Provided herein is a method to reinforce a junction of fiber-composite aircraft components forming an elongate conduit. The method comprises (a) abrading the junction and (b) applying sealant along the junction from a tool moveable through the conduit, the tool exerting force on an interior surface of the conduit opposite the junction.

A fuselage for an aircraft includes a pressure deck assembly extending along a roll axis of the fuselage. The pressure deck assembly includes longitudinal beams and a pressure deck. The longitudinal beams extend lengths along the roll axis of the fuselage. The pressure deck extends between the longitudinal beams along the lengths of the longitudinal beams. The pressure deck is compliant along a pitch axis of the fuselage. The fuselage includes a bulkhead extending along a yaw axis of the fuselage. The bulkhead is joined to the pressure deck assembly at a corner joint. The fuselage includes a compression chord extending a length along the pitch axis of the fuselage. The compression chord is joined between the pressure deck assembly and the bulkhead at the corner joint such that the compression chord extends on an outside of the corner joint.

A stiffener is disclosed including a core and a shell which surrounds the core. The shell is formed from a fibre material, and the core includes first and second battens arranged side by side, and a foam spacer between the battens. The stiffener extends in a lengthwise direction, and the battens and the foam spacer have respective lengths which extend in the lengthwise direction of the stiffener. The core is assembled with the spacer between the battens, then surrounded with the shell. The stiffener may be a stringer for an aircraft wing.

A panel assembly is disclosed having a panel, a beam attached to the panel, and a plurality of stiffeners attached to the panel. Each stiffener includes a respective bridge which crosses over the beam at an intersection from a first side of the beam to a second side of the beam. Each bridge has an outer surface facing away from the panel and an inner surface facing towards the panel. The inner surface of each bridge deviates away from the panel to form a recess at the intersection, and the outer surface of each bridge deviates away from the panel to form a protrusion at the intersection.

A connector for connecting a frame to a transversely extending stringer of a fuselage structure of an aircraft includes a base carrier extending in a longitudinal connector direction, a first connecting portion connected to the base carrier and extending in a first transverse connector direction, the first connecting portion having a coupling structure in an end region remote from the base carrier for engaging around an end region of a cross-section of the stringer, and a second connecting portion connected to the base carrier and adapted to be connected to the frame.

Systems are provided for fabricating a preform for a fuselage section of an aircraft. The system includes advancing a series of arcuate mandrel sections in a process direction through an assembly line, laying up fiber reinforced material onto the arcuate mandrel sections via layup stations, uniting the series of arcuate mandrel sections into a combined mandrel; and splicing the fiber reinforced material laid-up onto the arcuate mandrel sections.

A manufacturing method of a reinforced structure includes a step of preparing a stringer that has a fiber exposed surface, a step of disposing an electrically conductive protection member on the fiber exposed surface to cover at least a part of the fiber exposed surface, a step of arranging the stringer on a skin having an uncured resin component, and a step of curing the skin after the arranging. The electrically conductive protection member includes a composite material made of combination of a resin component and an electrically conductive fiber component. The step of curing includes curing the skin and the electrically conductive protection member simultaneously. The manufacturing method can prevent edge glow without increasing the number of production steps.

Described herein are stringer assemblies, such as blade stringers, and methods of forming thereof. A stringer assembly comprises a first fabric composite stiffener, a second fabric composite stiffener, and an intermediate tape composite stiffener, disposed between and connected to each of the first and second stiffeners. Using three separate components allows forming sharp bends, eliminating voids and gap fillers, and adding new features, such as edge reinforcements. Each of the first and second fabric composite stiffeners comprises a web portion, a flange portion, and a curved portion, positioned between the web and flange portions. The web portions surround and are attached to the intermediate tape composite stiffener and, in some examples, include tapered-out edges for additional rigidity. The flange portions are attached to the composite base. The curved portions conform to the flared-out edges of the intermediate tape composite stiffener, which extends and connects to the composite base.

Additive manufactured airframe structure having a plurality of additive manufactured airframe segments operable to be linked together in an assembled direction. Each of the plurality of additive manufactured airframe segments are separate from one another in an unassembled configuration. Plurality of reinforcement elements operable to be received in a receiving portion of the plurality of airframe segments and extending through the plurality of airframe segments in a normal direction. Receiving portion is located on the interior of a respective one of the plurality of airframe segments.

A method for joining skin portions of a closed fuselage, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft, has the following method steps: providing at least a first skin portion and a second skin portion, at least one of the skin portions being fitted with components to remain in the fuselage; positioning at least the first skin portion and the second skin portion relative to one another in a first joint such that the skin portions form a circumferentially closed fuselage arrangement; guiding a first joining head along the first joint on an outer surface of the fuselage arrangement; and guiding a second joining head along the first joint on an inner surface of the fuselage arrangement, the second joining head being guided along longitudinal guide means which are arranged inside the circumferentially closed fuselage arrangement and are formed at least in part by the components to remain in the fuselage.