A vented hat stringer for an aircraft comprises a first hat-stringer leg with a first-hat-stringer-leg surface, a second hat-stringer leg with a second-hat-stringer-leg surface, a first hat-stringer sidewall, a second hat-stringer sidewall, and a hat-stringer connecting wall, comprising a hat-stringer-connecting-wall surface and a virtual hat-stringer-connecting-wall symmetry plane, passing through hat-stringer connecting wall. The vented hat stringer further comprises a ventilation opening, extending through at least one of the first hat-stringer sidewall or the hat-stringer connecting wall, or extending through at least one of the second hat-stringer sidewall or the hat-stringer connecting wall. The ventilation opening defines a ventilation-opening centerline, wherein the ventilation-opening centerline does not coincide with the virtual hat-stringer-connecting-wall symmetry plane.

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.

Assemblies and methods for facilitating the assembly of aircraft wings to a fuselage are disclosed. In some embodiments, a wing unit includes features that are configured to define one of more parts of a pressure vessel that is partially defined by the fuselage portion. In some embodiments, the aircraft assemblies disclosed herein comprise one or more first structural interfaces that permit positional adjustment between the wing unit and the fuselage portion so that one or more second structural interfaces may be finished only after such positional adjustment. In some embodiments, the aircraft assemblies disclosed herein comprise one or more structural interfaces that are disposed outside of the wing unit in order to eliminate or reduce the need for assembly personnel to access the interior of the wing unit to carry out the structural assembly of the wing unit to the fuselage portion.

Aircraft that incorporates a rounded-hat composite stringer connected to an inner side of the skin of the aircraft to form an elongate conduit that defines a conduit axis, where the conduit axis includes at least one curving portion. The rounded-hat composite stringer can be manufactured by constructing a lower forming die and an upper forming die, each forming die having a length and defining a curve along at least a portion of the length of the die, cutting a pre-cured flat composite charge dimensioned to form the rounded-hat composite stringer, pressing the flat composite charge between the lower and upper forming dies to shape the composite charge into a pre-formed stringer having an inner side between curved fillet portions, contacting a forming member against the inner side of the pre-formed stringer, applying radius fillers to the curved fillet portions of the pre-formed stringer, curing the pre-formed stringer, and removing the forming member from the cured stringer.

A duct stringer has duct walls providing a duct with a closed cross-section; and a bulkhead in the duct. The duct is adapted to transport fluid, and the bulkhead is adapted to block the flow of fluid along the duct. The bulkhead is adhered to the duct walls by one or more co-cured or co-bonded joints. The bulkhead includes a pair of bulkhead parts, each with a web and one or more flanges. The duct stringer is manufactured by positioning the mandrels end-to-end with the bulkhead parts back-to-back between them; wrapping or laying-up the duct walls around the bulkhead parts and the mandrels; co-curing or co-bonding the flanges of the bulkhead parts to the duct walls; and after the bulkhead has been adhered to the duct walls, removing the mandrels from opposite ends of the duct.

Aircraft, aircraft wings and associated shear ties are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first panel coupled to a second panel to define a wing box; a rib disposed chordwise within the wing box; and a stringer disposed spanwise within the wing box immediately adjacent at least one of the first panel or the second panel, the rib including a shear tie including first and second legs extending in opposite directions, the first and second legs to be coupled to at least one of the first panel, the second panel, or the stringer.

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 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 wing assembly include at least one fuel tank having a tank outboard end. In addition, the wing assembly includes a stout wing rib located proximate the tank outboard end and extending between a front spar and a rear spar. The wing assembly also includes at least one outboard wing rib located outboard of the stout wing rib and defining an outboard wing bay. The wing assembly also includes an upper skin panel and a lower skin panel each coupled to the front spar, the rear spar, the stout wing rib, and the outboard wing rib. A plurality of bead stiffeners are coupled to the upper skin panel and/or the lower skin panel and are spaced apart from each other within the outboard wing bay.