device during the engaged state is facilitated due to a degree of freedom between the refueling device body and refueling nozzle.

Braking systems for aircraft are disclosed. An example braking system includes a fan cowl having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The braking system includes a hinge assembly coupled between the leading edge and a fan cage of an aircraft engine to enable the fan cowl to move between a stowed position and a deployed position. An actuator is coupled to the leading edge of the fan cowl, and the actuator is to move the fan cowl via the hinge from the stowed position to the deployed position in a direction away from the aircraft engine and toward a fore end of the aircraft to provide an air brake during a braking event.

Braking systems for aircraft are disclosed. An example braking system includes a fan cowl having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The braking system includes a hinge assembly coupled between the leading edge and a fan cage of an aircraft engine to enable the fan cowl to move between a stowed position and a deployed position. An actuator is coupled to the leading edge of the fan cowl, and the actuator is to move the fan cowl via the hinge from the stowed position to the deployed position in a direction away from the aircraft engine and toward a fore end of the aircraft to provide an air brake during a braking event.

Braking systems for aircraft are disclosed. An example braking system includes a parachute launching system configured to deploy a parachute from a stowed position within a launch tube of the parachute launching system to a deployed position in an airstream of the aircraft. The system also includes a parachute retrieval system including a first cable configured to recover the parachute from the deployed position to the stowed position for subsequent use.

A bell-mouth scoop assembly includes an actuator comprising a plurality of hinge members configured to rotate in unison about a respective hinge axis of rotation from a first stowed position to a second deployed position and at least one linkage arm extending outwardly from at least one of the plurality of hinge members. The bell-mouth scoop assembly further comprises a bell-mouth panel comprising a panel longitudinal centerline and pivotably coupled to each linkage arm, in the first stowed position the bell-mouth panel (configured to conform to an outer surface of the with the panel longitudinal centerline aligned about a circumference of the flow discharge nozzle, in the second deployed position the bell-mouth panel configured to extend away from the outer surface of the flow discharge nozzle with the longitudinal centerline aligned parallelly with the nozzle centerline.

A bell-mouth scoop assembly includes an actuator comprising a plurality of hinge members configured to rotate in unison about a respective hinge axis of rotation from a first stowed position to a second deployed position and at least one linkage arm extending outwardly from at least one of the plurality of hinge members. The bell-mouth scoop assembly further comprises a bell-mouth panel comprising a panel longitudinal centerline and pivotably coupled to each linkage arm, in the first stowed position the bell-mouth panel (configured to conform to an outer surface of the with the panel longitudinal centerline aligned about a circumference of the flow discharge nozzle, in the second deployed position the bell-mouth panel configured to extend away from the outer surface of the flow discharge nozzle with the longitudinal centerline aligned parallelly with the nozzle centerline.

A spoiler mechanism for an aircraft includes a spoiler fore-section and a spoiler aft-section. The spoiler fore-section includes a forward end configured to couple to a wing structure of an aircraft and a hinge end. The hinge end includes a first hinge coupling and a first retainer portion. The spoiler aft-section includes a second retainer portion and a second hinge coupling coupled to the first hinge coupling of the spoiler fore-section. The first retainer portion and the second retainer portion are configured to engage one another when the spoiler aft-section is aligned with the spoiler fore-section, and the first retainer portion and the second retainer portion are configured to disengage from one another responsive to the spoiler aft-section pivoting upward relative to the spoiler fore-section.

An aircraft spoiler mechanism includes a spoiler fore-section, a spoiler aft-section, and a reverse-motion linkage arm. The spoiler fore-section includes a forward end, a hinge end, an actuator coupling, and a pivot coupling to couple to a wing structure of an aircraft to enable rotation of the spoiler fore-section relative to the wing structure. The spoiler aft-section includes a hinge portion coupled to the hinge end of the spoiler fore-section and a crank-arm. The reverse-motion linkage arm includes a first end, a second end, and a pivot point coupled to the forward end of the spoiler fore-section. The spoiler mechanism also includes a first linkage to couple the first end of the reverse-motion linkage arm to the wing structure and a second linkage coupled to the second end of the reverse-motion linkage arm and to the crank-arm on the spoiler aft-section.