A method of determining whether a landing event of an aircraft is hard may comprise: receiving, by a controller via a stroke position sensor, a stroke profile as a function of time for a shock strut; receiving, by the controller via a gas pressure sensor, a gas pressure in a gas chamber of the shock strut; receiving, by the controller via a wheel speed sensor, a wheel speed of a tire in a landing gear assembly; calculating, by the controller, multiple time dependent functions based on the stroke profile of the shock strut, based on the gas pressure, a shock strut temperature, and the wheel speed; and comparing, by the controller, the multiple time dependent functions to respective predetermined thresholds to determine whether the landing event is hard.

There is provided a blade angle feedback system for an aircraft-bladed rotor rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having an adjustable blade pitch angle. A feedback device is coupled to rotate with the rotor and to move along the axis with adjustment of the blade pitch angle. The feedback device comprises a body having position marker(s) embedded therein, the body made of a first material having a first magnetic permeability and the position marker(s) comprising a second material having a second magnetic permeability greater than the first. Sensor(s) are positioned adjacent the feedback device and configured for producing, as the feedback device rotates about the axis, sensor signal(s) in response to detecting passage of the position marker(s). A control unit is communicatively coupled to the sensor(s) and configured to generate a feedback signal indicative of the blade pitch angle in response to the sensor signal(s) received from the sensor(s).

In an embodiment, a method includes: adjusting a first flight control device of a rotorcraft to control flight around a first axis of the rotorcraft, the first flight control device exercising flight control authority around the first axis of the rotorcraft; detecting a failure of the first flight control device; transitioning at least a portion of the flight control authority around the first axis of the rotorcraft from the first flight control device to a second flight control device of the rotorcraft, the transitioning being performed automatically in response to detecting the failure of the first flight control device; and adjusting the second flight control device to control flight around the first axis of the rotorcraft, the second flight control device being adjusted by a first control process when the rotorcraft is in a first flight mode, the second flight control device being adjusted by a second control process when the rotorcraft is in a second flight mode.

The present disclosure relates to imaging systems, aerial refueling aircraft, and methods relating to the processing of images. An example imaging system includes at least one camera, a display, and a controller. The controller includes at least one processor and a memory. The controller is configured to carry out operations. The operations include receiving at least one image from the at least one camera. The operations additionally include adjusting the at least one image to provide at least one adjusted image. Adjusting the at least one image includes applying: a local adaptive histogram equalization filter, a global gamma correction filter, and a local contrast filter. The operations also include outputting the at least one adjusted image to the display.

A method is provided for alerting a rotorcraft crew member of a potential collision of a rotor blade of the rotorcraft having a rotor shaft and a rotor azimuth. The method comprises estimating a total rotor flapping value associated with the rotor blade during an operating condition of the rotorcraft. The estimated total rotor flapping value is relative to the rotor shaft as a function of the rotor azimuth. The method also comprises comparing the estimated total rotor flapping value to a rotor flapping limit value during the operating condition of the rotorcraft. The method further comprises sending a warning signal to a warning device when the estimated total rotor flapping value lies outside of the rotor flapping limit value to alert the rotorcraft crew member of a potential collision of the rotor blade of the rotorcraft.

A computer-implemented method of determining a steering angle of an aircraft landing gear including: obtaining an input image of the aircraft landing gear; comparing the input image against a plurality of reference images, the plurality of reference images comprising images of the aircraft landing gear at known steering angles; determining a most similar reference image, the most similar reference image comprising the reference image of the plurality of reference images most closely matched to the input image; and determining, based at least in part on the most similar reference image, the steering angle of the aircraft landing gear.

A flight control surface assembly adapted to be mounted to a main wing of an aircraft includes a flight control surface having a first portion and a second portion spaced from each other, a connection assembly adapted for movably connecting the flight control surface to the main wing, such that the flight control surface is selectively movable in a predetermined movement between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the main wing, and for each of the flight control surface, a first roller with a first axial face and a second roller with a second axial face facing the first axial face mounted rotatably and coaxially. with a gap between the first and second axial end faces. A biasing mechanism biasing the first and second rollers towards each other, and a transmission mechanism coupled between the flight control surface and the rollers are included.

A landing gear system uplock arrangement (300, 500) including: a hook (310) defining a gap (314), wherein the hook is movable between a first position, at which the hook is for retaining a movable element (299, 499) of a landing gear system in the gap, and a second position, at which the hook is for permitting movement of the element into and out from the gap; a lock (320) that is changeable between a locked state, in which the lock prevents movement of the hook from the first position to the second position, and an unlocked state, in which the lock permits movement of the hook from the first position to the second position; and a sensor arrangement (330) for sensing whether the element is present in the gap.

An automated flight control functional testing system includes a first sensor on a pilot input device for sensing position of the pilot input device, and a distributed network of sensors on a plurality of control surfaces of an aircraft for sensing positions of the control surfaces. A controller determines an expected position of each control surface based on data signals received from the first sensor, and the controller determines an actual position of each control surface based on data signals received from the distributed network of sensors. An automated flight control functional testing method includes transmitting angle information to a controller from a first angle sensor on a pilot input device and a second angle sensor on a control surface of an aircraft, and comparing an expected angle of a control surface based on the first sensor with an actual angle of the control surface based on the second sensor.

A monitoring system and method are configured to detect a status of a door for a component on a vehicle. The monitoring system includes a sound sensor positioned within an auditory range of the door. The sound sensor detects sound energy generated in relation to a closed position of the door and an open position of the door. The sound sensor outputs a sound signal indicative of the sound energy. A monitoring control unit is in communication with the sound sensor. The monitoring control unit receives the sound signal and analyzes the sound signal to determine the status of the door.