A method and system for acquiring fuel characteristics on board an aircraft. The method for acquiring fuel characteristic on board an aircraft includes a least one tank and comprises a determination step determining a fuel circuit in one tank among the tank or tanks. The circuit includes at least one pump pumping the fuel from the tank into the circuit. A fuel properties measurement unit and a first valve are configured to open or close the circuit. A filling step includes filling the circuit with fuel. An acquisition step includes acquiring a value respectively for each of the fuel characteristics of the tank, and a transmission step includes transmitting, to a user device, a signal representative of the acquired values of the fuel characteristics.

A flowmeter for gaseous fluid includes a conduit composed of non-electrically conductive material for passage of an ionized flow of the gaseous fluid therethrough. The flowmeter further includes an electromagnetic sensor arranged to measure a magnetic field generated about the conduit by the passage of the ionized flow and generate a signal proportional to the magnetic field.

Aircraft fuel tank joints and related methods. The aircraft fuel tank joints comprise a first structural member comprising a first joint face, a second structural member comprising a second joint face that is spaced apart from the first joint face by a gap, a sealant dam compressed between the first and second joint faces and defining the gap, a first sealant zone on a first side of the sealant dam within the gap, and a second sealant zone on a second side of the sealant dam within the gap. The sealant dam and the first and second zones of sealant substantially fill, and form three independent seals within, the gap. The methods comprise substantially filling the gap with the sealant dam, the first zone of sealant, and the second zone of sealant, and compressing the sealant dam between the first and second faces to the compressed thickness.

The disclosure provides composite polymer compositions comprising a polyaryl ether ketone base polymer, a conductive filler, a dispersing and processing additive, and optionally a dielectric filler. The composite polymers exhibit retained or improved strength, increased toughness, and significantly increased elongation at break compared to the base polymer. The composite polymer may be used in lightweight, non-metallic fuel conveyance systems in aircraft.

Aircraft fuel ice capturing filter device housings, aircraft fuel ice capturing filter devices, and methods of use are provided.

A fuel gauging sensing device for a fuel tank for aircrafts includes an optical fiber harness along the internal surface of the tank, a master optical controller connected to a first terminal of the optical fiber harness, a slave optical controller connected to a second terminal of the optical fiber harness, wherein the optical fiber harness includes Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors spaced in the optical fiber harness between 1 mm and 25 mm to provide temperature gradients inside the tank and wherein the master and slave optical controllers are configured to obtain the fuel gauging of the tank based on the output from the FBG sensors.

A piezoelectric ring bender servo valve assembly reduces mechanical wear by removing mechanical components used in prior art servo valves. The assembly does not use torque motor, flapper, and feedback spring. In this manner, no moving parts are required, which reduces maintenance and costs. A pair of piezoelectric ring benders mount adjacently to a pair of nozzles. The piezoelectric ring benders independently regulate the flow of fluid through the nozzles by moving between an open position to enable flowage, and a closed position to restrict flowage. A linear position sensing device measures and provides feedback about the spool position to a valve controller. The valve controller allows the spool valve to move until valve position achieves command position and the force on the spool valve is in equilibrium with pressure difference across spool valve. An H-bridge operable to switch the polarity of a differential pressure applied across to a load.

An aircraft includes an engine, a fuel tank, a chamber, a system, and an introduction line. The chamber is located in the tank, occupies only a part of the tank, and includes a sensor for measuring a property of the fuel. The system injects fuel into the line. The introduction line introduces fuel from the injection system into the chamber. The introduction line includes a valve capable of preventing an introduction of fuel from the injection system into the chamber via the line.

A fuel tank system is disclosed that includes a fuel tank and a first fluid flow path between a gas space in the fuel tank and outside of the fuel system. A gas separation membrane is disposed with a first side in communication with the first fluid flow path and a second side in communication with a second fluid flow path. A fluid control device is in communication with the second fluid flow path and is configured to provide fluid flow from the second fluid flow path to a liquid space in the fuel tank or to outside of the fuel system. A prime mover is disposed in communication with the second fluid flow path, and is configured to move fluid on the second fluid flow path from the second side of the separation membrane to the fuel tank liquid space or to outside of the fuel system.

An expandable fuel line section for an aircraft, a fuel line for an aircraft, and a method for fabricating an expandable fuel line section for an aircraft are provided. In one non-limiting example, the expandable fuel line section includes a first inner tube section subassembly. A second inner tube section subassembly is in fluid communication with the first inner tube section subassembly. An outer tube subassembly has an outer tube wall surrounding an outer tube channel. The first and second inner tube section subassemblies are slidingly disposed in the outer tube channel to move between retracted positions and extended positions.