A variable chiller exhaust system incorporate a plurality of chillers, each chiller having an inlet receiving air from a crown in an aircraft fuselage and an outlet connected to a manifold. A plurality of check valves are connected to the manifold and configured to maintain a differential back pressure on the plurality of chillers of 2″ water pressure or less. The check valves vent into the crown. An exhaust conduit is connected to direct air from the manifold to a variable speed fan. An outflow valve exhausts air from the variable speed fan to an exterior of the fuselage.

A system enabling hands-free operation of controls for accessing a transportation vehicle is provided. The system comprises code readers associated with respective entry barriers for admitting passengers to a transportation vehicle. The code readers read a machine-readable passenger code generated by a mobile electronic device and actuate mechanisms allowing entry through the barriers responsive confirmation of the code. A signal receiver in communication with a Passenger Service Unit for passenger seat onboard the vehicle receives instructions from the mobile electronic device and instruct the PSU to actuate passenger cabin controls for the passenger seat. An application on the mobile electronic device determines a time-stamped temperature of a passenger and generates the passenger code, which includes passenger identification, authorization to pass through the entry barriers and board the vehicle, and a determination if the temperature of the passenger indicates an acceptable passenger health status.

Ventilation systems, aircraft, and silencers are disclosed herein. An aircraft includes a ventilation system. A ventilation system includes first and second air flow sources configured to generate first and second air flows, a silencer, a first conditioning vent, and a second conditioning vent. A divider spans an interior dimension of the housing to define a first cavity and a second cavity, where the divider restricts substantially all mass flow between the first cavity and the second cavity in the housing. First and second silencer tubes have porous portions disposed in the respective cavity and are operatively coupled with the respective air flow source to receive the respective air flow. First and second conditioning vents are operatively coupled with the respective silencer tubes to direct the respective air flows to a conditioned volume.

Air distribution nozzles, aircraft that include air distribution nozzles, and/or methods of utilizing air distribution nozzles are disclosed herein. The air distribution nozzles include an elongate inlet chamber, an elongate outlet chamber, a tapered elongate slot, an inlet port into the elongate inlet chamber, and an elongate outlet port from the elongate outlet chamber. The elongate inlet chamber extends along an inlet chamber length. The elongate outlet chamber extends along the inlet chamber length. The tapered elongate slot extends between, and fluidly interconnects, the elongate inlet chamber and the elongate outlet chamber. The inlet port is configured to receive an inlet fluid flow along an inlet flow axis. The elongate outlet port is configured to discharge an outlet fluid flow along an outlet flow axis that is oriented at a skew angle relative to the inlet flow axis.

A system includes one or more distribution nozzles associated with a seat within an internal space, and a return air grill associated with the seat. Airflow is directed from the one or more distribution nozzles toward and into the return air grill. A method includes associating one or more distribution nozzles with a seat within an internal space, associating a return air grill with the seat, and directing airflow from the one or more distribution nozzles toward and into the return air grill.

An air distribution system and method and an associated climate control device are provided for an aircraft in order to allow for more granular control of the temperature of the conditioned air distributed through the cabin of the aircraft. In one example, an air distribution system and method are configured to provide for individual temperature control within different zones of an aircraft, such as by associating a thermocouple device with a respective air distribution subsystem that delivers conditioned air to a respective zone. In another example, a climate control device is configured to allow individualized temperature control of the air discharged through a vent by associating a thermocouple device with the respective vent, thereby allowing for individual temperature control for a passenger onboard the aircraft.

Commercial supersonic aircraft and associated systems and methods. A representative commercial supersonic aircraft includes a fuselage configured to carry a crew and between 20 and 60 passengers, a delta wing mounted to the fuselage, and a propulsion system carried by at least one of the wing and the fuselage, the propulsion system including a plurality of engines, at least one variable-geometry inlet, and at least one variable-geometry nozzle.

Commercial supersonic aircraft and associated systems and methods. A representative commercial supersonic aircraft includes a fuselage configured to carry a crew and between 20 and 60 passengers, a delta wing mounted to the fuselage, and a propulsion system carried by at least one of the wing and the fuselage, the propulsion system including a plurality of engines, at least one variable-geometry inlet, and at least one variable-geometry nozzle.

Commercial supersonic aircraft and associated systems and methods. A representative commercial supersonic aircraft includes a fuselage configured to carry a crew and between 20 and 60 passengers, a delta wing mounted to the fuselage, and a propulsion system carried by at least one of the wing and the fuselage, the propulsion system including a plurality of engines, at least one variable-geometry inlet, and at least one variable-geometry nozzle.

This disclosure describes techniques for increasing wetting current for an electromechanical switch. In one example application, an aircraft may include one or more valves used to control the temperature of aircraft interior. The valves may include one or more valve position switches to indicate certain valve positions, e.g. fully open, fully closed, fifty percent open, and so on. In some examples, the valve position switches may receive current at electromechanical contacts of the switch that is less than the wetting current. The techniques of this disclosure provide additional wetting current at the time the switch contacts close to improve reliability of the valve position switches. In some examples, an analog to digital converter circuit may be configured to provide the additional wetting current to the switch.