Systems, devices, and methods including a leading edge tubular member; an upper tubular member; a lower tubular member; one or more upper rib members connected between the leading edge tubular member and the upper tubular member; one or more lower rib members connected between the leading edge tubular member and the lower tubular member; a rigid sandwich shell disposed between the upper tubular member and the leading edge tubular member; and a sandwich shear web disposed between the upper tubular member and the lower tubular member; where the rigid sandwich shell and the sandwich shear web form a D-shape.

Systems, devices, and methods including one or more rib mounting flanges, where each rib mounting flange comprises: a spar opening configured to receive a main spar of a wing panel; one or more holes for receiving cross-bracing cables; and one or more holes for receiving cross-bracing cables; and one or more holes for connecting the rib mounting flange to an adjacent rib mounting flange.

A foldable wing with foldable trailing edge flap, that includes a main wing and a foldable trailing edge flap. The main wing includes a wing supporting skeleton and a plurality of skin supporting ribs. The foldable trailing edge flap includes a plurality of crank-shaped flap supporting ribs, a flexible flap skin, a connecting shaft, and a return spring. The plurality of crank-shaped flap supporting ribs are hinged with lower surfaces of corresponding plurality of skin supporting ribs through the connecting shaft to form a foldable trailing edge flap supporting skeleton that relies on the plurality of skin supporting ribs. The return spring makes an upper surface of a long side of each crank-shaped flap supporting rib attach closely to a lower surface of each skin supporting rib. The flexible flap skin is attached to an upper surface of the foldable trailing edge flap supporting skeleton.

A bonding tool is described that is used to secure sacrificial pads to bonding locations on a perimeter of a rib during a bonding process. In one embodiment, the bonding tool includes a base member having a rib receptacle dimensioned to receive a rib of a wing, a plurality of compression forms disposed around at least a portion of the rib receptacle and proximate to a perimeter of the rib, where the compression forms include a plurality of sacrificial pads that face towards bonding locations on the perimeter of the rib, and at least one bladder proximate to the compression forms that expands between a wall of the base member and the compression forms to press the sacrificial pads against the bonding locations while the sacrificial pads bond to the bonding locations.

Seal plates are typically mounted over stringer-receiving openings in aircraft ribs. A sealing tool for sealing a stringer-receiving opening in an aircraft rib is disclosed. The sealing tool includes a seal member arranged to seal a gap formed by the opening between the stringer and the rib. An intermediate member is configured to be adjustably mounted on the rib. The adjustable member receives and aligns the seal member over the gap.

An assembly for an aircraft that has a wing and an engine pylon having a primary structure with right-side and left-side panels, an upper and a lower spar and a rear rib, two sets of upper or lower shackles, one set fastening the right-side panel to the wing, and a second set fastening the left-side panel to the wing, a fastening element secured to the rear rib or to the lower spar, a rear rod connecting the fastening element to the wing, a transverse shackle connecting the upper spar to the wing, a line connecting two centers of the transverse shackle being oriented transversely relative to a longitudinal axis of the engine pylon, and a reinforcing panel, at each joint between a right-side or left-side panel and an upper or lower shackle, which is fastened along a height against the panel and to which the shackle is also fastened.

A wing assembly includes a center wing structure and a pair of outer wing structures. The center wing structure includes a center wing front spar, a center wing rear spar, and an engine mounting location on each side of a wing centerline. Each outer wing structure includes an outer wing front and rear spar configured to be coupled respectively to the center wing front and rear spar to define a wing joint coupling the outer wing structure to the center wing structure. The center wing structure is configured such that the spar terminal ends of the center wing front and rear spars at each wing joint are located no further inboard than an engine centerline associated with the engine mounting location, and no further outboard of the engine centerline than ten percent of a distance between the engine centerline and the wing centerline.

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.

Foldable aircraft wings are disclosed. An example aircraft includes a foldable wing having a fixed wing portion, a foldable wing portion and a hinge to pivotally couple the foldable wing portion relative to the fixed wing portion. The hinge includes a wing transition portion including wing hinge ribs and wing stub ribs, respective ones of the wing hinge ribs coupled to corresponding respective ones of the wing stub ribs. The hinge also includes a tip transition portion including tip hinge ribs, where respective ends of the tip hinge ribs positioned between corresponding respective ones of the wing hinge ribs and the wing stub ribs.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, that may be incorporated into a personal automobile, comprises a rectangular wing including an upper wing section having a right upper wing side and a left upper wing side, a lower wing section having a right lower wing side and left lower wing side, a right vertical wing section coupled to the right upper wing side and to the right lower wing side, and a left vertical wing section coupled to the left upper wing side and to the left lower wing side, the upper wing section having an upper wing cross section with a first asymmetrical airfoil shape configured to cause lift when in forward flight, the lower wing section having a lower wing cross section with a second asymmetrical airfoil shape for causing lift when in forward flight, each of the right vertical wing section and the left vertical wing section having a vertical wing cross section with a symmetrical shape to cause lateral stability when in forward flight; two elevons on at least one of the upper wing section and the lower wing section; at least one rudder on each of the right vertical wing section and the left vertical wing section; a support frame coupled to the rectangular wing; and a propulsion system coupled to the support frame.