A method of retrofitting a wing of a fixed wing aircraft is disclosed including the steps of providing an existing aircraft wing with a main fixed wing portion, and the main fixed wing portion having a tip end and an existing movable flight control surface connected adjacent the tip end. The existing movable flight control surface is then removed from the main fixed wing portion, and a wing tip device and movable flight control surface are selected as a pair to replace the existing movable flight control surface, with the selected movable flight control surface having an aerodynamic surface of different shape to the shape of the flight control surface removed from the wing. The selected wing tip device and movable flight control surface are then fitted to the main fixed wing portion.

The invention relates to a wing with two winglets (9-12) and a respective airplane. An upstream winglet (9, 11) broadens a region of inclined airflow and a downstream winglet (10, 12) produces a thrust contribution therein.

An aircraft is described that comprises: a fuselage with a first axis of longitudinal extension; and a tail portion arranged at a tail end of the fuselage; the tail portion comprises two surfaces arranged in a V-shape, inclined to each other and symmetrical with respect to the first axis; each surface comprises an associated winglet arranged transversely with respect to the surface and fixed with respect to the surface.

A method of retrofitting a wing of a fixed wing aircraft is disclosed including the steps of providing an existing aircraft wing with a main fixed wing portion, and the main fixed wing portion having a tip end and an existing movable flight control surface connected adjacent the tip end. The existing movable flight control surface is then removed from the main fixed wing portion, and a wing tip device and movable flight control surface are selected as a pair to replace the existing movable flight control surface, with the selected movable flight control surface having an aerodynamic surface of different shape to the shape of the flight control surface removed from the wing. The selected wing tip device and movable flight control surface are then fitted to the main fixed wing portion.

An aircraft (1) comprising a fuselage (4), an anhedral rearwardly-swept leading wing (5) for generating lift connected to an upper portion of the fuselage, and a dihedral forwardly-swept trailing wing (7) for generating lift attached to a lower portion of the fuselage. The trailing wing (7) is arranged to be vertically lower than the leading wing (5) in flight. The leading wing (5) and trailing wing (7) are blended together at their wingtips, forming a common wingtip (20), such that the underside surface (16) of the leading wing (5) forms a generally continuous and smoothly transitioning surface with the upper surface (22) of the trailing wing (7) so as to form a vortex guide surface (23) such that vortex air flow from the leading wing (5) is guided by the vortex guide surface (23) onto, or into the path of, the trailing wing (7).

A wing tip device for fixing to the outboard end of a wing, the wing defining a wing plane, the wing tip device comprising: an upper wing-like element projecting upwardly with respect to the wing plane and having a trailing edge; and a lower wing-like element fixed with respect to the upper wing-like element and having a root chord and a trailing edge, the lower wing-like element root chord intersecting with the upper wing-like element, and the lower wing-like element projecting downwardly from the intersection, wherein the upper wing-like element is larger than the lower wing-like element and the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element is adjacent the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element at the intersection, and wherein an included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements at the intersection is less than, or equal to, 160 degrees. Also, a wing with the wing tip device; an aircraft with the wing; a method of fitting, or retro-fitting, the wing tip device to a wing; a method of modifying an existing wing tip device; and a method of operating a wing with the wing tip device.

A locking pin associated with one of a fixed wing and a wing tip device, and a bush associated with the other of the fixed wing and wing tip device, the bush configured to receive the locking pin. The bush is located within a bush housing arranged to allow relative movement of the bush in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the locking pin when the locking pin is received within the bush.

An aircraft (1002) including a wing (1001), having a fixed wing (1005) with a wing tip device (1003) moveably mounted at the outer end thereof. The wing tip device (1003) is moveable between: a flight configuration; and a ground configuration about an axis of rotation. The wing tip device (1003) and the fixed wing (1005) meet along an interfacing cut line (1035). The interfacing cut line (1035) includes a curved section (1039) cent red on the axis of rotation (1011), the radius of the curved section constantly increasing as the cut line passes around the axis (for example a spiral shape).

Stop pads for aircraft folding wing tips are described herein. An example aircraft wing includes a fixed wing portion and a wing tip moveably coupled to the fixed wing portion about a hinge axis. The wing tip is moveable between an extended position and a folded position. The aircraft wing also includes a first stop pad coupled to the fixed wing portion, the first stop pad having a first contact surface, and a second stop pad coupled to the wing tip, the second stop pad having a second contact surface. The first and second contact surfaces are to engage each other when the wing tip is in the extended position. A contact plane between the first and second contact surfaces is coplanar with the hinge axis.

An aircraft includes a wing positioned below a vertical rotor, the wing extending in a transverse direction to a wingtip having an outboard face, and a turbulence feature located on the wingtip and oriented to induce turbulence in the rotor downwash flowing across the outboard face in a direction from a top surface of the wing to a bottom surface of the wing.