A rotor support device includes a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, a dielectric material, and at least one alternating-current power supply. The dielectric material is disposed between the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes. The at least one AC power supply is configured to apply an alternating-current voltage across the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes and induce flows of gas by causing dielectric barrier discharge between the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes. At least one of the plurality of first electrodes or the plurality of second electrodes is disposed apart from each other in a static system that is stationary with respect to a rotor provided in an aircraft. The static system is adjacent to the rotor.

A rotary wing aircraft that extends along an associated roll axis between a nose region and an aft region and that comprises a fuselage with a front section and a rear section, the rotary wing aircraft comprising: a main rotor that is rotatably mounted at the front section, a shrouded duct that is arranged in the aft region, and a propeller that is rotatably mounted to the shrouded duct, wherein the rear section extends between the front section and the shrouded duct and comprises an asymmetrical cross-sectional profile in direction of the associated roll axis.

Provided is a vertical take-off/landing aircraft controlling a tilt angle of a main rotor, based on a vertical posture control signal during low-speed flight, wherein, when an aircraft steering signal including a vertical posture control signal for changing the pitch posture angle of the vertical take-off/landing aircraft by a first pitch posture angle is obtained, a flight controller determines a tilt angle of the main rotor with reference to the first pitch posture angle and generates a tilt angle control signal for the main rotor based on the determined tilt angle.

A tail rotor head of a rotary wing aircraft is disclosed, the tail rotor head having at least a pitch control unit and a tail rotor hub, wherein a multiplicity of tail rotor blade holders are arranged to be connectable while reaching through openings in the tail rotor hub and the pitch control unit at the tail rotor head. The tail rotor blade is detachably connected at a first side of the tail rotor blade holder and a tension torsion strap is detachably mounted at a second side of the tail rotor blade holder. The tension torsion strap runs from the tail rotor head at least partly through the tail rotor blade holder radially outward in a direction of the tail rotor blade, thereby allowing for easy replacement of single rotor blades and a more simplified maintenance of the tail rotor head.

A rotorcraft provided with a yaw motion control system comprising a fairing and a rotor provided with blades, the blades being arranged in the fairing and able to rotate about an axis of rotation of the rotor, the fairing comprising a casing defining an air stream, the air stream extending in a direction of flow of the air within the fairing from an intake section towards an outlet section. The rotorcraft comprises an ice protection system comprising at least one grille arranged upstream of the air stream in the air flow direction, the grille facing the intake section parallel to the axis of rotation and the casing, no grille facing at least one unprotected section of the intake section in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.

A blade pitch adjustment mechanism includes a pitch cylinder having a first face and pitch slots extending longitudinally from the first face, a blade sleeve having a second face and a blade slot extending longitudinally from the second face, the blade sleeve is configured to be rotationally positioned in the pitch cylinder with the second face located with the first face, wherein the blade slot and the pitch slots are cooperative to form keyway, corresponding to a discrete blade pitch, when the blade slot is aligned with a pitch slot.

An electrically distributed yaw control system for a helicopter having a tailboom includes a plurality of tail rotors rotatably coupled to the tailboom and a flight control computer implementing a tail rotor balancing module. The tail rotor balancing module includes a tail rotor balancing monitoring module configured to monitor one or more parameters of the helicopter and identify a first set of one or more tail rotors in the plurality of tail rotors based on the one or more parameters. The tail rotor balancing module also includes a tail rotor balancing command module configured to modify one or more operating parameters of the first set of tail rotors.

A method of providing an anti-torque force in a rotorcraft with an anti-torque system comprised of a primary ducted tail rotor system mechanically connected to an engine, and a secondary ducted tail rotor system electrically connected to an electric power supply. The method includes receiving an indication of a change in the operating condition of the anti-torque system based upon a change in a rotorcraft condition input, a feedback input associated with a primary ducted tail rotor system and/or a secondary ducted tail rotor system, and/or a pilot input; responsive to the indication of the change, determining, by a control system, an anti-torque control input including at least a secondary output command for controlling the secondary ducted tail rotor system; and transmitting the secondary output command to the secondary ducted tail rotor system to energize at least one ducted tail rotor assembly therein to provide the second anti-torque force.

A spherical bearing centrifugal force retention link includes an inboard spherical bearing to attach to a rotor hub and an outboard spherical bearing to attach to a rotor blade. In use, the inboard spherical bearing and the outboard spherical bearing react centrifugal force radially and a torsional moment of the centrifugal force link is substantially constant throughout the rotor blade pitch range.

A spherical bearing centrifugal force retention link includes an inboard spherical bearing to attach to a rotor hub and an outboard spherical bearing to attach to a rotor blade. In use, the inboard spherical bearing and the outboard spherical bearing react centrifugal force radially and a torsional moment of the centrifugal force link is substantially constant throughout the rotor blade pitch range.