A rotorcraft is provided and includes a fuselage. The fuselage includes drag generating portions, a main rotor assembly and an auxiliary propulsor having an expected propulsion efficiency. The auxiliary propulsor is disposed to ingest boundary layer flows and in wake regions associated with the drag generating portions and is provided with a corresponding increase in the expected propulsion efficiency thereof.

A rotorcraft is provided and includes a fuselage. The fuselage includes drag generating portions, a main rotor assembly and an auxiliary propulsor having an expected propulsion efficiency. The auxiliary propulsor is disposed to ingest boundary layer flows and in wake regions associated with the drag generating portions and is provided with a corresponding increase in the expected propulsion efficiency thereof.

A helicopter with a fuselage and a composite tail boom. The composite tail boom has at least a tubular tail boom cone and a composite attachment ring segment that defines a mating face which is connected to the fuselage at an associated connection interface by means of a plurality of tension members that are oriented longitudinally with respect to a longitudinal extension direction of the composite tail boom. The plurality of tension members are distributed over a perimeter of the composite attachment ring segment 7. The composite attachment ring segment has a clamp ring section with a plurality of tension member accommodations. The clamp ring section defines the mating face of the composite attachment ring segment 7. The plurality of tension members is at least partly accommodated in the plurality of tension member accommodations.

A thermal management system and method includes: a drive shaft; one or more fans or impellers in fluid communication with at least a portion of the drive shaft; and one or more air management baffles configured to direct air flow between the impeller and the portion of the drive shaft. In one embodiment, the system and method further includes insulation positioned about the at least a portion of the drive shaft.

A thermal management system and method includes: a drive shaft; one or more fans or impellers in fluid communication with at least a portion of the drive shaft; and one or more air management baffles configured to direct air flow between the impeller and the portion of the drive shaft. In one embodiment, the system and method further includes insulation positioned about the at least a portion of the drive shaft.

A diverter duct for a propeller includes a second duct element having a semi-annular wedge shape, which is pivotably coupled to the first duct element, a first drive structure configured to drive a pivoting of the second duct element relative to the first duct element and a second drive structure configured to drive a rotation of the first and second duct elements about an axis of rotation of the propeller.

A diverter duct for a propeller includes a second duct element having a semi-annular wedge shape, which is pivotably coupled to the first duct element, a first drive structure configured to drive a pivoting of the second duct element relative to the first duct element and a second drive structure configured to drive a rotation of the first and second duct elements about an axis of rotation of the propeller.

An aircraft includes an airframe; an extending tail; a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly; a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe; an upper hub fairing positioned at the upper rotor assembly; a lower hub fairing positioned at the lower rotor assembly; and a shaft fairing disposed between the upper hub fairing and the lower hub fairing; wherein a geometry of at least one of the upper hub fairing and the lower hub fairing progressively blends from a circle to a series of curved elliptical surfaces in an inboard direction.

An aircraft includes an airframe; an extending tail; a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly; a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe; an upper hub fairing positioned at the upper rotor assembly; a lower hub fairing positioned at the lower rotor assembly; and a shaft fairing disposed between the upper hub fairing and the lower hub fairing; wherein a geometry of at least one of the upper hub fairing and the lower hub fairing progressively blends from a circle to a series of curved elliptical surfaces in an inboard direction.

A rotary wing aircraft control system includes an airframe, a main rotor assembly supported by the airframe, and a control system arranged in the airframe and operatively connected to the main rotor assembly. The control system includes a flight control computer (FCC), at least one control inceptor device and a touchdown orientation control system. The touchdown orientation control system includes a computer readable program code an FCC to: sense, by a sensor operatively connected to the flight control computer (FCC), an altitude of the rotary wing aircraft relative to a landing surface, determine one of a landing state rearward velocity reference limit value and a landing state lateral velocity reference limit value associated with the altitude, and selectively limit a landing state flight envelope of the rotary wing aircraft to the one of the landing state rearward velocity reference limit value and the landing state lateral velocity reference limit value.