A wingtip device 1 including an upwardly extending winglet 2 and a downwardly extending winglet 4. The downwardly extending winglet 4 is connected to the upwardly extending winglet 2 at a join 6. An aircraft light 10 is located at the join 6 between the upwardly extending winglet 2 and the downwardly extending winglet 4.

A passenger vertical take-off and landing aircraft includes a flying wing comprising a passenger compartment, a first set of rotors positioned at least partially forward of a leading edge of the flying wing, and a second set of rotors positioned at least partially rearward of a trailing edge of the flying wing. The first set of rotors may include at least four rotors and the second set of rotors may comprise at least two rotors. The first set of rotors, the second set of rotors, both, or neither may be tiltable between lift configurations for providing lift for vertical take-off and landing of the aircraft and propulsion configurations for providing forward thrust to the aircraft.

A method for improving performance in an aircraft having a winglet coupled to a wing, the winglet having a leading edge and a trailing edge continuously transitioning from a leading edge and trailing edge of the wing. The method includes coupling a wing tip to the winglet. The wing tip may include a curved leading edge from the winglet leading edge to a leading end point, a curved trailing edge from a winglet trailing edge to a trailing end point, and an end segment connecting the leading end point and the trailing end point. The end segment may be swept back from the trailing end point to the leading end point at an end segment angle.

A wing tip device having a first wing tip device element for attaching at a first wing tip device element root to a tip of an aircraft wing, and a second wing tip device element extending from a second wing tip device element root to a second wing tip device element tip, the second wing tip device element root outboard, when viewed in the wing planform direction, of the first wing tip device element root; the first wing tip device element having a first wing tip device element leading edge and a first wing tip device element trailing edge, and the second wing tip device element having a second wing tip device element leading edge and a second wing tip device element trailing edge; and a fairing between the first and second wing tip device element which extends aft from the second wing tip device element trailing edge.

Foldable aircraft wings are disclosed. An example aircraft includes a foldable wing having a fixed wing portion, a foldable wing portion and a hinge to pivotally couple the foldable wing portion relative to the fixed wing portion. The hinge includes a wing transition portion including wing hinge ribs and wing stub ribs, respective ones of the wing hinge ribs coupled to corresponding respective ones of the wing stub ribs. The hinge also includes a tip transition portion including tip hinge ribs, where respective ends of the tip hinge ribs positioned between corresponding respective ones of the wing hinge ribs and the wing stub ribs.

Morphable active corrugate structure and aeronautical wings are provided herein including one or more skins or envelopes, and a sheet having independently actuable hinge domains attached to the one or more skins or envelopes and independently actuable facet domains, each of the hinge domains and facet domains configured with through-thickness differential expansion coefficients, wherein differential strains in at least one of the hinge domains or the facet domains cause the sheet to expand or contract along a flexible axis of the sheet, wherein the sheet is attached to the upper and lower skins at respective upper and lower of the hinge domains.

A linear step discontinuity on the lower surface of the lifting surface is disclosed extending from the front of the lifting surface, possibly the leading edge, and may extend in the direction of the line of flight towards the trailing edge. The linear step discontinuity represents a step up if moving from the outboard end to the inboard end, such that in use fluid moving over the lifting surface tumbles over the linear step discontinuity to create a vortex in the fluid passing over the upper surface. The lifting surface may be an aircraft wing or in particular a winglet on an aircraft wing. The linear step discontinuity may be provided by the straight edge of a semi-circular object integrated into or adhered to the surface of the lifting surface.

Apparatus and methods for limiting trailing edge deflection in aircraft folding wing tips are disclosed herein. An example aircraft wing disclosed herein includes a fixed wing portion. The fixed wing portion includes an outboard rib. The aircraft wing also includes a wing tip moveably coupled to the fixed wing portion. The wing tip is moveable between an extended position and a folded position. The wing tip includes an inboard rib that is disposed in a trailing edge section of the wing tip. The wing tip includes a stop plate coupled to the inboard rib. The stop plate extends inboard from the inboard rib such that when the wing tip is in the extended position, the stop plate is disposed below a portion of the outboard rib of the fixed wing portion to limit upward deflection of the trailing edge section of the wing tip relative to the fixed wing portion.

An aircraft (1) having a wing (3) and a wing tip device (4) at the tip of the wing (3), the wing tip device (4) having front and rear spars (14, 13), wherein the wing tip device (4) has a cross-brace spar (18) that links the front and rear spars and is oriented such that it is oblique to the front and rear spars (14, 13).

Various aerospace vehicle systems and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fuel efficient, low emissions aerospace vehicle includes a fuselage having a fineness ration of equal to or greater than 8. The fuselage is comprised of at least 50% composite materials. The aerospace vehicle also includes a first wing, a second wing, and a third wing coupled to the fuselage, each wing having an aspect ratio of equal to or greater than 35. The wings each have a span within 10% of one another and an aspect ratio within 10% of one another. Each wing is comprised of at least 50% composite materials. The aerospace vehicle also includes at least one stabilizing unit coupled to the fuselage. The stabilizing unit includes first and second stabilizer surfaces configured in a V-tail configuration. The aerospace vehicle further includes at least one propulsion system.