An aircraft fuselage includes an element forming a skin and a load-carrying structure supporting the element forming the skin. The load-carrying structure includes a plurality of elements forming a spar disposed parallel to an axial direction defined by the fuselage and a plurality of elements forming a frame disposed spaced apart along the axial direction. Each element forming a frame being arranged substantially perpendicularly to the elements forming a spar, where the element forming the skin is fastened on an external perimeter of each element forming a frame by means of fastening elements configured to keep the element forming the skin away from the external perimeter and where the element forming the skin is made of a transparent material.

A method of manufacturing a structural component for a vehicle, in particular an aircraft or spacecraft, includes additively manufacturing a reinforcing plate of a metal material having on a joining surface a plurality of joining arms projecting from the joining surface; and joining the reinforcing plate at the joining surface to a structural element to form the structural component by inserting the joining arms into the structural element such that the joining arms permanently hold the structural element together with the reinforcing plate.

A method of additively manufacturing a fire and overheat detection system (FODS) clamp onto a rail tube is provided. The method includes building a base of a clamp body on the rail tube, sequentially building portions of a locking feature and holders of the clamp body on the base and sequentially building remaining portions of the holders and flanges forming grooves at each of the holders of the clamp body on the base.

Disclosed herein is a VTOL tilt-wing aircraft that serves as a 4-6 passenger airliner for scheduled service between city centers and that is optimized for travel distances from 100-500 miles fully loaded with passengers and fuel. The VTOL aircraft solves technical, cost, and time problems inherent in other forms of transportation, including, but not limited to, rail, passenger airlines, and helicopters. The VTOL aircraft (1) takes off and lands like a helicopter, (2) flies fast like a jet, and (3) costs less than or comparable to a helicopter.

A metallic-composite joint fitting is provided. The fitting may comprise a frustoconical internal bearing having a bore, a conical sleeve configured to be disposed about the frustoconical internal bearing, a composite structure configured to couple between the frustoconical internal bearing and the conical sleeve, a metallic end fitting configured to be disposed within the bore and couple to the frustoconical internal bearing, and an external nut configured to couple to the metallic end fitting and the conical sleeve, wherein at least one of the frustoconical internal bearing or the conical sleeve comprises a flanged portion mutually configured to couple the conical sleeve to the frustoconical internal bearing via a locking ring.

An exterior panel is configured to accommodate high thermal stresses imposed on exterior surfaces of aerospace transport vehicles during hypersonic flight. The exterior panel is formed of a superplastic material such as a titanium alloy, and includes an exterior skin and a plurality of cooling tubes that extend through the panel. The exterior panel further includes an interior skin configured to be attached to a frame member such as a rib, stringer, or spar of the transport vehicle. The tubes pass through a multicellular core, which is sandwiched between the exterior and interior skins to impart tensile and compressive strength to the exterior panel. In one disclosed method, the core is superplastic formed and diffusion bonded to the exterior skin, the tubes, and the interior skin. A cooling fluid, which may be a gas or liquid, including a fuel, may be pumped through the tubes to cool the exterior panel.

A method of fabricating a panel for a helicopter airframe configurable in a plurality of helicopter configurations comprises the following steps. Operational characteristics of the helicopter airframe are defined. A skin panel is provided, where the skin panel is configured according to the operational characteristics of the helicopter airframe. A brace region is defined relative to the skin panel based on the operational characteristics of the helicopter airframe and the plurality of helicopter configurations. A brace assembly is operatively connected to the skin panel within the brace region to form a blank panel assembly. Accessories are arranged relative to the blank panel assembly according on one of the helicopter configurations to obtain a configured panel assembly.

An envelope portion of an airborne craft comprises a metallic outer wall and a metallic inner wall arranged interior to the outer wall. The outer and inner walls delimit an inter-wall volume configured to support a flow of coolant to cool the outer wall during atmospheric heating of the outer wall.

A frame component for a frame of a fuselage structure of an aircraft includes a central web extending along a longitudinal direction and having an inner edge region with respect to a radial direction running transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction and an outer edge region with respect to the radial direction. An inner web is bent from the inner edge region of the central web towards a first side. An outer web is bent from the outer edge region of the central web towards the first side. The central web, the outer web and the inner web are produced integrally from a metal sheet and together define a C-shaped cross section of the frame component. At least one stringer recess is formed in the outer web and in the outer edge region of the central web. The central web has, in the region of the stringer recess, a first reinforcing formation which forms a protrusion on the first side of the central web.

A method of additively manufacturing a fire and overheat detection system (FODS) clamp onto a rail tube is provided. The method includes building a base of a clamp body on the rail tube, sequentially building portions of a locking feature and holders of the clamp body on the base and sequentially building remaining portions of the holders and flanges forming grooves at each of the holders of the clamp body on the base.