Patent classifications
B64C11/306
Distributed elevon systems for tailsitting biplane aircraft
An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. Tail assemblies are coupled to wingtips of the first and second wings each having an elevon that collectively form a distributed array of elevons. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and to control movements of the elevons such that the elevons collectively provide pitch authority and differentially provide roll authority for the aircraft in the biplane orientation. In addition, when the flight control system detects an elevon fault, the flight control system is configured to perform corrective action responsive thereto at a distributed elevon level or at a coordinated distributed elevon and propulsion assembly level.
Yaw control systems for tailsitting biplane aircraft
An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.
TURBOMACHINE WITH MULTI-DIAMETER PROPELLER
A turbomachine including at least two unducted propellers, one of which is an upstream propeller and one a downstream propeller, the upstream propeller including a plurality of blades, at least one first blade of which has a different length from that of a second blade.
Counter-rotating open-rotor (CROR)
A method of controlling a Counter-Rotating Open-Rotor (CROR) includes mechanically linking a pitch change system of a first rotor with a pitch change system of a second rotor and commanding a Blade Angle (Beta1 commanded) of the first rotor such that a Blade Angle (Beta2 Actual) of the second rotor is a function of the commanded Blade Angle (Beta1 commanded) to provide a linear relationship between an actual Blade angle (Beta1 Actual) and Beta1 commanded of the first rotor and a non-linear relationship between Beta2 Actual and Beta1 commanded.
TURBOMACHINE WITH UNDUCTED DUAL PROPELLERS
The invention relates to a turbomachine of an aircraft comprising an outer casing (2) delimiting with an inner hub (3), a flow path (1) of a gas stream in which is disposed a low-pressure turbine configured to rotationally drive a low-pressure shaft; said turbomachine comprising, in the direction of flow of the gas stream, a first propeller (31); and a second propeller (32) downstream of the first propeller, the first propeller (31) being rotationally driven by said low-pressure shaft and the second propeller being rotationally driven by an electric motor (70), the second propeller (32) being further disposed at a distance between 1.5 and 4 cord lengths (LC1) from the first propeller (31) defined between the respective axes of shimming (A31, A32) of each of the first and second propellers.
Yaw control systems for tailsitting biplane aircraft
An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.
Yaw Control Systems for Tailsitting Biplane Aircraft
An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.
Distributed Elevon Systems for Tailsitting Biplane Aircraft
An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. Tail assemblies are coupled to wingtips of the first and second wings each having an elevon that collectively form a distributed array of elevons. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and to control movements of the elevons such that the elevons collectively provide pitch authority and differentially provide roll authority for the aircraft in the biplane orientation. In addition, when the flight control system detects an elevon fault, the flight control system is configured to perform corrective action responsive thereto at a distributed elevon level or at a coordinated distributed elevon and propulsion assembly level.
Yaw Control Systems for Tailsitting Biplane Aircraft
An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.
Actuator rod assembly for a blade pitch control system
An actuator rod assembly for a blade pitch control system is provided herein. The actuator rod assembly includes a tubular outer rod and an inner rod. The outer rod has a first end and a second end. The inner rod has a first end and a second end and extends through the tubular outer rod. The inner rod is tensioned against the tubular outer rod so as to place the outer rod in compression.