An airfoil body for an aircraft extending from an inner end to an outer end, and between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil body comprises an internal structure and an airfoil skin covering the internal structure. The skin has a pressure side and a suction side, and the suction side includes a light transmitting portion. The internal structure includes an array of transduce elements attached to a planar sheet with the airfoil body. The present disclosure further relates to wings and aerial vehicles.

An airfoil structure for an aircraft includes a spanwise-extending load-carrying member, a leading-edge structure, a trailing-edge structure, an upper cover, and a lower cover. The load-carrying member is configured to react more than half of all flight loads experienced by the airfoil structure during flight and is configured to have selected stiffness properties selected such that the airfoil structure bends and twists in a predefined manner in response to applied flight loads. The leading-edge structure is configured to form a leading-edge part of an aerodynamic surface of the airfoil structure. The trailing-edge structure is configured to form a trailing edge part of the aerodynamic surface. The upper cover is configured to form an upper part of the aerodynamic surface. The lower cover is configured to form a lower part of the aerodynamic surface.

Method for assembling a slat, for an aircraft wing, comprising providing a skin and a plurality of stiffeners; assembling the stiffeners to the skin obtaining a skin sub-assembly; providing a spar and a plurality of lugs; assembling the lugs to the spar obtaining a spar sub-assembly; assembling the spar sub-assembly to the skin sub-assembly to obtain the slat.

A flapping-wing aircraft includes a support frame, a motor coupled to the support frame, a pair of wings coupled to the support frame, and a linkage assembly coupled to the support frame and configured to translate an output torque of the motor into flapping motion of the wings, wherein the linkage assembly includes a first link coupled to a rotational output of the motor, a second link pivotably coupled to the first link at a first pivot joint, a third link pivotably coupled to the second link at a second pivot joint, and a fourth link pivotably coupled to the support frame and slidably coupled to the third link, and wherein the fourth link is coupled to a first wing of the pair of wings.

An aircraft comprising a fuselage, first and second wings positioned on either side of the fuselage, wherein each wing includes an inner part connected to the fuselage and an outer part continuing the inner part, the end of each inner part connected to the fuselage having a height greater than half the height of the fuselage and extending over a length greater than or equal to half of a distance separating the nose and the tail of the fuselage.

A composite structure includes a first composite skin and a second composite skin spaced from the first composite skin. The first composite skin and the second composite skin define a longitudinal cavity therebetween. The composite structure further includes a plurality of spars located in the longitudinal cavity and laterally spaced from one another. The plurality of spars extends between and connects the first composite skin and the second composite skin. The composite structure further includes at least one rib located within the longitudinal cavity between a first spar and a second spar of the plurality of spars. The first spar is laterally adjacent the second spar. The at least one rib is in contact with the first composite skin, the second composite skin, the first spar and the second spar.

A composite structure includes a first composite skin and a second composite skin defining a longitudinal cavity therebetween. The first composite skin and the second composite skin further define at least one edge where the first composite skin contacts the second composite skin. The composite structure further includes at least one core disposed within the longitudinal cavity. The core includes a first surface and a second surface which define a core edge where the first surface contacts the second surface. The core is positioned with the core edge adjacent the at least one edge with the first surface contacting the first composite skin and the second surface contacting the second composite skin.

Aircraft fuel tank joints and related methods. The aircraft fuel tank joints comprise a first structural member comprising a first joint face, a second structural member comprising a second joint face that is spaced apart from the first joint face by a gap, a sealant dam compressed between the first and second joint faces and defining the gap, a first sealant zone on a first side of the sealant dam within the gap, and a second sealant zone on a second side of the sealant dam within the gap. The sealant dam and the first and second zones of sealant substantially fill, and form three independent seals within, the gap. The methods comprise substantially filling the gap with the sealant dam, the first zone of sealant, and the second zone of sealant, and compressing the sealant dam between the first and second faces to the compressed thickness.

An airfoil body is provided for an aircraft which includes a first skin, a second skin, a plurality of first stiffeners and a plurality of second stiffeners. The first stiffeners are configured from or otherwise include first stiffener composite material. The first stiffeners extends widthwise between and are connected to the first skin and the second skin. Each of the first stiffeners has a first stiffener longitudinal centerline that extends spanwise along the first skin and the second skin. The second stiffeners are configured from or otherwise include second stiffener composite material. The second stiffeners extend widthwise between and are connected to the first skin and the second skin. Each of the second stiffeners has a second stiffener longitudinal centerline that extends lengthwise along the first skin and the second skin.

A wing assembly for an aircraft is disclosed including a wing and a wing tip device at the tip of the wing, wherein the wing tip device is moveable between a flight configuration and a ground configuration. The wing has a spar extension which extends spanwise away from a distal end of the wing, the spar extension having a first end portion fixed in the wing and a second end portion which, in the flight configuration, is positioned in the wing tip device such that, in the flight configuration, the spar extension transmits flight loads between the wing tip device and flight-load bearing structure in the wing. The wing assembly may have an actuation assembly to move the wing tip device.