An exemplary pitch link centering tool includes a rod having a longitudinal axis, a front face, a rear face, a first rod end and a second rod end, the first rod end having a first aperture with a first rotational axis, the second rod end having a second aperture with a second rotational axis, a first connector coupled to the first rod end, the first connector having a first slot extending in a first radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis and a second connector coupled to the second rod end, the second connector having a second slot extending in a second radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis different from the first radial direction.

An exemplary pitch link centering tool includes a rod having a longitudinal axis, a front face, a rear face, a first rod end and a second rod end, the first rod end having a first aperture with a first rotational axis, the second rod end having a second aperture with a second rotational axis, a first connector coupled to the first rod end, the first connector having a first slot extending in a first radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis and a second connector coupled to the second rod end, the second connector having a second slot extending in a second radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis different from the first radial direction.

A flight control system includes an active control inceptor, a flight control computer, and a force trim release. The active control inceptor includes a control member movable from a first position to a second position to command a vehicle-body rate and including a detent position that holds an attitude. The flight control computer generates a trim command from the second position, a reference position, and a vehicle-body state. With the force trim release selected when the control member is moved from the first position to the second position, the first position is designated as the reference position and the second position is designated as the detent position. Upon deselection of the force trim release with the control member at the second position, the second position is designated as the reference position and the trim command is designated as the detent position.

One embodiment includes a swashplate assembly for a rotary aircraft, including: a rotating ring configured to rotate with a drive shaft of the rotary aircraft; a non-rotating ring coupled to the rotating ring and rotationally decoupled from the rotating ring, wherein the non-rotating ring does not rotate with the rotating ring and drive shaft; an outer casing disposed around the gearbox; and an anti-drive mechanism to maintain the outer casing rotationally stationary relative to the gearbox, the anti-drive mechanism including a key and slot system between the gearbox and the outer casing.

One embodiment includes a swashplate assembly for a rotary aircraft, including: a rotating ring configured to rotate with a drive shaft of the rotary aircraft; a non-rotating ring coupled to the rotating ring and rotationally decoupled from the rotating ring, wherein the non-rotating ring does not rotate with the rotating ring and drive shaft; an outer casing disposed around the gearbox; and an anti-drive mechanism to maintain the outer casing rotationally stationary relative to the gearbox, the anti-drive mechanism including a key and slot system between the gearbox and the outer casing.

An apparatus providing continuous tilt and variable pitch for rotors on a fixed wing VTOL aircraft. An actuator on a housing rotates a first pivot point on a motor mount to tilt a motor to horizontal and vertical positions. Simultaneously, an actuator on the motor mount rotates a fork on a second pivot point on the motor mount to adjust the pitch of the rotors attached to a free end of the motor's drive shaft. A lower swash plate on the drive shaft is attached to the fork. An upper swash plate on the drive shaft is attached to the rotors. The swash plates are attached to each other with a shaft bushing attached to a shaft ball bearing. The shaft bushing allows both swash plates to move linearly along the shaft when the fork is rotated. The shaft ball bearing allows the upper swash plate to rotate with the drive shaft while the lower swash plate remains stationary.

An apparatus providing continuous tilt and variable pitch for rotors on a fixed wing VTOL aircraft. An actuator on a housing rotates a first pivot point on a motor mount to tilt a motor to horizontal and vertical positions. Simultaneously, an actuator on the motor mount rotates a fork on a second pivot point on the motor mount to adjust the pitch of the rotors attached to a free end of the motor's drive shaft. A lower swash plate on the drive shaft is attached to the fork. An upper swash plate on the drive shaft is attached to the rotors. The swash plates are attached to each other with a shaft bushing attached to a shaft ball bearing. The shaft bushing allows both swash plates to move linearly along the shaft when the fork is rotated. The shaft ball bearing allows the upper swash plate to rotate with the drive shaft while the lower swash plate remains stationary.

A helicopter includes annular electric motors surrounding a fuselage. Each annular electric motor includes an annular stator and an annular rotor. Rotor blades extend radially outwardly from each annular rotor. In an embodiment with two electric motors, one rotor rotates in one direction and the other rotor rotates in the opposite direction. A swash device with a grooved outer cylindrical surface engages the free end of a crank arm of each rotor blade to provide collective and cyclic pitch control. Actuators, which may be electromechanical or hydraulic, control positioning and movement of the swash device. Batteries, an electric generator and/or a hydrogen fuel cell may supply electric power.

A helicopter includes annular electric motors surrounding a fuselage. Each annular electric motor includes an annular stator and an annular rotor. Rotor blades extend radially outwardly from each annular rotor. In an embodiment with two electric motors, one rotor rotates in one direction and the other rotor rotates in the opposite direction. A swash device with a grooved outer cylindrical surface engages the free end of a crank arm of each rotor blade to provide collective and cyclic pitch control. Actuators, which may be electromechanical or hydraulic, control positioning and movement of the swash device. Batteries, an electric generator and/or a hydrogen fuel cell may supply electric power.

The present application relates to a propulsion device having a motor, a mast connected to the motor, an angle sensing device detecting the angle of the mast, a controller receiving the angle of the mast as an input and outputting a motor torque signal to the motor in response thereto, a hub attached to the mast via a single skewed hinge, and a propeller assembly with one or more blades connected to a hub.