A water station consisting of a large water tank or bag with a plurality of dangling appendages for lowering toward the ground. These appendages include heat sensors and sprayers, and one or more may be capable of connecting to a fire fighting truck, water tank, fire hydrants, or other pieces of equipment. One or more appendages may also include a bag containing fire-fighting safety gear or ground-based hoses for fighting fires. Cameras and other sensors provide constant feedback to the pilot of the aircraft, such as a helicopter, deploying the water station.

A support system for use with an aircraft or vehicle capable of hovering. The support system includes a detecting portion provided outside an airframe and configured to detect a target object that may become an obstacle; an imaging portion configured to take an image of surroundings of the aircraft; a data processing portion; a display portion and the like. The data processing portion acquires data from the detecting portion and an avionics system. The data processing portion uses the acquired data to generate target object schematic image data indicating approach of the target object or possibility of the approach of the target object and outputs the target object schematic image data to the display portion. The display portion displays an obstacle state display image based on the target object schematic image data, the obstacle state display image schematically showing a state of the obstacle around the aircraft.

A fairing for a rotor, the fairing comprising a movable top half-shell, the fairing including a mover device provided with a slideway, the slideway being provided with a stationary portion secured to the head of the rotor, the slideway being provided with a movable portion secured to the top half-shell, the movable portion sliding in elevation along the stationary portion along an axis in elevation, the mover device including a driver device co-operating with the movable portion to move the movable portion in translation relative to the stationary portion from a closed extreme position to an open extreme position, and vice versa.

A fairing for a rotor, the fairing comprising a movable top half-shell, the fairing including a mover device provided with a slideway, the slideway being provided with a stationary portion secured to the head of the rotor, the slideway being provided with a movable portion secured to the top half-shell, the movable portion sliding in elevation along the stationary portion along an axis in elevation, the mover device including a driver device co-operating with the movable portion to move the movable portion in translation relative to the stationary portion from a closed extreme position to an open extreme position, and vice versa.

A method of determining the speed of the wind to be taken into account for determining a maximum authorized takeoff weight of an aircraft. A measured speed TAS.sub.mes of the local wind is calculated from at least one current speed TAS.sub.inst of the local wind and an observed speed TAS.sub.obs of the local wind on the basis of weather observations and on the basis of a heading value. The measured speed TAS.sub.mes is compared with the observed speed TAS.sub.obs in order to determine a calculated speed TAS.sub.perfo of the local wind while also making use of at least one instability criterion of the local wind as supplied by the weather observations and weather forecasts. The calculated speed TAS.sub.perfo is then for taking into account in order to optimize the maximize authorized takeoff weight of the aircraft.

A method of determining the speed of the wind to be taken into account for determining a maximum authorized takeoff weight of an aircraft. A measured speed TAS.sub.mes of the local wind is calculated from at least one current speed TAS.sub.inst of the local wind and an observed speed TAS.sub.obs of the local wind on the basis of weather observations and on the basis of a heading value. The measured speed TAS.sub.mes is compared with the observed speed TAS.sub.obs in order to determine a calculated speed TAS.sub.perfo of the local wind while also making use of at least one instability criterion of the local wind as supplied by the weather observations and weather forecasts. The calculated speed TAS.sub.perfo is then for taking into account in order to optimize the maximize authorized takeoff weight of the aircraft.

A device for integrity testing a system for rapid reactivation of a turboshaft engine of a helicopter includes a pneumatic turbine that is mechanically connected to said turboshaft engine and is supplied with gas, upon a command, by a pneumatic supply circuit such that it is possible to rotate the turboshaft engine and ensure that it is reactivated. The testing device has an apparatus configured to withdraw pressurised air from the turboshaft engine; a duct for conveying the withdrawn air to the pneumatic circuit for supplying the pneumatic turbine with gas The device further includes a sensor for determining the rotational speed of the pneumatic turbine.

A device for integrity testing a system for rapid reactivation of a turboshaft engine of a helicopter includes a pneumatic turbine that is mechanically connected to said turboshaft engine and is supplied with gas, upon a command, by a pneumatic supply circuit such that it is possible to rotate the turboshaft engine and ensure that it is reactivated. The testing device has an apparatus configured to withdraw pressurised air from the turboshaft engine; a duct for conveying the withdrawn air to the pneumatic circuit for supplying the pneumatic turbine with gas The device further includes a sensor for determining the rotational speed of the pneumatic turbine.

A hover-capable flying machine such as a drone includes a robotic arm extending from the body, and an instrumentality for balancing the machine in response to disturbances such as those caused by picking up and dropping of the payload by the extended robotic arm. In embodiments, the end of the arm is equipped with a balancing rotor assembly that may provide lift sufficient to counteract the weight of the payload and/or of the arm. In embodiments, the machine's power pack is shifted in response to the disturbances. The power pack may be moved, for example, on a rail within and/or extending beyond the machine in a direction generally opposite to the extended arm. The power pack may also be built into a bandolier-like device that can be rolled-in and rolled out, thus changing the center of gravity of the machine.

A hover-capable flying machine such as a drone includes a robotic arm extending from the body, and an instrumentality for balancing the machine in response to disturbances such as those caused by picking up and dropping of the payload by the extended robotic arm. In embodiments, the end of the arm is equipped with a balancing rotor assembly that may provide lift sufficient to counteract the weight of the payload and/or of the arm. In embodiments, the machine's power pack is shifted in response to the disturbances. The power pack may be moved, for example, on a rail within and/or extending beyond the machine in a direction generally opposite to the extended arm. The power pack may also be built into a bandolier-like device that can be rolled-in and rolled out, thus changing the center of gravity of the machine.