If irregular movement is detected in a given one of left and right spoilers, a spoiler control device outputs a retracting signal for the given one of the spoilers and refrains from outputting the retracting signal for the other of the left and right spoilers, and if the difference between the angles of the left and right spoilers becomes equal to or less than a specified value, the spoiler control device outputs the retracting signal for the other of the left and right spoilers.

A flap slat control lever and a method for operating the lever are disclosed. The lever includes: a first displacement sensor to detect a displacement of the flap slat control lever and generate a first displacement detection signal; a second displacement sensor to detect the displacement of the flap slat control lever and generate a second displacement detection signal; a first control command module to receive the first displacement detection signal; and a second control command module to receive the second displacement detection signal, wherein the first control command module is in a standby state and the second control command module is in a working state.

Controlling a movement of an aircraft. A computer system detects a position of a group of integrated control levers for the aircraft. The computer system controls a forward thrust, a drag, and a reverse thrust generated by the aircraft based on the position of the group of integrated control levers.

Aircraft, auto speed brake control systems, and methods for controlling drag of an aircraft are provided. In one example, an aircraft includes an aircraft structure. A drag device is operatively coupled to the aircraft structure between a stowed and a deployed position and/or an intermediate deployed position. A speed brake controller is in communication with the drag device to control movement. An autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is in communication with the speed brake controller and is configured to receive data signals. The autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is operative to direct the speed brake controller to control movement of the drag device between the stowed position and the deployed position and/or the intermediate deployed position in response to at least one of the data signals.

A device for managing the mechanical energy of an aircraft, having a light system, includes a support defining a guide; at least one control lever for varying the mechanical energy of the aircraft, mounted moving through the guide; and at least one position sensor detecting the position of the control lever in the guide, configured to create position information for the position of the control lever in the guide intended to be sent to a flight control unit of the aircraft. The device also includes at least one light strip extending on the support along at least part of the travel of the control lever in the guide; and a control unit of the at least one light strip, configured to display at least one light indication at least at one given point of the lighted position ramp calculated as a function of a movement context of the aircraft.

Selector lever systems of aircraft are provided. The selector lever systems include a selector lever configured to control operation of one or more aircraft control surfaces, the selector lever having a handle configured to enable manual operation of the selector lever, a touch sensor arranged on the handle, and a controller arranged in communication with the touch sensor, the controller configured to at least one of generate a notification when a signal is received from the touch sensor and unlock the selector lever from a locked state.

An aircraft flap lever is disclosed. The lever is included in a housing, and is supported on an axle. The lever also has a protruding pin that is biased upwards towards four optional radially-spaced notches. Each notch results in a different lever setting, and thus different flap position. The system includes a rocker mechanism that is pivotally mounted on the axle, and prevents skipping over notches when the lever is activated.

An apparatus and method are provided for a shape adaptive airfoil configured to be coupled with a tip of an airplane wing. In one embodiment, the shape adaptive airfoil is a blended winglet comprised of a base section coupled with the airplane wing, a blade section projecting in a vertical direction above the base section, and a radius section interconnecting the base and blade sections. Adaptive control structures may be incorporated into leading and trailing edges of the base section and the blade section. The adaptive control structures of the base section may facilitate changing a camber profile of the shape adaptive airfoil. The adaptive control structures of the blade section may enable changes to a toe angle of the blade section.

An aircraft flap deployment system has a track, a carriage supported by the track; an actuator operatively connected to the carriage for moving the carriage along the track between various carriage positions; a flap pivotally connected to the carriage and to a link such that each position of the carriage has a corresponding flap position; and a flap controller communicating with the actuator for controlling actuation of the actuator. In at least one carriage position, the flap is in an intermediate flap position at a negative flap angle and the actuator maintains the carriage and the flap in position. An aircraft wing assembly having the flap deployment system, an aircraft having the aircraft wing assembly, and a method for controlling a position of a flap of an aircraft are also disclosed.

A control augmentation system for high aspect ratio aircraft has aileron/flaperon and throttle position sensors; spoiler and flap controls; a mode switch with manual, and landing modes; and a controller driving left and right spoiler and flap servos, the controller including at least one processor with memory containing firmware configured to: when the mode switch is in manual mode, drive both spoiler servos to a symmetrical position according to the spoiler control; when the mode switch is in landing mode, drive the left spoiler to a position dependent on aileron and throttle position, and the right spoiler to a position dependent on aileron and throttle position, the left and right spoiler positions differing whenever ailerons are not centered, and an average of spoiler positions is more fully deployed when the throttle position is at a low-power setting than when the throttle position is at a high-power setting.