An apparatus for unlocking an actuator comprises a first member mounted in a housing for longitudinal movement along an axis. A recess is formed in a surface of the first member. The apparatus further comprises a second member for operative connection to a lock release element of an actuator for movement in a direction generally transverse to the axis of movement of the first member. The second member has a follower element resiliently biased into contact with the surface of the first member. The apparatus further comprises an unlocking actuator for moving the first member along the axis between a first, locking position in which the follower element engages the surface and a second, unlocking position in which the follower element is at least partially received within the recess.

A toggle release mechanism comprises a platform, a toggle element comprising one or more rolling or sliding elements configured to move along a track between a first, locking position and a second, release position, and a solenoid configured to move the one or more rolling or sliding elements along the track between the first, locking position and the second, release position.

An aircraft tailcone comprising a tailcone fuselage, a turbomachine, for example an APU, housed inside the tailcone, a ram air intake on the tailcone fuselage for the ingestion of ram air towards the interior of the turbomachine compartment, an inlet flap operable reciprocately from an open position in which ingestion of ram air is allowed, and a closed position in which ram air ingestion is prevented. The ram air intake extends annularly along a perimeter of the tailcone fuselage, and the inlet flap is configured such in its closed position that a surface of the inlet flap is substantially flush with the tailcone fuselage.

A ram air turbine (RAT) can include a housing and a turbine shaft configured to connect to one or more turbine blades and be turned by the one or more blades. The turbine shaft can be disposed in the housing to rotate relative to the housing along a rotational axis. The RAT can include a first bearing and a second bearing mounted between the turbine shaft and the housing to allow the turbine shaft to rotate relative to the housing. The RAT can include a whirl reduction system configured to dampen or eliminate whirl around the rotational axis.

A ram air turbine (RAT) actuator piston can include a body defining a piston structure having an inner cavity. The piston can include one or more damping holes axially defined through the body to the inner cavity and a lock rod hole defined axially through the body to the inner cavity. The lock rod hole can have a larger flow area than one or more of the one or more damping holes. The lock rod hole can be configured to receive a lock rod of a RAT actuator to at least partially block flow through the lock rod hole when the lock rod is in a locked position. The one or more damping holes can be configured to allow flow through the damping holes in the locked position to allow the RAT actuator piston to move within the RAT actuator in the locked position to dissipate vibratory loads.

A protective coating composition for providing protection to a component of a ram air turbine system in need thereof. The protective coating composition comprises an aqueous-soluble or alkaline-soluble polymer matrix, one or more compressible fillers, and one or more non-compressible fillers. The disclosure also provides a method for providing a protective coating onto components of a ram air turbine system in need thereof for providing indentation and scratch resistance thereto.

Reactive spoilers for aircraft and associated methods. In one embodiment, a wing of an aircraft includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an upper surface and a lower surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The wing further includes a reactive spoiler disposed on the upper surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The reactive spoiler comprises one or more turbines configured to raise in relation to the upper surface into an airflow passing over the upper surface, and to reduce lift of a wing section behind the turbines. The turbines are configured to convert kinetic energy from the airflow into electrical energy.

A method of electrically powering an electrical load in an aircraft, the method including electrically powering the electrical load with a main source that generates electricity; measuring an instantaneous parameter characterizing the main source; determining a level of use of the main source from the measured instantaneous parameter; adjusting the voltage of the main source as a function of the level of use; measuring an output voltage from the main source; comparing the measured voltage or the level of use with a predetermined threshold value; and whenever the measured voltage is less than the predetermined threshold value, electrically powering the electrical load from an auxiliary source that stores electricity so as to supply additional electric power to the electrical load.

An airborne docking method is provided for an unmanned aerial vehicle. The airborne docking method includes securing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to a host aircraft via a docking assembly having a base coupled to the host aircraft, a tug device, and a cable connecting the tug device to the base, the tug device being engaged with the base, and the UAV being engaged to the tug device. The tug device is deployed from the base and the cable is extended therebetween to distance the tug device from the base. The UAV is then disengaged from the tug device.

A ram air turbine (RAT) system can include a generator configured to be turned by a RAT and to output an alternating current (AC) power, a generator control unit (GCU) configured to control an output of the generator, a rectifying module configured to rectify the AC power into a direct current (DC) power, and a DC load configured to receive the DC power from the rectifying module. The DC load can be operatively connected to the GCU to provide feedback from the DC load to the GCU. The GCU can be configured to control the output of the generator as a function of the feedback to prevent stalling of the RAT and/or doorbelling current and/or voltage in the system caused by disconnecting the generator from the DC load.