A wingtip device to attach to a wing of an aircraft includes an aerofoil portion and a connection spar arranged to be received in a connection spar receiving portion of the wing of an aircraft. The spar includes a first through hole in a first portion of the connection spar and a second through hole in a second rearward portion of the connection spar, the second portion being rearward of the first portion with respect to a direction of flight. The first and second through holes are arranged to receive a retaining pin that is to be inserted through both the first and second through holes.

A multi-mode aerial vehicle hybrid wing includes a fixed wing configured to extend from a side of an elongated fuselage and double over its longitudinal axis, a tilt wing attached at a first side to a free end of the fixed wing wherein the tilt wing is rotatable ninety degrees about its axis, and a duct attached to a second side of the tilt wing. The duct includes a plurality of pivotal control surfaces positioned at a top entrance of the duct, dual counter-rotating rotors positioned at an underside of the duct, a plurality of cross stators positioned at a back entrance of the duct, and a plurality of stator pivotal control surfaces within each of the cross stators of the duct. The multi-mode aerial vehicle hybrid wing also includes a winglet attached to the duct opposite to the tilt wing.

The present disclosure provides a system, method, and apparatus for a protective finish for an airfoil. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves providing a sheath, and applying the sheath to the surface of the airfoil. In one or more embodiments, the sheath wraps around the surface of the airfoil from the leading edge of the airfoil towards the trailing edge of the airfoil. In at least one embodiment, the sheath covers approximately 50 percent to approximately 70 percent of the chord length of the airfoil. In some embodiments, the sheath is manufactured from at least one polymer, such as a polyurethane and/or a floropolymer. In one or more embodiments, the airfoil is a winglet, a raked wing tip, and/or a wing.

The component of disadvantageous trailing vortices arising from airflow curling around the tip of an airplane wing can be entirely eliminated by designing a wingtip's sweepback contour such that the local airflow velocity vector just under the leading edge is always directed under the wing.

An exemplary aircraft includes a wing positioned below a vertical rotor, the wing extending to an outboard end, and an anhedral winglet extending from the outboard end through an angular transition to a tip, the anhedral winglet having an external surface exposed to the rotor downwash and the external surface is contoured to generate local wing lift in response to the rotor downwash.

A winglet for attachment to a wing portion of an aircraft comprises a winglet tip and a winglet root opposite from the winglet tip. The winglet has an opening for receiving therethrough a connector for connecting the winglet to a wing portion in use. The winglet has a retainer internal of the winglet for use in retaining the connector relative to the winglet. The retainer has a hole that extends along an axis that passes through the opening for receiving therethrough a portion of the connector when the connector is located through the opening. The retainer comprising a body for reacting against a retention component with which the connector engages in use.

A winglet for attachment to a wing portion of an aircraft including a winglet root. The winglet root defines a recess for receiving a connector of the wing portion in use and includes at least one protrusion for receipt into at least one corresponding hole of the wing portion in use. A portion of the winglet root that at least partially defines an upper or a lower side of the recess has at least one hole extending therethrough for receiving a fastener for fastening the winglet to the connector when the connector is located in the recess.

A wingtip device may be attached to a baseline wing of an aircraft. The wingtip device may comprise a vertical portion coupled to the baseline wing. The vertical portion may comprise a leading edge and trailing edge. The leading edge and trailing edge may be nonlinear shapes. For example, compound curves, smooth continuous higher order polynomials, or combinations thereof. The leading edge and trailing edge may be shaped as to locate the wingtip device further aft than a conventional winglet design.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is provided. The aircraft includes a wing, nacelles supportively disposed at opposite ends of the wing, proprotors respectively attached to each of the nacelles with each of the proprotors being rotatable to generate lift in vertical flight and thrust in horizontal flight and a delta-wing shaped fuselage disposed along the wing between the nacelles.

A winglet is disclosed including first and second covers, a front spar, a rear spar, a rib, and a mid spar between the front spar and the rear spar. The rib and each spar are joined to the first cover and to the second cover. The mid spar has a length and the mid spar curves along all or part of its length. The length of the mid spar extends from an inboard end of the mid spar to an outboard end of the mid spar, and the rib wraps around the inboard or outboard end of the mid spar.