An aft pivot assembly includes a height adjustment mechanism integrated into a device for mounting a payload, to enable release of the payload. The aft pivot assembly releasably secures an aft portion of the payload, such a pod, store, ordinance, or fuel tank. The aft pivot assembly includes a shaft operable with the mount device and a release component, the shaft being rotatable about multiple shaft axes relative to the mount device so as to either minimize or eliminate carriage loads about the aft portion, while reacting jettison loads during a jettison event or phase. The rotation of the shaft about its shaft axes can further be limited via a limit device. As the payload transitions from a carriage phase to a jettison phase, the shaft moves in multiple degrees of freedom and in multiple axes relative to the mount device.

An aircraft has a pilot compartment and a power source, apparatus adapted to control attitude and direction, apparatus adapted to vary power of the power source, sensors sensing at least altitude, airspeed, power level, and aircraft attitude, a CPU coupled to a data repository, to the sensors and to actuators adapted to change the flight attitude and direction and to vary power, and safe flight envelope data and conditions stored in the data repository defining flight conditions at boundaries of safe and unsafe operation. The CPU monitors the sensors while the aircraft is in operation, determines if flight status is outside the safe flight envelope, and if so, drives appropriate actuators to manipulate the apparats adapted to control flight attitude and direction and/or the apparatus adapted to vary power of the power source in a programmed manner until the flight status is within the safe flight envelope.

An aircraft has a pilot compartment and a power source, apparatus adapted to control attitude and direction, apparatus adapted to vary power of the power source, sensors sensing at least altitude, airspeed, power level, and aircraft attitude, a CPU coupled to a data repository, to the sensors and to actuators adapted to change the flight attitude and direction and to vary power, and safe flight envelope data and conditions stored in the data repository defining flight conditions at boundaries of safe and unsafe operation. The CPU monitors the sensors while the aircraft is in operation, determines if flight status is outside the safe flight envelope, and if so, drives appropriate actuators to manipulate the apparats adapted to control flight attitude and direction and/or the apparatus adapted to vary power of the power source in a programmed manner until the flight status is within the safe flight envelope.

A tiltrotor aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having at least one wing. First and second oppositely disposed booms extend longitudinally from the at least one wing. Forward rotors are coupled to the forward ends of the booms and aft rotors are coupled to the aft ends of the booms. The forward rotors are reversibly tiltable between a vertical lift orientation, wherein the forward rotors are above the booms, and a forward thrust orientation, wherein the forward rotors are forward of the booms. The aft rotors are reversibly tiltable between a vertical lift orientation, wherein the aft rotors are below the booms, and a forward thrust orientation, wherein the aft rotors are aft of the booms.

An aft pivot assembly can include a mount device securable to an aft portion of a payload of an aircraft for facilitating release of the payload. The aft pivot assembly can include a shaft operable with the mount device and a release component, the shaft being rotatable about multiple shaft axes relative to the mount device so as to either minimize or eliminate carriage loads about the aft portion, while reacting jettison loads during a jettison event or phase. The rotation of the shaft about its shaft axes can further be limited via a limit device. As the payload transitions from a carriage phase to a jettison phase, the shaft moves in multiple degrees of freedom and in multiple axes relative to the mount device.

A flexible fuel bladder assembly for an aircraft includes a flexible fuel bladder positioned at an airframe and having an opening to allow a flow of fuel into and/or out of the fuel bladder. A breakaway valve is operably connected to the fuel bladder at the opening to control a flow of fuel therethrough. A non-contacting or loose fitting reaction feature is affixed to the airframe and is interactive with the breakaway valve such that movement of the breakaway valve relative to the reaction feature results in breakage of a valve body of the breakaway valve and closure of the breakaway valve to prevent flow of fuel therethrough while also allowing for a second reaction mode to cause breakage of a valve body should the connecting hose be pulled relative to the breakaway valve.

A flexible fuel bladder assembly for an aircraft includes a flexible fuel bladder positioned at an airframe and having an opening to allow a flow of fuel into and/or out of the fuel bladder. A breakaway valve is operably connected to the fuel bladder at the opening to control a flow of fuel therethrough. A non-contacting or loose fitting reaction feature is affixed to the airframe and is interactive with the breakaway valve such that movement of the breakaway valve relative to the reaction feature results in breakage of a valve body of the breakaway valve and closure of the breakaway valve to prevent flow of fuel therethrough while also allowing for a second reaction mode to cause breakage of a valve body should the connecting hose be pulled relative to the breakaway valve.

A tiltrotor aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having a wing with oppositely disposed wing tips. Tip booms respectively extend longitudinally from the wing tips. Forward rotors are coupled to the forward ends of the tip booms and aft rotors are coupled to the aft ends of the tip booms. The forward rotors are reversibly tiltable between a vertical lift orientation, wherein the forward rotors are above the tip booms, and a forward thrust orientation, wherein the forward rotors are forward of the tip booms. The aft rotors are reversibly tiltable between a vertical lift orientation, wherein the aft rotors are below the tip booms, and a forward thrust orientation, wherein the aft rotors are aft of the tip booms.

An aerodynamic braking device for a payload casing intended to be ejected from a projectile on its trajectory including at least one parachute connected to the casing by hangers, the parachute and the parachute hangers being housed in a sleeve. The sleeve is wound around an axis of winding perpendicular to its longitudinal direction and attached to a cylindrical housing the axis of which is parallel to the axis of winding, which housing is itself secured to a shell base that closes off the projectile, the hangers being connected to the casing by an extension cable which is wound around the axis of the housing and attached thereto by at least three peripheral break lines which are uniformly angularly distributed.

A wing drop fuel tank it is provided comprising a rigid external casing 1 and a second tank 2 arranged inside said rigid casing 1, said second tank 2 being made of flexible material. A production process of said wing drop tank it is also provided which comprises the following steps: construction of two rigid half-shells 10 and 11, and the subsequent mutual coupling of the former creates a single rigid structure 1; making of a first port and a second port at the upper part of the half-shell 10, said second port having same size of a fuel filling flange 23 on said tank 1; inserting of a second tank 2 made of a flexible material through said first port in said first tank 1; and applying a closing plate 12 at said upper port, said closing plate 12 being removably locked on said tank 1 by means of clamping screws 13 which engage with threaded holes 22 made on a flange 21 integral with said second tank 2.