An aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing attached thereto, a wing tip device attached to a wing end of the wing (2), a wing-like element having a wing root, a wing leading edge and a wing trailing edge, and a torque control device having a rotatable interface means. The torque control device is adapted for rotatably supporting the wing root of the wing-like element on the interface means about a rotational axis extending from the interface means into the wing-like element and to limit the degree of rotation depending on a torque introduced into the interface means by the wing-like element. The wing-like element is adapted to induce a rotation around the rotational axis in an air flow. The wing root is coupled with the wing tip device, the wing or the fuselage through the torque control device such that the leading edge extends into an airflow surrounding the aircraft.

A wing includes a low pressure side, a high pressure side opposite the low pressure side, and a drag reducing apparatus coupled to the low pressure using an adhesive. The drag reducing apparatus includes a first side coupled to the low pressure side of the wing, and a second side opposite the first side. The second side includes a plurality of vortex generators arranged in an array configuration. The vortex generators generate one or more vane vortices near an end of the low pressure side of the wing, thereby weakening a wingtip vortex generated by the wing.

A noise attenuation element can be arranged for connection to an air directing structure such as a wing flap. The element has a non-uniform lattice density across at least a portion of the body of the element.

Thermally configurable structural elements (e.g., aircraft components such as an aircraft winglet spar) capable of assuming at least first and second structural configurations are provided whereby the structural element includes an integral actuation mechanism may be formed of sintered shape memory alloy (SMA) particles and sintered non-SMA particles formed by an additive layer manufacturing (ALM) process, such as 3D printing. The ALM process thereby provides by at least one thermally configurable region, and at least one non-thermally configurable region which is unitarily contiguous with the at least one thermally configurable region. The at least one thermally configurable region is capable of assuming at least first and second positional orientations in response to the presence or absence of a thermal input to thereby cause the structural element to assume the at least first and second structural configurations, respectively.

The present disclosure presents systems, apparatuses, and methods of active flow controls for dissipating tip vortices. In this regard, a method comprises positioning one or more fan-shaped plasma actuators on an end surface of a tip of one or more airfoils of an aircraft, wherein the fan-shaped plasma actuators are surface compliant with the surface of the tip of the one or more airfoils; and activating the one or more fan-shaped plasma actuators during a flight of the aircraft, wherein at least one tip vortex generated by a flight of the aircraft is reduced by an introduction of one or more vortices generated by the one or more fan-shaped plasma actuators on the end surface of the tip of the one or more airfoils of the aircraft. Other systems, apparatuses, and methods are also presented.

A wing includes a low pressure side, a high pressure side opposite the low pressure side, and a drag reducing apparatus coupled to the low pressure using an adhesive. The drag reducing apparatus includes a first side coupled to the low pressure side of the wing, and a second side opposite the first side. The second side includes a plurality of vortex generators arranged in an array configuration. The vortex generators generate one or more vane vortices near an end of the low pressure side of the wing, thereby weakening a wingtip vortex generated by the wing.

A manufacture configured to and process for inhibiting, from wear, a lock in a latching system comprising: a gland surrounding an actuator translating the lock through: a first fixed lock receptor and a moveable lock receptor. The manufacture and process include: inhibiting a skewing, of a lock central axis of the lock with the lock translating through the first opening and the opening in the moveable lock receptor, away from substantially aligning with: a first central axis of a first opening of the first fixed lock receptor, and an actuator central axis of the actuator, via fitting a first translation guide into the first fixed lock receptor. Also included is inhibiting: wear of a gland around an actuator in the lock while translating, and leaking, past the gland, of an actuator fluid within the lock; and skewing of an actuator central axis of the actuator.

A joint for coupling a wing tip to a wing base includes a linking member that extends from a first end to a second end. The linking member first end is coupleable to the wing base, and the linking member second end is coupleable to the wing tip. The linking member defines first second hinge lines that are substantially parallel. The joint also includes at least one actuator. A first end of each at least one actuator is coupled to the linking member, and a second end of each at least one actuator is coupleable to one of the wing base and the wing tip. The at least one actuator is operable to rotate the wing tip about the first and second hinge lines between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the wing base.

The present disclosure provides a system, method, and apparatus for a protective finish for an airfoil. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves providing a sheath, and applying the sheath to the surface of the airfoil. In one or more embodiments, the sheath wraps around the surface of the airfoil from the leading edge of the airfoil towards the trailing edge of the airfoil. In at least one embodiment, the sheath covers approximately 50 percent to approximately 70 percent of the chord length of the airfoil. In some embodiments, the sheath is manufactured from at least one polymer, such as a polyurethane and/or a floropolymer. In one or more embodiments, the airfoil is a winglet, a raked wing tip, and/or a wing.

An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using a set of wing tip mounted thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to vertical takeoff with the wings in a horizontal flight attitude then transitions to a horizontal flight path. An aerial vehicle which uses different configurations of its wing tip mounted, VTOL enabling rotors to reduce drag in all flight modes.