A compound helicopter includes a fuselage including a fuselage airframe, a translational thrust system coupled to the fuselage airframe and a pylon assembly subject to vibration. The pylon assembly includes a transmission and a rotor system having a main rotor assembly. The compound helicopter also includes a main rotor vibration isolation system including a plurality of augmented liquid inertia vibration eliminator units each having an isolation frequency and each coupled between the fuselage airframe and the pylon assembly to reduce transmission of the pylon assembly vibration to the fuselage airframe at the isolation frequency. Each augmented liquid inertia vibration eliminator unit includes at least one active tuning element movable to tune the isolation frequency thereof.

A fuselage structure includes a pressure bulkhead and a frame being arranged behind the pressure bulkhead. The fuselage structure includes a first beam element with a first cantilever and a second cantilever, while the first beam element extends in a vertical direction of the fuselage structure. The first cantilever and the second cantilever protrude from the first beam element in a first direction toward the frame. The first direction of both cantilevers is inclined at a first angle with respect to a longitudinal direction of the fuselage structure. An aircraft with a fuselage structure and a method for manufacturing a fuselage structure are also described.

An aerofoil shaped body includes a plurality of longitudinal spars, an upper aerofoil cover, and a lower aerofoil cover. The spars and the covers are made of composite laminate material. One of the spars is integrally formed with one of the covers to form a spar-cover such that the composite laminate material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover. The fold region has a fold axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction, and the fold axis projected onto two orthogonal planes has curvature in both those planes.

An aerofoil shaped body includes a plurality of longitudinal spars, an upper aerofoil cover, and a lower aerofoil cover. The spars and the covers are made of composite laminate material. One of the spars is integrally formed with one of the covers to form a spar-cover such that the composite laminate material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover. The fold region has a fold axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction, and the fold axis projected onto two orthogonal planes has curvature in both those planes.

Methods for manufacturing elongated structural elements are provided. Such methods provide composite material having optimal properties such as weight and strength which can be produced at much lower costs compared to conventional methods. Composite materials including such elements are also provided. In addition, commercial products incorporating such structural elements are provided.

An aerofoil shaped body includes a plurality of longitudinal spars, an upper aerofoil cover, and a lower aerofoil cover. The spars and the covers are made of composite laminate material. One of the spars is integrally formed with one of the covers to form a spar-cover such that the composite laminate material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover. The fold region has a fold axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction, and the fold axis projected onto two orthogonal planes has curvature in both those planes.

Methods and apparatuses may include a stiffened beam assembly including a structural beam portion having a web and upper and lower flanges, and at least one continuous stiffening member extending back and forth between the upper and lower flanges on one side of the web, forming one or more trusses or other reinforcing structures. The beam portion and/or the stiffening member(s) may comprise formed sheet metal. The stiffening member(s) may be mechanically attached to the beam portion.

An aircraft empennage includes a vertical tail plane, a rear fuselage section attached to the vertical tail plane and including a skin and internal reinforcing members, a horizontal tail plane comprising two lateral torsion boxes and a framework located between the two lateral torsion boxes comprising a front spar, a rear spar and two ribs extending between the front and the rear spar and each adjacent to a lateral torsion box. The framework encloses a portion of the vertical tail plane along its spanwise direction. The aircraft empennage includes an attachment assembly attaching the framework to the rear fuselage section, the attachment assembly crossing the skin and extends between the internal reinforcing members of the rear fuselage section and the framework.

An aircraft, a center wing box assembly for an aircraft, and a spanwise beam section for a center wing box assembly that includes a segmented structural configuration with an optimized access hole to accommodate user access into an interior space of the center wing box for purposes of assembly and maintenance. The center wing box assembly includes a first spanwise beam section, a second spanwise beam section, spaced from the first spanwise beam section, and a plurality of chord members serving as load-bearing structural reinforcement members for the first spanwise beam section and the second spanwise beam section. The chord members extend across the space between the first spanwise beam section and the second spanwise beam section to connect the first spanwise beam section and the second spanwise beam section in a manner which defines an access hole at the interior space.

An aircraft wing assembly includes a wing box including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a leading edge structure connecting the upper surface to the lower surface and secured to the upper surface at a connection point. The aircraft wing assembly includes a drive mechanism secured to the wing box and a high lift device mounted to the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is configured to move the high lift device between a retracted position and an extended position in use, and wherein the high lift device is configured to overlap the connection point when in the retracted position.