A landing gear assembly for an aircraft includes an energy absorber and a land-contact assembly attached to the energy absorber. A retraction assembly is attached to the energy absorber via a pivot point. A trigger assembly is coupled to the energy absorber and the retraction assembly. The trigger assembly is configured to retract the land-contact assembly from an extended position to retracted position in response to a piston of the energy absorber reaching a maximum stroke position in which the trigger assembly triggers an actuator to actuate from a locked position to an unlocked position to release the retraction assembly in a controlled manner which rotates the energy absorber and the land-contact assembly to the retracted position. The maximum stroke position of the piston is beyond normal-operation stroke positions of the piston. A landing gear system and a method of activating the landing gear system utilizes the trigger assembly.

A variable length stay for an aircraft landing gear is disclosed having first and second sets of struts lying on different longitudinal axes that enable the stay to extend and contract by movement of the struts parallel to their axes. The stay may be locked in its extended and retracted configurations thus providing downlock and uplock functions for the landing gear. The struts of the stay may have an open and easy to inspect structure, have low friction kinematics, and do not need to telescope within each other or lie on a single common axis.

A variable length stay for an aircraft landing gear is disclosed having first and second sets of struts lying on different longitudinal axes that enable the stay to extend and contract by movement of the struts parallel to their axes. The stay may be locked in its extended and retracted configurations thus providing downlock and uplock functions for the landing gear. The struts of the stay may have an open and easy to inspect structure, have low friction kinematics, and do not need to telescope within each other or lie on a single common axis.

A landing gear (10) includes: a wheel support member (16) including a first portion for rollably supporting a wheel (14), and a second portion extending from the first portion toward a fuselage (12) in a direction of an axis of the first portion and supporting the first portion such that the first portion is rotatable about the axis; a swing support member for supporting the second portion of the wheel support member (16) such that the second portion is swingable relative to the fuselage (12); a retraction actuator (42) for swinging the wheel support member (16) to retract the wheel (14) into the fuselage (12) and deploy the wheel (14) from the fuselage (12); a brace (22) attached to the fuselage (12) and supporting the wheel support member (16); and a joint (20) connecting the brace (22) to the first portion of the wheel support member (16). The joint (20) is disposed closer to the wheel (14) than to the swing support member.

Systems and methods for mechanically rotating an aircraft about its center-of-gravity (CG) are disclosed. The system can enable the rear, or main, landing gear to squat, while the nose landing gear raises to generate a positive pitch angle for the aircraft for takeoff or landing. The system can also enable the nose gear and main gear to return to a relatively level fuselage attitude for ground operations. The system can include one or more hydraulically linked hydraulic cylinders to control the overall height of the nose gear and the main gear. Because the hydraulic cylinders are linked, a change on the length of the nose cylinder generates a proportional, and opposite, change in the length of the main cylinder, and vice-versa. A method and control system for monitoring and controlling the relative positions of the nose gear and main gear is also disclosed.

Systems and methods for mechanically rotating an aircraft about its center-of-gravity (CG) are disclosed. The system can enable the rear, or main, landing gear to squat, while the nose landing gear raises to generate a positive pitch angle for the aircraft for takeoff or landing. The system can also enable the nose gear and main gear to return to a relatively level fuselage attitude for ground operations. The system can include one or more hydraulically linked hydraulic cylinders to control the overall height of the nose gear and the main gear. Because the hydraulic cylinders are linked, a change on the length of the nose cylinder generates a proportional, and opposite, change in the length of the main cylinder, and vice-versa. A method and control system for monitoring and controlling the relative positions of the nose gear and main gear is also disclosed.

The invention relates to an aircraft undercarriage having a leg (2) pivotally mounted on a structure of the aircraft to pivot about a pivot axis (X1) between a deployed position and a retracted position, the undercarriage including a foldable brace (3a, 3b) comprising two hinged-together elements, one of which is hinged to the leg and the other of which is hinged to the structure of the aircraft, in such a manner that when the leg is in the deployed position, the two brace elements are locked together in a substantially aligned position, the undercarriage also being provided with a rotary drive actuator (10) having an outlet shaft acting on one of the elements of the foldable brace in order to cause the leg to pivot between its two positions. The drive actuator is pivotally mounted on the structure of the aircraft to pivot about an axis of rotation (X3) of the outlet shaft, the drive actuator having a casing (12) connected by a reaction rod (13) to the leg in order to take up the torque developed by the drive actuator when driving the undercarriage.

The invention relates to an aircraft undercarriage having a leg (2) pivotally mounted on a structure of the aircraft to pivot about a pivot axis (X1) between a deployed position and a retracted position, the undercarriage including a foldable brace (3a, 3b) comprising two hinged-together elements, one of which is hinged to the leg and the other of which is hinged to the structure of the aircraft, in such a manner that when the leg is in the deployed position, the two brace elements are locked together in a substantially aligned position, the undercarriage also being provided with a rotary drive actuator (10) having an outlet shaft acting on one of the elements of the foldable brace in order to cause the leg to pivot between its two positions. The drive actuator is pivotally mounted on the structure of the aircraft to pivot about an axis of rotation (X3) of the outlet shaft, the drive actuator having a casing (12) connected by a reaction rod (13) to the leg in order to take up the torque developed by the drive actuator when driving the undercarriage.

An aerial vehicle having a single wing is configured for vertical-flight and forward-flight operations. The wing has a substantially high aspect ratio. The aerial vehicle includes tilt motor assemblies disposed at a forward end and an aft end of a fuselage. The tilt motor assemblies are configured to orient motors and rotors vertically, horizontally, or at any angle between vertical and horizontal. A pair of parallel booms are mounted beneath the wing on either side of the fuselage. Each of the booms has at least one vertically oriented motor and rotor associated therewith, and a vertical fin extending thereunder. Additionally, a forward tilt motor assembly includes a rotatable extension that is deployed when the motor assembly is configured for vertical flight, enabling the aerial vehicle to land on the vertical fins and the landing rotatable extension.

An aerial vehicle having a single wing is configured for vertical-flight and forward-flight operations. The wing has a substantially high aspect ratio. The aerial vehicle includes tilt motor assemblies disposed at a forward end and an aft end of a fuselage. The tilt motor assemblies are configured to orient motors and rotors vertically, horizontally, or at any angle between vertical and horizontal. A pair of parallel booms are mounted beneath the wing on either side of the fuselage. Each of the booms has at least one vertically oriented motor and rotor associated therewith, and a vertical fin extending thereunder. Additionally, a forward tilt motor assembly includes a rotatable extension that is deployed when the motor assembly is configured for vertical flight, enabling the aerial vehicle to land on the vertical fins and the landing rotatable extension.