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.

An aircraft and an aircraft wing assembly for an aircraft. The wing assembly includes a wing body assembly including a wing body; and at least one protruding portion connected to the wing body. The protruding portion extends aftwardly from an aft side of the wing body assembly, a leading edge of the wing body assembly defining a leading edge line, a trailing edge of the wing body assembly defining a trailing edge line extending between the inboard end and the outboard end, the trailing edge including a trailing edge of the protruding portion, the trailing edge line being a smooth line, a chord distance being defined longitudinally from the leading edge line to the trailing edge line, the chord distance at a center of the protruding portion being greater than the chord distance inboard of protruding portion and outboard of the protruding portion.

An airfoil including: an airfoil portion having an airfoil surface; and a communication hole extending at least in the airfoil portion and a first opening open in the airfoil surface, through which the first opening is communicated with a second opening provided in a portion of the airfoil. On a cross-section perpendicular to the spanwise direction through a position of the first opening of the spanwise direction, an angle A1 satisfying a condition (a) exists within an angle range −10 degrees to 10 degrees with respect to an extension line obtained by extending a camber line of the airfoil portion from a leading edge. The condition (a) is a static pressure at a position of the first opening is equal to a static pressure at a position of the second opening when the airfoil portion receives a fluid flow from a direction of the angle A1 toward the leading edge.

Various embodiments of an airfoil and machines with airfoils are disclosed. The airfoils include a thicker leading airfoil portion and a thinner trailing airfoil portion. In one embodiment, the leading airfoil portion is formed by bending a body of the airfoil back toward itself. In another embodiment, the leading airfoil portion has a solid geometry and includes two elliptic surfaces. To prevent detachment of airflow, the leading airfoil portion includes at least two arc portions or surfaces that act to direct the airflow down to the trailing airfoil portion in a manner that stabilizes vortexes that may form in the region of changing thickness.

Various embodiments of an airfoil and machines with airfoils are disclosed. The airfoils include a thicker leading airfoil portion and a thinner trailing airfoil portion. In one embodiment, the leading airfoil portion is formed by bending a body of the airfoil back toward itself. In another embodiment, the leading airfoil portion has a solid geometry and includes two elliptic surfaces. To prevent detachment of airflow, the leading airfoil portion includes at least two arc portions or surfaces that act to direct the airflow down to the trailing airfoil portion in a manner that stabilizes vortexes that may form in the region of changing thickness.

A profiled structure for an aircraft or turbomachine is elongated in a direction in which the structure has a length exposed to an airflow and includes serrations defined by successive teeth and depressions. The serrations may be transverse to a leading edge and/or a trailing edge of the profiled structure and in the direction of elongation. Along the profiled leading edge and/or profiled trailing edge, the successive teeth and depressions may extend only over a part of the length exposed to the flow. The amplitude and/or spacing of the teeth may vary monotonically except for the few teeth nearest each end of the part, with a remaining part of the length being smooth.

An aerodynamic lifting system for a VTOL aircraft is provided that includes a lifting structure defining a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion, an upper surface extending between the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion, and a lower surface extending between the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion. A plurality of leading edge and trailing edge movable flaps, along with leading edge openings and trailing edge openings are employed to direct a flow of air, including along an upper surface of the lifting structure. During transition from a VTOL stage to forward flight, when a first leading edge movable flap is in a closed position, a net forward thrust is provided by the flow of air at the leading edge portion.

The invention relates to a profiled structure, elongated in a direction in which the structure has a length exposed to an airflow, and transversely to which the structure has a leading edge (164) and/or a trailing edge, at least one of which is profiled and has, in said direction of elongation, serrations (28a) defined by successive teeth (30) and depressions (32).

Along the profiled leading edge and/or profiled trailing edge, the successive teeth (30) and depressions (32) extend only over a part of said length exposed to the flow over which the amplitude and/or spacing of the teeth varies monotonically except for the few teeth nearest each end of said part, a remaining part (280) of said length being smooth.

A foil, such as an aerofoil, having a leading edge and a trailing edge, of which at least a portion of one or both of the leading edge and trailing edge has a serrated profile comprising a plurality of adjoining teeth, each tooth having a tip point that represents a local maximum chord-wise extent of the tooth and, on each side span-wise of the tip point, a root point that represents a local minimum chord-wise extent of the tooth and at which the tooth adjoins a respective adjacent tooth, wherein the tooth edge profile varies with an ogee-like curve between tip point and root point such that the tooth is sharper in the neighbourhood of the tip point and in the neighbourhood of the root point than at locations in between.