An apparatus, having: a fuselage body section (180) configured to be secured to an aircraft fuselage (16); a pivot column (310) protruding from the fuselage body section; and a center wing section (214) configured to be secured to a center wing panel of a trifold wing (200). The fuselage body section and the center wing section are configured to cooperate with each other to rotate the center wing section relative to the fuselage body section from a stowed position (250) to a deployed position (302). The pivot column comprises a column feature (240) configured to engage with tip features (236) of the trifold wing to hold the trifold wing in a folded configuration when the trifold wing is in the stowed position and to disengage from the tip features as the trifold wing rotates to the deployed position, thereby freeing the trifold wing to unfold.

An apparatus, having: a fuselage body section (180) configured to be secured to an aircraft fuselage (16); a pivot column (310) protruding from the fuselage body section; and a center wing section (214) configured to be secured to a center wing panel of a trifold wing (200). The fuselage body section and the center wing section are configured to cooperate with each other to rotate the center wing section relative to the fuselage body section from a stowed position (250) to a deployed position (302). The pivot column comprises a column feature (240) configured to engage with tip features (236) of the trifold wing to hold the trifold wing in a folded configuration when the trifold wing is in the stowed position and to disengage from the tip features as the trifold wing rotates to the deployed position, thereby freeing the trifold wing to unfold.

A truss for a flying vehicle supports a pair of wings in a manner which facilitates pivoting of the wings between a deployed configuration and a retracted configuration. The truss includes parallel top and bottom plates with the gap therebetween. The wings have wing brackets affixed thereto with the wing brackets pivotably supported by hinge assemblies to the top plate and bottom plate of the truss. Latch assemblies can be selectively actuated to secure the wing brackets and associated wings to the truss in either the deployed configuration or the retracted configuration, so that loads between the wings and the truss are primarily carried through the latch assemblies rather than through the hinge assemblies. A hinge position on the truss and on the wing brackets is selected to maximize wing length tip to tip while minimizing an outline required for the vehicle when the wings are fully retracted.

Systems and methods include providing an aircraft with a vertical stabilizer system having a vertical stabilizer operatively coupled to a tail boom, tail rotor gearbox, or other component of the aircraft at a forward attachment and an aft attachment. The vertical stabilizer is selectively rotatable to adjust an angle of attack of the vertical stabilizer with respect to a forward flight direction of the aircraft. The vertical stabilizer is rotatable between a forward flight position having a substantially small degree angle of attack and a hover or lateral movement position having a substantially ninety degree angle of attack.

A flow actuator module having a support device, a flow actuator mounted on the support device to be movable between a retracted position and a deployed position and which has an actuation portion and a flow plate rigidly connected to the actuation portion, an electrical coil arranged on the support device, and an armature on the actuation portion of the flow actuator and which has a magnetizable metal material. The flow actuator, in the retracted position, can be fixed in a positionally static manner relative to the support device by the armature by generation of an electrical current flow through the coil. A flow body system having a flow actuator module of the type, and an aircraft, are also disclosed.

A fin deployment mechanism for a projectile. The mechanism includes at least one fin and at least one actuator. The fin is arranged in a deployable and retractable manner on the projectile. The fin and at least one balance weight are arranged so that, when the fin is deployed, the weight is displaced towards a center of the projectile and, when the fin is retracted, the weight is displaced from the center of the projectile. A method for deploying and retracting fins on a projectile. At least one fin is arranged in a deployable and retractable manner on the projectile. The fin is fitted to at least one balance weight such that when the fin is displaced from the center of the projectile the weight is displaced towards the center, and when the fin is displaced towards the center of the projectile the weight is displaced from the center.

A fin deployment mechanism for a projectile. The mechanism includes at least one fin and at least one actuator. The fin is arranged in a deployable and retractable manner on the projectile. The fin and at least one balance weight are arranged so that, when the fin is deployed, the weight is displaced towards a center of the projectile and, when the fin is retracted, the weight is displaced from the center of the projectile. A method for deploying and retracting fins on a projectile. At least one fin is arranged in a deployable and retractable manner on the projectile. The fin is fitted to at least one balance weight such that when the fin is displaced from the center of the projectile the weight is displaced towards the center, and when the fin is displaced towards the center of the projectile the weight is displaced from the center.

An aircraft is provided comprising: a fuselage, a first tail fin rotatably mounted to a first lateral side and a second tail fin rotatably mounted to the second lateral side. A wing body is rotatably mounted to the underside of the fuselage. A pair of independent tail fin latch and release devices are provided to independently latch the first tail fin and the second tail fin when the wing body having a first angle is in a stowed position with respect to the fuselage, to independently unlatch the first tail fin in response to a second angle of the wing body with respect to the fuselage, and to independently unlatch the second tail fin in response to a third angle of the wing body with respect to the fuselage. The first angle, second angle and third angle are different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.

An aircraft is provided comprising: a fuselage, a first tail fin rotatably mounted to a first lateral side and a second tail fin rotatably mounted to the second lateral side. A wing body is rotatably mounted to the underside of the fuselage. A pair of independent tail fin latch and release devices are provided to independently latch the first tail fin and the second tail fin when the wing body having a first angle is in a stowed position with respect to the fuselage, to independently unlatch the first tail fin in response to a second angle of the wing body with respect to the fuselage, and to independently unlatch the second tail fin in response to a third angle of the wing body with respect to the fuselage. The first angle, second angle and third angle are different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.

An airplane comprising a fuselage, two wings, a rear tail unit comprising a horizontal tail provided with two tail ends, and at least two engines arranged on the fuselage on either side of a vertical plane of symmetry of the airplane, the airplane having a longitudinal axis, the engines being mounted so as to be able to be displaced, at least in flight, on the fuselage, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the tail ends being mounted so as to be able to be pivoted, at least in flight, relative to the horizontal tail, the airplane thus having a configuration that changes in flight.