A strut system for a RAT includes a strut body, a strut first end is connected to the aircraft and rotate about a first axis, a strut second end is spaced apart from the strut first end by the strut body and is connected to the RAT turbine generator unit, the strut has a strut conduit extending from the strut first end toward the strut second end; and a damper rod that includes a rod body and disposed within the strut conduit, the damper rod having a rod first end that is fixed within the strut conduit at the strut first end, and a rod second end that is spaced apart from the rod first end by the rod body and is located intermediate the strut first end and the strut second end, wherein the rod second end moves along a second axis that is parallel to the first axis.

An electrical energy generator system for an aircraft, the system including a streamlined fairing containing at least one turbine housed in the front portion of the fairing, and an electrical energy generator connected to said turbine. The front portion of the fairing is fitted with air admission means that are movable between an open position in which the turbine is exposed to the stream of air outside the fairing and a closed position in which the turbine is masked inside the fairing. The system may serve to reduce the aerodynamic drag caused by turbulence present at a wing tip for a conventional wing having sharp edges during stages of takeoff, climbing, and cruising; and during stages of descent it makes it possible to recover the kinetic and potential energy that has been accumulated by the aircraft during its stages of climbing and cruising.

A ram air turbine is presented that includes a turbine having a blade and a turbine shaft, a strut removably coupled to the turbine, wherein the strut has a gearbox section and a drive section, a turbine shaft with a bevel gear oriented perpendicularly to the turbine shaft and positioned within the gearbox section of the strut, a driveshaft coupled to the generator and positioned within the drive section of the strut, and a pinion gear that engages with the bevel gear, wherein the pinion gear is secured to the driveshaft by a spanner nut, wherein the pinion gear utilizes a key configured to interact with the keyed joint of the driveshaft. The pinion gear is supported by a pinion bearing that may be press fit onto the pinion gear and by one of the generator bearings.

A latch mechanism for use in a ram air turbine actuator including: a coupler housing extending from a first end to a second end opposite the first end, the coupler housing including: a base arm having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface; a first wall extending away from the upper surface, the first wall including a first slot; and a second wall extending away from the upper surface, the second wall including a second slot, wherein the upper surface, the first wall, and the second wall at least partially enclose a cavity therebetween; a lock release pivot arm including: a first end; a second end opposite the first end of the lock release pivot arm; an orifice located proximate the second end of the lock release pivot arm; and a pivot pin located within the first slot, the second slot, and the orifice.

A fuel efficient aircraft propulsion system comprises a wingtip mounted ducted pusher fan with convergent backwash and a skewed conical engine nacelle. The system both mitigates wingtip vortex drag and converts a portion of vortex energy into propulsion force and lift force. The forward-tapering nacelle skews both downward and inward, so the lower nacelle surface is flush with the lower wing surface and the inboard nacelle surface does not alter flow over the upper wing surface. This firstly preserves lift at the outboard wing end. Secondly, air displacement by the nacelle accelerates flow only on the outboard and upper nacelle surfaces, and because the nacelle occupies the core of the nascent wingtip vortex, rotational air velocity is greatest on the upper nacelle surface. The resultant pressure drop on the upper nacelle surface contributes to aircraft lift. And because the nacelle surface tapers forward, this pressure drop does not exert backward-acting drag on the aircraft. Aft of the nacelle, the pusher fan hub surface conforms with the aft nacelle surface and tapers aft. Propulsion foils project from the forward portion of the pusher fan hub at an outward-aft angle, which directs convergent high pressure backwash flow along the aft tapering hub surface. This isolates aft-facing hub surfaces from drag-inducing vortex core pressure drop. Downstream fan backwash convergence then forms a central volume of high pressure flow where the low pressure trailing vortex core would otherwise develop. This is an efficient means to dissipate the cyclonic structure of the vortex, because vortex persistence requires low pressure core persistence. The direction of pusher fan rotation opposes the direction of wingtip vortex rotation as described in the prior art. This cross-flow interaction increases the effective power of the fan and also further counters vortex formation. An integral peripheral duct links the outer ends of the fan propulsion foils to provide thrust efficiency similar to that of a high bypass fanjet engine, but without the internal air friction within a bypass channel. In an alternative horizontal axis wind turbine embodiment, the same nacelle form supports secondary power-takeoff turbines mounted in high energy density flow at the turbine blade tips.

A ram air turbine rotor comprises at least one intra-flow path shroud structure coupled between rotor blades, along a radial position between a support disc and an outer rim. The shroud structure includes shroud sectors each coupled between a respective pair of blades. The sectors each include a first edge adjacent to leading edges of the respective pair of blades, the first edge including a first curved segment, and a second edge adjacent to trailing edges of the respective pair of blades, the second edge including a second curved segment. The curved segments are each partially defined by a respective ellipse having a semi-major axis and a semi-minor axis. The semi-major axis is a portion of a spanwise distance between the respective pair of blades. The semi-minor axis is a portion of an axial distance between the leading edge of one blade and the trailing edge of an adjacent blade.

A ram air turbine rotor comprises at least one intra-flow path shroud structure coupled between rotor blades, along a radial position between a support disc and an outer rim. The shroud structure includes shroud sectors each coupled between a respective pair of blades. The sectors each include a first edge adjacent to leading edges of the respective pair of blades, the first edge including a first curved segment, and a second edge adjacent to trailing edges of the respective pair of blades, the second edge including a second curved segment. The curved segments are each partially defined by a respective ellipse having a semi-major axis and a semi-minor axis. The semi-major axis is a portion of a spanwise distance between the respective pair of blades. The semi-minor axis is a portion of an axial distance between the leading edge of one blade and the trailing edge of an adjacent blade.

An aircraft hydraulic control system includes a pump system, a fluid circuit, and a controller. The pump system includes a hydraulic pump and a ram air turbine assembly. The fluid circuit delivers hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic pump and receives the hydraulic fluid output from the hydraulic pump. The controller is in signal communication with the hydraulic pump. The controller determines a rotational frequency of a ram air turbine included in the ram air turbine assembly, and controls the hydraulic pump so as to control the flow of hydraulic fluid in the fluid circuit. The flow of hydraulic fluid in the fluid circuit controls a fluid pressure of the aircraft.

An aircraft hydraulic control system includes a pump system, a fluid circuit, and a controller. The pump system includes a hydraulic pump and a ram air turbine assembly. The fluid circuit delivers hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic pump and receives the hydraulic fluid output from the hydraulic pump. The controller is in signal communication with the hydraulic pump. The controller determines a rotational frequency of a ram air turbine included in the ram air turbine assembly, and controls the hydraulic pump so as to control the flow of hydraulic fluid in the fluid circuit. The flow of hydraulic fluid in the fluid circuit controls a fluid pressure of the aircraft.

A ram air turbine (RAT) can include a housing and a turbine shaft configured to connect to one or more turbine blades and be turned by the one or more blades. The turbine shaft can be disposed in the housing to rotate relative to the housing along a rotational axis. The RAT can include a first bearing and a second bearing mounted between the turbine shaft and the housing to allow the turbine shaft to rotate relative to the housing. The RAT can include a whirl reduction system configured to dampen or eliminate whirl around the rotational axis.