An aircraft, for example a passenger aircraft, comprises a foldable wing having an inner region and an outer region. The outer region is moveable relative to the inner region between a flight configuration, an intermediate configuration, and a ground configuration. In the flight configuration the inner and outer regions are locked together via a multiplicity of connectors for transferring loads. In the intermediate configuration the outer region is displaced, for example forwardly, such that the connection is disengaged to unlock the outer region from the inner region. In the intermediate configuration the outer region is also connected to the inner region via a hinge. In the ground configuration, the outer region is rotated about the hinge, such that the span of the wing is reduced.

An aircraft comprises a wing, a wing tip device at the tip of the wing and an actuator. The actuator is arranged to effect movement of the wing tip device between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration in which the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft is reduced. The aircraft comprises a carriage guide, such as a rail, fixed relative to the wing, and a carriage arranged to move along the carriage guide as the wing tip device moves between the flight and ground configurations. The wing tip device is fixed relative to the carriage such that the path of the wing tip device, during movement of the wing tip device, between the flight and the ground configurations, is defined by the shape of the carriage guide.

A passenger aircraft including a wing (1) and a wing tip device (3). The wing tip device (3) is moveable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. In the ground configuration the wing tip device is folded downwardly from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft is reduced. The wing tip device (3) is connected to the wing along a hinge (9) defining a hinge line (11). The hinge (9) may be arranged to prevent the wing tip device (3) rotating upwardly beyond the flight configuration. The hinge line (11) may be orientated at an angle to the flight direction such that the wing tip device (3) presents a larger frontal area when it is in the ground configuration than when it is in the flight configuration, such that aerodynamic forces urge it to rotate about the hinge line (11) away from the ground configuration and towards the flight configuration.

An aircraft rotational joint comprises a slip-ring device arranged for electrical energy transmission through the rotational joint. The slip-ring device comprises a first member attached to a first part of the rotational joint. The first member has a plurality of arcuate metallic ring segments and all these ring segments are isolated from each other and are spaced apart from each other. Further, the slip-ring device comprises a second member which is rotatable relative to the first member about a common rotational axis. The second member is attached to a second part of the joint and has a plurality of contact elements, each of which are arranged for electrically connecting one, preferably only one, of the ring segments.

A folding wing tip system of an aircraft includes a latch pin actuator having a primary mechanical lock and a secondary hydraulic lock. The mechanical lock may include a lock cam movable between a lock position, in which the lock cam engages the latch pin, and an unlock position, in which the lock cam is disengaged from the latch pin, and a first lock actuator mechanically coupled to the lock cam and configured to provide a bias force pushing the lock cam toward the lock position. The hydraulic lock may be disposed in an unlatching hydraulic line and has an initial state, in which fluid flow through the unlatching hydraulic line is blocked thereby to hold the latch pin in the latched position, and an open state, in which fluid flow through the unlatching hydraulic line is permitted thereby to permit retraction of the latch pin to the unlatched position.

An aircraft is disclosed having a wing, the wing having a fixed wing with a wing tip device moveably mounted about a hinge at the tip thereof. The wing tip device is operable between a flight configuration, and a load alleviating configuration for load alleviation during flight. The aircraft includes a restraining assembly operable between a restraining mode in which the wing tip device is held in the flight configuration using a restraining force such as by a brake, and a releasing mode in which the restraining force on the wing tip device is released, such that the wing tip device may adopt the load alleviating configuration.

An aerodynamic structure is disclosed having a lifting surface, a control device and an actuation mechanism. The lifting surface has a root and a tip, and is deformable during operation of the aerodynamic structure. The control device is movably attached to the lifting surface, at or near the tip. The actuation mechanism is for controlling movement of the control device, and is configured to transmit deformation movement of the lifting surface to the control device.

A system and method for damage detection and for evaluating the real operation conditions for structural platforms using structural health monitoring is integrated to a system and method that permits for the platform to provide a flexible geometric control considering a self-adapting morphing which is capable of providing better operating structural platform performance.

An aircraft comprises a wing, a wing tip device at the tip of the wing and an actuator. The actuator is arranged to effect movement of the wing tip device between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration in which the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft is reduced. The aircraft comprises a carriage guide, such as a track assembly, fixed relative to the wing, and a carriage arranged to move along the track assembly as the wing tip device moves between the flight and ground configurations. The carriage carries the wing tip device on a pivot, such that the wing tip device is rotatable relative to the carriage, about the pivot, as the carriage moves along the track assembly. The movement of the wing tip device between the flight and the ground configurations, may thereby comprise both a rotational component of movement of the wing tip device about the pivot, and a translational component of movement, of the pivot, along the track assembly.

The invention relates to a locking mechanism for a folding wing tip. The locking mechanism has a locked configuration, in which a first part is received in a second part such that the first part may not be withdrawn from the second part along the longitudinal axis of the locking mechanism, and an unlocked configuration, in which the first part is received in the second part such that the first part may be withdrawn from the second part along the longitudinal axis of the locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism is moved between the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration by rotation of at least one of the first part or second part around the longitudinal axis of the locking mechanism.