An aircraft is provided and includes a fuselage, first and second wings extending outwardly from opposite sides of the fuselage, proprotors operably disposed on each of the first and second wings to drive vertical take-off and landing aircraft operations and horizontal flight aircraft operations and a refueling system including at least one fuel tank disposed in at least one or more of the fuselage, the first wing or the second wing and a refueling apparatus. The refueling apparatus is coupled to the at least one fuel tank such that fuel is movable with respect to the at least one fuel tank during aircraft ground and aerial operations.

A wing assembly for an aircraft is disclosed having a wing and a wing tip device at the tip of the wing, wherein the wing tip device is moveable between a flight configuration and a ground configuration. The wing has a spar extension which extends spanwise away from a distal end of the wing, the spar extension having a first end portion fixed in the wing and a second end portion which, in the flight configuration, is disposed in the wing tip device such that, in the flight configuration, the spar extension transmits flight loads between the wing tip device and flight-load bearing structure in the wing. The wing assembly may have an actuation assembly to move the wing tip device.

A wing tip device for a fixed wing aircraft is disclosed having an alular-like projection, a first leading edge region having a first sweep angle, a second leading edge region outboard of the first leading edge region in a spanwise direction and having a second sweep angle greater than the first sweep angle, a third leading edge region outboard of the second leading edge region in the spanwise direction and adjacent a tip end of the wing tip device and having a third sweep angle greater than the first sweep angle. The second leading edge region is adapted to generate a first vortex, and the third leading edge region is adapted to generate a second vortex which builds towards the tip end of the wing tip device.

A folding wing having a wing tip device (3) rotatable between flight and ground configurations, about an Euler axis of rotation (11). The wing tip device (3) and a fixed wing (1) are separated along an oblique cut plane (13) passing through the upper and lower surfaces of the folding wing. A rotational joint (15) for coupling the wing tip device (3) to the fixed wing (1) during rotation between the ground and flight configurations. The rotational joint includes a follower (17a) and a guide (17b), one which being fixed relative to the wing tip device and the other being fixed relative to the fixed wing. The follower and guide interlock such as by interlocking rings. The follower is received in the guide such that during rotation between the ground and flight configurations the follower moves along the arcuate path defined by the guide.

An aircraft wing comprises a fixed wing, and a wing tip device at the tip thereof The wing tip device is configurable between (i) a flight configuration for use during flight, and (ii) a ground configuration for use during ground based operations. In the ground configuration with span of the wing is reduced. The wing further comprises a locking mechanism including a locking pin with a longitudinal axis, the locking pin associated with one of the fixed wing and the wing tip device, and a bush associated with the other of the fixed wing and wing tip device, the bush configured to receive the locking pin. The bush is located within a bush housing arranged to allow relative movement of the bush in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the locking pin when the locking pin is received within the bush.

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to control and monitor a folding wingtip actuation system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a collection module to obtain flight stage information of an aircraft. The example apparatus further includes a sequence and control module to calculate a first position of a folding wingtip assembly operatively coupled to a wing of the aircraft, determine actions during a first stage and a second stage to complete in sequence to move the folding wingtip assembly, determine a status of a component of the folding wingtip assembly based on a measurement of a sensor, and control a movement of the folding wingtip assembly in accordance with the actions and based on the status.

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.

A seal between two aircraft surfaces which are able to move relative to each other. A wing tip device moves between a flight configuration and a ground configuration, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the fixed wing such that the span of the aircraft wing is reduced. The fixed wing and wing tip device each comprise an outer surface, and a male seal and female seal are arranged such that when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration the female seal receives the male seal, and the female seal and male seal cooperate to provide a smooth transition from the fixed wing outer surface to the wing tip device outer surface.

A method and apparatus for a wingtip control system. The wingtip control system comprises a switch system for a flight deck of an aircraft and a controller. The switch system is configured to be placed into an armed state and generate an armed signal. The controller is in communication with the switch system. The controller is configured to receive the armed signal from the switch system, visually indicate a desired position for a wingtip of the aircraft in the switch system in response to an event occurring during operation of the aircraft, and generate a movement command to move the wingtip.

An aircraft wing having a fixed wing with a wing tip device. The wing tip device is movable between a flight configuration for use during flight, and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. The wing has a master flight control surface associated with the fixed wing and a slave flight control surface associated with the wing tip device. An interface between the master flight control surface and the slave flight control surface is arranged to provide a rigid connection between the master flight control surface and slave flight control surface when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration. Moving the master control surface about a control axis causes the slave control surface to be moved about the control axis. The interface is arranged to de-couple the slave and master control surfaces when the wing tip device is moved from the flight configuration into the ground configuration.