A system for mechanical operation of an aircraft wing includes a torque tube rotatable at a first rate of rotation to cause a downward rotation of a control surface relative to the aircraft wing. A gearing assembly including an output shaft is coupled to the torque tube. The torque tube is configured to rotate the output shaft, via the gearing assembly, at a second rate of rotation less than the first rate of rotation. A rotational member is coupled to the output shaft, and the output shaft is configured to drive a rotation of the rotational member. A first end of a linear actuator is coupled to the rotational member at a forward attach point, which is eccentric to a rotational center of the rotational member. The rotational member is rotatable to cause a translation of the forward attach point relative to the aircraft wing.

An aerodynamic brake includes a rigid panel having a panel leading edge portion and a panel trailing edge portion. The panel trailing edge portion is pivotably coupled to a vehicle body. The aerodynamic brake also includes a flexible sheet having a sheet lower edge portion coupled to the vehicle body, and a sheet upper edge portion coupled to the panel leading edge portion. The aerodynamic brake further includes a panel actuator configured to pivot the rigid panel between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position, the rigid panel is located proximate the vehicle body and covers the flexible sheet in a folded state. In the deployed position, the panel leading edge portion is pivoted away from the vehicle body and the flexible sheet is in an open state exposable to an oncoming airflow for generating aerodynamic drag for slowing the vehicle.

Methods, systems, and assemblies for controlling flight control surfaces of an aircraft wing are described. The method comprises displacing a first trailing edge of a first flight control surface towards a contact surface of a second flight control surface; determining a mechanical stiffness of the first flight control surface as defined by a ratio of F/X as the first flight control surface is displaced, where F is a difference in force F applied to at least two different positions X1 and X2 of the first flight control surface at times T1 and T2, and X is a difference in position X2X1; and achieving full contact between the first trailing edge and the second leading edge when a known full contact mechanical stiffness is reached.

Provided are flight control mechanisms, such as omnidirectional thrust mechanisms (OTMs), and methods of using such mechanisms. These mechanisms may be positioned in wings, tails, or other components of aircraft. A mechanism may comprise a center member and top and bottom panels. The center member may comprise two curved segments joint at a center edge. The top and bottom panels may be independently pivotable relative to the center member. At high speeds, the top panel and/or the bottom panel may be pivoted outward to change the lift, drag, roll, and/or other flight conditions. The mechanism may also include a gas nozzle to direct compressed gas to the center member. The center member and/or the top and bottom panels redirect this gas resulting in forces in one of four directions, which are used for controlling the aircraft at low speeds, down to hover.

A spoiler mechanism for an aircraft includes a spoiler fore-section and a spoiler aft-section. The spoiler fore-section includes a forward end configured to couple to a wing structure of an aircraft and a hinge end. The hinge end includes a first hinge coupling and a first retainer portion. The spoiler aft-section includes a second retainer portion and a second hinge coupling coupled to the first hinge coupling of the spoiler fore-section. The first retainer portion and the second retainer portion are configured to engage one another when the spoiler aft-section is aligned with the spoiler fore-section, and the first retainer portion and the second retainer portion are configured to disengage from one another responsive to the spoiler aft-section pivoting upward relative to the spoiler fore-section.

An aircraft spoiler mechanism includes a spoiler fore-section, a spoiler aft-section, and a reverse-motion linkage arm. The spoiler fore-section includes a forward end, a hinge end, an actuator coupling, and a pivot coupling to couple to a wing structure of an aircraft to enable rotation of the spoiler fore-section relative to the wing structure. The spoiler aft-section includes a hinge portion coupled to the hinge end of the spoiler fore-section and a crank-arm. The reverse-motion linkage arm includes a first end, a second end, and a pivot point coupled to the forward end of the spoiler fore-section. The spoiler mechanism also includes a first linkage to couple the first end of the reverse-motion linkage arm to the wing structure and a second linkage coupled to the second end of the reverse-motion linkage arm and to the crank-arm on the spoiler aft-section.

A hinge mechanism for hingedly coupling a flight control member having a top surface to an aircraft component having a top surface includes a first hinge member pivotably coupled to the flight control member about a first axis and slidingly coupled to the aircraft component and a second hinge member pivotably coupled to the aircraft component about a second axis and slidingly coupled to the flight control member. The first hinge member is pivotably coupled to the second hinge member about a central axis. The first hinge member and the second hinge member are configured to cooperatively facilitate movement the flight control member relative to the aircraft component between at least a stowed position and a deployed position.

A composite structure with an integrated hinge is disclosed. In various embodiments, the composite structure includes a plurality of layers of fiber reinforced polymer material; and a hinge structure comprising one or more layers of bendably flexible hinge material a first region of which is interleaved between adjacent layers of said layers of fiber reinforced polymer material comprising the composite structure and bonded to said adjacent layers by bonding material comprising said composite structure, and a second region of which extends beyond said layers of fiber reinforced polymer material comprising the composite structure.

This disclosure is directed to a methodology for designing spoilers or droop panels and aerodynamic systems including the designed spoilers or the designed droop panels. The spoilers and the droop panels can be deployed on a wing with a flap system, which provides for trailing edge variable camber (TEVC) system. During flight, the fixed portions of the wing, the flaps, the spoilers and droop panels can all deform. The spoilers or the droop panels can each be pre-deformed to a first shape on the ground such that in flight the spoilers or the droop panels deform to a second shape under aerodynamic loads. In the second shape, the spoilers or the droop panels are configured to seal better against the flaps. The spoilers or the droop panels can be configured to seal to the flaps during all of the positions the flaps take as part of the TEVC system.

Provided are flight control mechanisms, such as omnidirectional thrust mechanisms (OTMs), and methods of using such mechanisms. These mechanisms may be positioned in wings, tails, or other components of aircraft. A mechanism may comprise a center member and top and bottom panels. The center member may comprise two curved segments joint at a center edge. The top and bottom panels may be independently pivotable relative to the center member. At high speeds, the top panel and/or the bottom panel may be pivoted outward to change the lift, drag, roll, and/or other flight conditions. The mechanism may also include a gas nozzle to direct compressed gas to the center member. The center member and/or the top and bottom panels redirect this gas resulting in forces in one of four directions, which are used for controlling the aircraft at low speeds, down to hover.