In another aspect, a method for fueling an aircraft, the method including storing liquified gas fuel using a fuel tank, wherein the fuel tank is configured to store liquified gas fuel, fueling an aircraft using a fuel line. Fueling the aircraft may additionally include the fuel tank with liquified gas fuel to a desired level, wherein a desired level comprises fuel for a plurality of flights plus reserves. Filling may also include removing the fuel line as a function of the desired level. The method may additionally include venting the fuel tank using a vent line in fluid connection to the fuel tank. The fuel tank may then be prepared for flight as a function of a desired level. Finally, the method includes flying a plurality of flights using the aircraft.

A blended wing body aircraft wherein at least each profile section corresponding to the normalized half-span values from 0 to 0.2 has a thickness ratio having a nominal value within the range set forth in Table 1. Also, a blended wing body aircraft wherein at least each profile section corresponding to the normalized half-span values from 0.15 to 0.3 has a normalized chord having a nominal value within the range set forth in Table 1, and wherein a ratio between a maximum thickness of the center body and the chord length along the centerline has a nominal value of at least 16%. Also, a blended wing body aircraft wherein a region of the aircraft defined by normalized half-span values from 0.1 to 0.2 has a normalized chord having a dimensionless rate of change from 3.5 to 5.1, and a thickness ratio having a rate of change from 0.27 to 0.72.

A vertical-tailless aircraft includes a body, a main wing, and a negative pressure generating portion. The body extends in a direction along an aircraft axis and includes a front body and a rear body. The main wing is provided on a side surface of the body. The negative pressure generating portion is provided at the rear body and is configured to generate negative pressure on the side surface of the rear body in a case that the vertical-tailless aircraft sideslips.

In an aspect, an aircraft fueling apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least a container comprising a fuel tank configured to store liquified gas fuel. The apparatus may also include a translocation device configured to carry the at least a container. An orientation guidance track may also be included in the apparatus. The orientation guidance track may be configured to direct a movement of the translocation device to a first position.

A gas turbine engine includes an inlet duct that is formed with a generally elliptical shape. The inlet duct includes a vertical centerline and a fan section that has an axis of rotation. The axis of rotation is spaced from the vertical centerline and is disposed within an inlet duct orifice.

A wing-twist aircraft having a wing, an actuation system, a sensor, and/or a controller. The wing may have a wingspan that extends to a wing tip. The wing may further include a spar aligned in a span-wise direction, wherein at least one rib is operatively coupled to the spar. The actuation system may be configured to torsionally rotate the spar, which, in turn, torsionally rotates (pivots) the at least one rib coupled to the spar, thereby twisting the wing. The sensor may be configured to measure a characteristic of the wing, while the controller may be configured to command the actuation system to torsionally rotate the spar based at least in part on input from the sensor.

An aircraft is disclosed having a lifting body housing a passenger cabin including a forward portion bounded laterally by at least one portion of a leading edge of the lifting body. The passenger cabin includes at least one lateral luggage storage device housed in the concavity formed by the leading edge portion and includes an opening towards the interior of the passenger cabin.

Aspects relate to systems and methods for controlling landing gear of an aircraft. An exemplary system includes a nose gear located at a nose of the aircraft, where the nose gear includes a nose piston configured to allow for displacement of a nose wheel relative the aircraft, a main gear located aft of the nose gear, where the main gear includes a main piston configured to allow for displacement of a main wheel relative the aircraft, a hydraulic circuit in fluidic communication with each of the nose piston and the main piston, and a compliant element in fluidic communication with the hydraulic circuit and configured to provide a compliant response at one or both of the nose piston and the main piston.

A pressure vessel includes at least one pair of side bulkheads spaced apart from each other. In addition, the pressure vessel includes at least one substantially flat panel having at least one panel span extending between the pair of side bulkheads and being in non-contacting proximity to the side bulkheads. The panel and the side bulkheads collectively form at least a portion of a structural assembly enclosing the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel also includes a plurality of panel braces coupling the side bulkheads to the panel at a plurality of panel attachment nodes distributed along the panel span. At least two of the panel braces have a different axial stiffness configured to result in the outward deflection of the panel attachment nodes by substantially equal deflection amounts when the panel is subjected to an out-of-plane pressure load during internal pressurization of the pressure vessel.

Technologies are described herein for a drag recovery scheme. In various examples, a recovery engine is placed within a vortex flow of air caused by the impingement of air upon a nacelle of a main engine. The propeller of the recovery engine can use the vortex flow of air to provide additional thrust the aircraft, thus reducing the load on the main engines or providing an increased velocity.