An aircraft landing gear having a shock absorbing strut and a shortening mechanism coupled between an elongate beam and a shortening portion of a shock absorber. The shortening mechanism is arranged such that when the elongate beam is at a first position due to a first extension state of the retraction actuator the shortening mechanism is in a locked condition in which it inhibits axial movement of the shortening portion within the strut element in the first direction axial direction, and as the retraction actuator changes in extension state from the first extension state towards a second extension state, the retraction actuator moves the elongate beam which in turn causes the shortening mechanism to move the shortening portion within the strut element in the first axial direction to shorten the shock absorbing strut.

The invention relates to an aircraft undercarriage having a leg (2) pivotally mounted on a structure of the aircraft to pivot about a pivot axis (X1) between a deployed position and a retracted position, the undercarriage including a foldable brace (3a, 3b) comprising two hinged-together elements, one of which is hinged to the leg and the other of which is hinged to the structure of the aircraft, in such a manner that when the leg is in the deployed position, the two brace elements are locked together in a substantially aligned position, the undercarriage also being provided with a rotary drive actuator (10) having an outlet shaft acting on one of the elements of the foldable brace in order to cause the leg to pivot between its two positions. The drive actuator is pivotally mounted on the structure of the aircraft to pivot about an axis of rotation (X3) of the outlet shaft, the drive actuator having a casing (12) connected by a reaction rod (13) to the leg in order to take up the torque developed by the drive actuator when driving the undercarriage.

The invention relates to an aircraft undercarriage having a leg (2) pivotally mounted on a structure of the aircraft to pivot about a pivot axis (X1) between a deployed position and a retracted position, the undercarriage including a foldable brace (3a, 3b) comprising two hinged-together elements, one of which is hinged to the leg and the other of which is hinged to the structure of the aircraft, in such a manner that when the leg is in the deployed position, the two brace elements are locked together in a substantially aligned position, the undercarriage also being provided with a rotary drive actuator (10) having an outlet shaft acting on one of the elements of the foldable brace in order to cause the leg to pivot between its two positions. The drive actuator is pivotally mounted on the structure of the aircraft to pivot about an axis of rotation (X3) of the outlet shaft, the drive actuator having a casing (12) connected by a reaction rod (13) to the leg in order to take up the torque developed by the drive actuator when driving the undercarriage.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for an aircraft may be shown and described. An exemplary embodiment may be an autonomous aircraft which can vertically takeoff and land (VTOL). The VTOL aircraft may have a modular pod which carries a removable payload. The entire VTOL aircraft may be portable. An exemplary embodiment may fit into a standard sized freight container. A propulsion system may be based on distributed electric propulsion. An exemplary embodiment may implement variable pitch propellers and collective pitch variation.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for an aircraft may be shown and described. An exemplary embodiment may be an autonomous aircraft which can vertically takeoff and land (VTOL). The VTOL aircraft may have a modular pod which carries a removable payload. The entire VTOL aircraft may be portable. An exemplary embodiment may fit into a standard sized freight container. A propulsion system may be based on distributed electric propulsion. An exemplary embodiment may implement variable pitch propellers and collective pitch variation.

The present invention relates to the auxiliary spare landing equipment for the aircraft to be used in the events of emergency landings. Each spare landing set consists of relatively small sized wheels; these sets are located at the bottom of the Aircraft, specifically in the centers of gravity on which the aircraft rests on the ground. The wheels are fully covered and concealed by airfoil casings to ensure efficient airflow and maintain optimal ratios during flights. The uniqueness of the present invention is in the casing of the gear which is designed in a manner of shatters and scatters upon impact with the ground while landing, whenever malfunction on the main landing system. In case of such malfunction, the aircraft initiates the landing process, resulting in casings to break upon hitting the runway, while the spare wheels appear and carry the aircraft.

The present invention relates to the auxiliary spare landing equipment for the aircraft to be used in the events of emergency landings. Each spare landing set consists of relatively small sized wheels; these sets are located at the bottom of the Aircraft, specifically in the centers of gravity on which the aircraft rests on the ground. The wheels are fully covered and concealed by airfoil casings to ensure efficient airflow and maintain optimal ratios during flights. The uniqueness of the present invention is in the casing of the gear which is designed in a manner of shatters and scatters upon impact with the ground while landing, whenever malfunction on the main landing system. In case of such malfunction, the aircraft initiates the landing process, resulting in casings to break upon hitting the runway, while the spare wheels appear and carry the aircraft.

An aircraft landing gear 100 includes a structural main leg 110, having a substantially circular cross-section and defining a front side for facing upstream in use and a rear side for facing downstream in use. The landing gear includes a shaped element 151 attached to an attachment point located on the rear side of the structural main leg. The shaped element extends rearwards from the structural main leg to provide a combined cross-sectional shape of the structural main leg and shaped element that is elongated in the upstream-downstream direction compared to the structural main leg.

An aircraft landing gear 100 includes a structural main leg 110, having a substantially circular cross-section and defining a front side for facing upstream in use and a rear side for facing downstream in use. The landing gear includes a shaped element 151 attached to an attachment point located on the rear side of the structural main leg. The shaped element extends rearwards from the structural main leg to provide a combined cross-sectional shape of the structural main leg and shaped element that is elongated in the upstream-downstream direction compared to the structural main leg.

A landing gear system 100 for an aircraft including: a landing gear 130 that is movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the landing gear includes an extendible strut 136; a position sensor 140 configured to detect a position of a part of the extendible strut and output a signal indicative of the position; and a landing gear controller 150 that is communicably connected to the position sensor and is configured, in use, to: receive the signal from the position sensor; and, on the basis of the signal, determine that the strut has extended and the landing gear is in contact with the ground and automatically cause performance of at least a portion of a procedure to move the landing gear from the extended position to the retracted position.