An aircraft wing is disclosed herein having a fixed-location trip device placed along the span of the wing to transition airflow from laminar flow to turbulent flow so that potential load increases are limited and flight performance uncertainties associated with laminar flow wings are reduced. Wings designed for extended laminar flow offer the potential to significantly reduce airplane drag and fuel consumption. A collateral impact of a laminar flow wing is the generation of elevated wing loads at critical load conditions. This impact is mitigated by controlling the downstream limit of transition at these critical load conditions.

A flow control actuator includes at least one side wall, an upstream wall coupled to an upstream end of the side wall, a downstream cap coupled to a downstream end of the side wall, the downstream cap comprising at least one orifice disposed therein, at least one fuel injector disposed in at least one of the upstream wall, and the sidewall, the fuel injector dispersing fuel into the interior of the flow control actuator, and at least one oxidizer inlet disposed in at least one of the upstream wall and the sidewall, the at least one oxidizer inlet introducing an oxidizer into the interior of the flow control actuator. The flow control actuator includes at least one external fuel injector disposed adjacent to the side wall. The fuel from the fuel injector and oxidizer from the oxidizer inlet ignite in the interior of the flow control actuator.

Avionic display systems and methods are provided for generating avionic displays including symbology decreasing the likelihood of boom tolerance threshold exceedance (an overpressure events) due to potential constructive interference between pressure waves occurring during supersonic flight. In various embodiments, the avionic display system includes a display device on which an avionic display is generated. A controller architecture is operably coupled to the display device and configured to determine when there exists a possibility for an overpressure event to occur in a future timeframe due to constructive interference between colliding pressure waves, which are forecast to occur during the impending supersonic flight of one or more A/C. When determining that there exists a possibility for an overpressure event to occur in the future timeframe due to constructive interference between pressure waves, the controller architecture further generates symbology or other graphics on the avionic display indicative of the potential occurrence of the overpressure event.

The present invention provides a system of using compressed air as force source, comprising: compressed air jet engines, which use high/ultra-high pressure compressed air as a jet working medium, a compressed air production/supply device to economically, environmentally and quantitatively produce, store and supply the high/ultra-high pressure compressed air, and a controller. The compressed air jet engines are equipped on an airplane, rocket, submarine, train, or other moving carrier for aviation, aerospace, navigation and/or ground travel, comprising an air tank and air engines for generating power. The air engines comprise a main air engine for generating thrust, and a plurality of auxiliary air engines for reducing the air (or seawater) resistance and the sliding friction with air (or seawater) during the carrier movement to facilitate the speed-rising and energy-saving, and for improving the lift force of airplane wings to facilitate airplane short-range or vertical take-off/landing, etc.

A method of supersonic thrust generation includes generating a thrust supersonic exhaust plume having a first average velocity from an engine, and expelling a bypass exhaust plume having a second average velocity from the engine, the first average velocity greater than the second average velocity, so that the bypass exhaust plume inhibits coalescence of an engine exhaust plume compression shockwave.

A propulsion system includes at least one rotating detonation actuator comprising: a flow path extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; an inner wall defining a radially inner boundary of the flow path; an outer wall defining a radially outer boundary of the flow path; and at least one aircraft wing. The rotating detonation actuator is disposed in the aircraft wing. At least one rotating detonation wave travels through the flow path from the inlet end to the outlet end.

A propulsion system includes at least one rotating detonation actuator comprising: a flow path extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; an inner wall defining a radially inner boundary of the flow path; an outer wall defining a radially outer boundary of the flow path; and at least one aircraft wing. The rotating detonation actuator is disposed in the aircraft wing. At least one rotating detonation wave travels through the flow path from the inlet end to the outlet end.

A flow control system includes at least one flow surface; and at least one rotating detonation actuator including: an annulus extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; an inner wall defining a radially inner boundary of the annulus; and an outer wall defining a radially outer boundary of the annulus. At least one rotating detonation wave travels through the annulus from the inlet end to the outlet end. Combustion gas from the at least one rotating detonation actuator modifies at least one flow characteristic at the flow surface.

A flow control system includes at least one flow surface; and at least one rotating detonation actuator including: an annulus extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; an inner wall defining a radially inner boundary of the annulus; and an outer wall defining a radially outer boundary of the annulus. At least one rotating detonation wave travels through the annulus from the inlet end to the outlet end. Combustion gas from the at least one rotating detonation actuator modifies at least one flow characteristic at the flow surface.

A system includes a surface, an actuator, and a controller. The surface has a fluid flowing over the surface. The actuator is coupled to the surface to move the surface relative to the fluid. The controller causes the actuator to cause the surface to generate a surface wave that modifies drag in the fluid. The actuator can cause the surface to generate a Love wave.