Systems and methods to improve controllability of an aerial vehicle responsive to degraded operational conditions are described. For example, one or more propeller blades of an aerial vehicle may be modifiable between two or more configurations. The configurations may include a low torque configuration suitable for normal operational conditions, and a high torque configuration suitable for degraded operational conditions. Various aspects or portions of a propeller blade may be modified to increase torque generated by the propeller blade due to drag or air resistance. The additional generated torque may then be used as a source of additional torque to improve controllability of the aerial vehicle responsive to degraded operational conditions.

Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for creating a tubular composite structure. In one embodiment, a device comprises multiple layers of cured composite fabric bonded together to form a tubular composite structure, wherein alternating groups of the multiple layers comprise on-axis fabric and off-axis fabric. The tubular composite structure may form a spar for an aerodynamic component. The composite fabric may comprise one or more of carbon, fiberglass, or other composite materials, or a combination of materials. One or more stacks of the fabric wrap completely around the tubular composite structure, and other stacks of fabric may not wrap completely around the tubular composite structure.

A turboprop including a propeller including a blade extending in a direction, which also includes a root, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a wing tip, and an inner air stream channel, wherein the inner air stream channel includes an inlet located at the root of the blade and an outlet leading to the trailing edge of the blade transversely directed in relation to the main elongation direction, such that an inner stream of air flowing in the inner air stream channel by entering via the inlet adjacent to the root of the blade is discharged via the outlet adjacent to the trailing edge of the blade by forming a stream of blown air that moves away from the trailing edge in a direction which is transverse to the main elongation direction and which has a component in the direction of a skeleton line of the blade at the trailing edge.

A turboprop including a propeller including a blade extending in a direction, which also includes a root, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a wing tip, and an inner air stream channel, wherein the inner air stream channel includes an inlet located at the root of the blade and an outlet leading to the trailing edge of the blade transversely directed in relation to the main elongation direction, such that an inner stream of air flowing in the inner air stream channel by entering via the inlet adjacent to the root of the blade is discharged via the outlet adjacent to the trailing edge of the blade by forming a stream of blown air that moves away from the trailing edge in a direction which is transverse to the main elongation direction and which has a component in the direction of a skeleton line of the blade at the trailing edge.

The present invention provides a power device generating greater propelling force and finds that traditional power devices do not include all propelling forces based on the fundamental core propelling force source problem. External pressure is guided to the traditional power devices since the inner speed is higher the outer speed, power consumption for overcoming fluid resistance is high, and mutual contradiction results are obtained. The unique difference between the present invention and general common sense lies in opposite fluid pressure directions; inner fluid channels and outer fluid channels with higher flow speeds are formed to generate pressure differences which guides the fluid pressure to the outside and serve as propelling force, thus the present invention creatively finds three propelling force sources, two lifting force or propelling force sources of helicopters or airplanes driven by propellers and two propelling force sources for sufficient burning of fuel in combustion chambers of engines.

The present invention provides a power device generating greater propelling force and finds that traditional power devices do not include all propelling forces based on the fundamental core propelling force source problem. External pressure is guided to the traditional power devices since the inner speed is higher the outer speed, power consumption for overcoming fluid resistance is high, and mutual contradiction results are obtained. The unique difference between the present invention and general common sense lies in opposite fluid pressure directions; inner fluid channels and outer fluid channels with higher flow speeds are formed to generate pressure differences which guides the fluid pressure to the outside and serve as propelling force, thus the present invention creatively finds three propelling force sources, two lifting force or propelling force sources of helicopters or airplanes driven by propellers and two propelling force sources for sufficient burning of fuel in combustion chambers of engines.

A vane assembly within a mid-turbine frame of a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil that extends between an outer platform and an inner platform. The airfoil includes an outer wall defining a leading edge of a first radius. An inner wall of the airfoil defines an inner cavity including a forward portion proximate the leading edge defining a second radius different than the first radius.

A method of manufacturing an aircraft blade is provided. The method includes attaching a fluid communicator to a plug tool connected to a blade plug, opening a passage in the blade plug using the plug tool, communicating fluid to or from a blade cavity through the passage using the fluid communicator, and sealing the passage in the blade plug using the plug tool.

A method of manufacturing an aircraft blade is provided. The method includes attaching a fluid communicator to a plug tool connected to a blade plug, opening a passage in the blade plug using the plug tool, communicating fluid to or from a blade cavity through the passage using the fluid communicator, and sealing the passage in the blade plug using the plug tool.

A blade plug for an aircraft blade is provided. The blade plug includes a first body having a boss extending therefrom and an aperture passing through the boss, the first body configured to sealingly engage with an opening of a blade, a plug cap configured to releasably engage with the boss and move between a first position and a second position, and a passage passing through the first body configured to allow fluid communication through the first body. When the plug cap is in the first position, fluid may not pass through the passage and, when the plug cap is in the second position, fluid may pass through the passage, and the first body has an outer diameter of 4.15 inches (105.37 mm).