A flying vehicle comprising a wing ship body having a pair of wing spars secured thereto; and a plurality of hinged wing-rib assemblies disposed along each wing spar that allows the wings to be folded against the body of the flying vehicle. Fabric-coupling members connect wing fabric to the wing-rib assemblies. A method for folding or collapsing the wings of a wing-in-ground-effect wing ship comprising providing a wing-in-ground-effect wing ship having a pair of wings, and folding the wings toward and against the body of the wing-in-ground-effect wing ship. A fabric covered wing folding assembly including a pair of wings with each wing having a wing spar and covered by a fabric. A plurality of hinged wing-rib assemblies is disposed along each wing spar that allows the wings to be folded against the body of the aircraft. A method is provided for folding or collapsing the wings of an aircraft. The method comprises the steps of providing a cable connected assembly and a cable release mechanism coupled to the body of an aircraft; and providing a fabric covering the wings of the aircraft.

An apparatus for supporting a wing flap of an aircraft includes a support fitting configured to be coupled to a wing of the aircraft. The apparatus also includes a first link, pivotably coupled to the support fitting and configured to be pivotably coupled to the wing flap, and a second link, separably coupled to the support fitting and configured to be pivotably coupled to the wing flap.

Continuous skin leading edge slats are disclosed. A disclosed example leading edge slat for use with an aircraft includes a single-piece nose skin defining upper and lower external surfaces of the leading edge slat, where the single-piece nose skin is to extend between a fore end and an aft end of the leading edge slat, and a box spar coupled to an inner surface of the single-piece nose skin. The box spar includes lateral walls extending away from the inner surface of the single-piece nose skin. The lateral walls define at least one compartment of the box spar.

An apparatus is proposed for applying and removing protective caps (1) to and from the ends of elongate members (6). The protective cap (1) has a hard base portion (5) and a cover portion (2) of flexible, resilient material, extending from the base portion (5) and operative to cover a portion of an outer surface of the elongate member (6). The apparatus comprises: a gripping mechanism (44) operative to grip the hard base portion (5) of the protective cap (1); a drive mechanism, connected to the gripping mechanism (44), operative to move the protective cap (1) to and from the end of the elongate member (6); and a tool operative to perform at least one of the operations of (i) unfurling the cover portion to secure it to the outer surface of the elongate member, (ii) furling the cover portion to detach it from the outer surface of the elongate member.

A composite core assembly includes a composite core structure having internal material interfaces and an attachment rail coupled to the composite core structure. The attachment rail includes a first planar surface and a second planar surface adjoined with the first planar surface. The first planar surface is arranged parallel to an internal material interface plane of the composite core structure, and the first planar portion is at least partially integrated into the composite core structure in an internal material interface plane. At least a portion of the first planar surface extends beyond a perimeter surface of the composite core structure, and the second planar surface is configured to attach to the surrounding support member. The core material does not have net edge facets or flat edges positioned next to surrounding structure, and/or may not have a structure arranged parallel to the adjacent support structure to attach to the support structure.

A vehicle is provided including a structure including a skin defining an outside surface exposed to ambient cooling flow and an inside surface. The structure includes a first structural member extending from the inside surface of the skin and a second structural member extending from the inside surface of the skin; and a thermal management system including a heat exchanger assembly positioned adjacent to, and in thermal communication with, the inside surface of the skin, the heat exchanger assembly positioned at least partially between the first and second structural members of the structure.

A multispar lifting surface including a multispar torsion box having corner reinforcements, a movable control surface, and an axial rod fitting. The movable control surface includes a movable element, a hinged connection joined to the movable element, and an axial rod joining the hinged connection to the rear spar of the multispar torsion box. The axial rod fitting is configured to join the axial rod and the multispar torsion box; and includes a longitudinal profile resting against the rear spar, and a lug joined to the longitudinal profile at one end and to the axial rod at another end; the lug defining a plane including the longitudinal axis of the axial rod. This multispar lifting surface is able to support sideward forces without any additional structure.

A joining structure adapted to join adjacent tube structures together while providing high strength with low weight. The joining structure may be of composite materials, and may include warp tows in the longitudinal direction of the tubes and have weft tows cross-woven into a fabric, which may be a carbon fiber. The joining structure may be Y-shaped and adapted to join three composite sheets together. The weft tows may also be wound around a central cluster of tows, or tows, which may provide extra strength. The tubes may be pressurized in use, such as in an aircraft fuselage.

Systems, devices, and methods including a wing panel; a spar disposed in the wing panel, where the spar comprises: an upper cap; a lower cap; a honeycomb core connected between at least a portion of the upper cap and the lower cap; an inner face sheet; and an outer face sheet, where at least a portion of the honeycomb core is disposed between the inner face sheet and the outer face sheet.

Systems and methods are provided for installing ribs and/or spars to a wing panel while a contour is enforced. Methods include suspending a wing panel beneath a shuttle that enforces the contour, advancing the wing panel through work stations via the shuttle, and installing a rib or a spar (or another wing panel) at a work station, while the contour is enforced. Other methods include locating a wing panel beneath a shuttle, coupling adjustable-length pogos to the wing panel at locations distinct from those corresponding with an installation location, e.g. for a rib or a spar, and controlling the length of the pogos to enforce a contour to the wing panel. Some systems include a track, work stations disposed along the track, and a shuttle to advance along the track and convey a wing panel to each of the work stations while enforcing a contour onto the wing panel.