An aircraft wing inspection system includes a housing, a light source, a camera, and a display device. The housing is adapted to be mounted on an aircraft fuselage. The light source is disposed within the housing and is operable, upon being electrically energized, to emit a light beam. The camera is disposed within the housing and is configured to capture images of the aircraft wing, convert the captured images to digital image data, and transmit the digital image data. The display device is disposed remote from, and is in operable communication with, the camera. The display device is configured to receive the digital image data transmitted from the camera and to render the captured images.

A system for operating a gas turbine engine to mitigate the risk of ice formation within the engine, the system including a controller arranged to control at least one operational parameter of the engine such that the engine operates in a safe zone; and, a processor configured to function as a determining module to make a comparison between values and determine whether the engine is operating within a safe zone based on at least a core pressure parameter relating to the pressure within the engine and a core temperature parameter relating to the temperature within the engine, wherein the safe zone is defined by the product (multiplied) of the core pressure parameter and core temperature parameter being above a safe threshold.

A system for operating a gas turbine engine to mitigate the risk of ice formation within the engine, the system including a controller arranged to control at least one operational parameter of the engine such that the engine operates in a safe zone; and, a processor configured to function as a determining module to make a comparison between values and determine whether the engine is operating within a safe zone based on at least a core pressure parameter relating to the pressure within the engine and a core temperature parameter relating to the temperature within the engine, wherein the safe zone is defined by the product (multiplied) of the core pressure parameter and core temperature parameter being above a safe threshold.

Improvements to ice protection systems as disclosed herein include monitoring ice accretion intensity based on atmospheric conditions proximate to a vehicle. Examples of parameters that measure atmospheric conditions include a water content and a size distribution of an atmosphere around a vehicle. These parameters, along with other vehicle parameters, are used to control at least one ice protection element to reduce ice accretion intensity at one or more designated locations of the vehicle. Incorporating measurements of cloud conditions enables nuanced control of the ice protection system and improves overall system efficiency of the vehicle.

An anti-icing honeycomb core composite manufactured by forming an electromagnetic wave absorption layer by using dielectric fiber, molding the electromagnetic wave absorption layer into a honeycomb core structure by using a molded part including a first base, a second base, and an inner block, hardening the honeycomb core structure, and removing the molded part. The molding step includes first stacking, on the first base including a plurality of grooves in which the inner blocks each having a hexagonal column shape are able to be seated, a plurality of the inner blocks and a plurality of the electromagnetic wave absorption layers as the honeycomb core structure so that the electromagnetic wave absorption layer is disposed between the plurality of inner blocks, and second stacking covering the inner blocks and the electromagnetic wave absorption layers stacked on the first base with the second base having the same shape as the first base.

An anti-icing honeycomb core composite manufactured by forming an electromagnetic wave absorption layer by using dielectric fiber, molding the electromagnetic wave absorption layer into a honeycomb core structure by using a molded part including a first base, a second base, and an inner block, hardening the honeycomb core structure, and removing the molded part. The molding step includes first stacking, on the first base including a plurality of grooves in which the inner blocks each having a hexagonal column shape are able to be seated, a plurality of the inner blocks and a plurality of the electromagnetic wave absorption layers as the honeycomb core structure so that the electromagnetic wave absorption layer is disposed between the plurality of inner blocks, and second stacking covering the inner blocks and the electromagnetic wave absorption layers stacked on the first base with the second base having the same shape as the first base.

An aircraft engine nacelle comprising an icing protection system and an icing protection method for such an aircraft engine nacelle. The aircraft engine nacelle comprises an air inlet comprising a lip, a tubular air inlet piece and an icing protection system. The icing protection system comprises an icing prevention means powered continuously by a first electrical energy source and wholly or partly covering the lip, a de-icing means powered by a second electrical energy source covering the tubular air inlet piece and a controller configured to acquire a current total air temperature value, and control the second electrical energy source as a function of the current total air temperature value.

An aircraft engine nacelle comprising an icing protection system and an icing protection method for such an aircraft engine nacelle. The aircraft engine nacelle comprises an air inlet comprising a lip, a tubular air inlet piece and an icing protection system. The icing protection system comprises an icing prevention means powered continuously by a first electrical energy source and wholly or partly covering the lip, a de-icing means powered by a second electrical energy source covering the tubular air inlet piece and a controller configured to acquire a current total air temperature value, and control the second electrical energy source as a function of the current total air temperature value.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting the presence of water or ice on a structure, for example on the surface of an aircraft. A plurality of heaters (202-214) are thermally coupled to a structure (for example on the back of a wing) (104) in order to detect the presence of water or ice on the structure. The heaters are arranged adjacent one another from a GC region of a leading edge (106) of the structure (that is exposable to an impinging airflow) and extending aft of the leading edge of the structure. The heaters, which may be controlled individually, are supplied power that is sufficient to heat the surface of the structure to substantially the same temperature. A controller senses the power required for the heaters to achieve the same surface temperature at the respective regions. By comparing the power consumed by a heater that is aft of the fore-most heater (214), and the power consumed by a heater fore of the aft-most heater (210), a determination of the presence of water or ice can be made if the power consumed by the heater that is aft of the fore- most heater is different to the power consumed by the heater that is fore of the aft-most heater.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting the presence of water or ice on a structure, for example on the surface of an aircraft. A plurality of heaters (202-214) are thermally coupled to a structure (for example on the back of a wing) (104) in order to detect the presence of water or ice on the structure. The heaters are arranged adjacent one another from a GC region of a leading edge (106) of the structure (that is exposable to an impinging airflow) and extending aft of the leading edge of the structure. The heaters, which may be controlled individually, are supplied power that is sufficient to heat the surface of the structure to substantially the same temperature. A controller senses the power required for the heaters to achieve the same surface temperature at the respective regions. By comparing the power consumed by a heater that is aft of the fore-most heater (214), and the power consumed by a heater fore of the aft-most heater (210), a determination of the presence of water or ice can be made if the power consumed by the heater that is aft of the fore- most heater is different to the power consumed by the heater that is fore of the aft-most heater.