A method and device for protecting an adjacent rupturable component including positioning a sheet of puncture resistant, flexible material including one or more openings at or about the structure opening wherein the one or more openings accommodate the rupturable component; permanently or semi-permanently attaching the sheet to the structure at a first portion of an area of the sheet; and positioning the rupturable component through the one or more openings, such that one or more portions of the rupturable component near the one or more openings are protected by the sheet if the structure becomes frayed; wherein the sheet prevents damage to the rupturable component if the structure frays or fractures at or about the structure opening.

Fuel systems, apparatus and associated methods for preventing or hindering unwanted fuel transfer between fuel tanks of aircraft are described. An exemplary apparatus comprises a conduit portion disposed inside a fuel tank for receiving fuel in the first fuel tank. The conduit portion includes an orifice through a wall of the conduit. The orifice permits venting an interior of the conduit portion to an interior of the fuel tank to prevent unwanted fuel transfer due to siphoning. A deflector is disposed and configured to deflect a stream of fuel discharged from the orifice during fuel transfer.

Fuel systems, apparatus and associated methods for preventing or hindering unwanted fuel transfer between fuel tanks of aircraft are described. An exemplary apparatus comprises a conduit portion disposed inside a fuel tank for receiving fuel in the first fuel tank. The conduit portion includes an orifice through a wall of the conduit. The orifice permits venting an interior of the conduit portion to an interior of the fuel tank to prevent unwanted fuel transfer due to siphoning. A deflector is disposed and configured to deflect a stream of fuel discharged from the orifice during fuel transfer.

A fuel containment system for an aircraft is provided. The fuel containment system comprises an upper fuel barrier under a cabin floor, an aft wheel well bulkhead, an aft fuel barrier opposite the aft wheel well bulkhead, a lower fuel barrier associated with a cargo floor, and a lower fuselage skin panel. A fuel tank is created by the upper fuel barrier, the aft wheel well bulkhead, the aft fuel barrier, the lower fuel barrier, and the lower fuselage skin. The fuel tank is integrated into the aircraft and existing structural components are sealed to prevent fuel from leaking out of the integrated fuel tank.

A fuel containment system for an aircraft is provided. The fuel containment system comprises an upper fuel barrier under a cabin floor, an aft wheel well bulkhead, an aft fuel barrier opposite the aft wheel well bulkhead, a lower fuel barrier associated with a cargo floor, and a lower fuselage skin panel. A fuel tank is created by the upper fuel barrier, the aft wheel well bulkhead, the aft fuel barrier, the lower fuel barrier, and the lower fuselage skin. The fuel tank is integrated into the aircraft and existing structural components are sealed to prevent fuel from leaking out of the integrated fuel tank.

A wing drop fuel tank it is provided comprising a rigid external casing 1 and a second tank 2 arranged inside said rigid casing 1, said second tank 2 being made of flexible material. A production process of said wing drop tank it is also provided which comprises the following steps: construction of two rigid half-shells 10 and 11, and the subsequent mutual coupling of the former creates a single rigid structure 1; making of a first port and a second port at the upper part of the half-shell 10, said second port having same size of a fuel filling flange 23 on said tank 1; inserting of a second tank 2 made of a flexible material through said first port in said first tank 1; and applying a closing plate 12 at said upper port, said closing plate 12 being removably locked on said tank 1 by means of clamping screws 13 which engage with threaded holes 22 made on a flange 21 integral with said second tank 2.

A system comprises a non-transitory machine readable storage medium storing instructions and a database identifying a plurality of assets and a state of each asset. The instructions configure a processor for receiving updates to a distributed electronic ledger managed by plural peer processors. Each update includes an event or change affecting one of the assets. The peer processors verify portions of the ledger describing each event or change. At least one of the updates has not yet been recorded in the ledger at a time of the receiving. The processor computes a state of each asset, based on the updates, receives a request for a state of one of the assets; and responds to the request, reflecting each event and change affecting that asset. The response is performed without waiting for the peer processors to verify an update that has not yet been recorded in the ledger.

An inerting and venting system for an aircraft. The inerting and venting system includes a tank containing fluid to be inerted, a mixer including an operating flow path and a mixing flow path, a vent line fluidly connecting ambient atmosphere to the operating flow path of the mixer, and an inert gas line fluidly connecting an inert gas source to the mixing flow path of the mixer. The mixing flow path and the operating flow path are arranged in a coflowing configuration such that ambient air communicated by the operating flow path mixes in a coflowing manner with inert gas communicated by the mixing flow path and the coflowed mixture is directed into the tank. The inerting and venting system may include a first valve for controlling flow of vent air from ambient atmosphere to the tank, and a second valve for controlling flow of inert gas from an inert gas source to the tank. A valve adjuster is configured to passively adjust the first and second valves in response to a pressure differential between the ambient atmosphere and the tank, and to control ratio of flow in response to oxygen concentration in the inert gas or the tank ullage gas.

An inerting and venting system for an aircraft. The inerting and venting system includes a tank containing fluid to be inerted, a mixer including an operating flow path and a mixing flow path, a vent line fluidly connecting ambient atmosphere to the operating flow path of the mixer, and an inert gas line fluidly connecting an inert gas source to the mixing flow path of the mixer. The mixing flow path and the operating flow path are arranged in a coflowing configuration such that ambient air communicated by the operating flow path mixes in a coflowing manner with inert gas communicated by the mixing flow path and the coflowed mixture is directed into the tank. The inerting and venting system may include a first valve for controlling flow of vent air from ambient atmosphere to the tank, and a second valve for controlling flow of inert gas from an inert gas source to the tank. A valve adjuster is configured to passively adjust the first and second valves in response to a pressure differential between the ambient atmosphere and the tank, and to control ratio of flow in response to oxygen concentration in the inert gas or the tank ullage gas.

Methods of assembling an aircraft wing includes adhering fuel dams to stringers and adhering the fuel dams to ribs. Fuel dams include a fuel-dam body that defines a channel shaped to receive a portion of a stringer of an aircraft wing. The fuel-dam body includes a stringer adherent surface, a rib adherent surface, and a pair of spaced-apart flanges extending from the rib adherent surface and positioned to project from the rib adherent surface on opposing sides of a notch of a rib.