The Boeing Company

Bernard P Paul, Jr

Steven S Ogg

Michael C Cates

Stephen L Wells

Cris Kevin Bosetti

C Byram Bays-Muchmore

W Brendan Blanton

Ken L Bernier

Kenneth D Visser

Louis L LeGrand

Michael S Hoffman

John J Biel-Goebel

Larry L Herrick

A Light Detecting and Ranging (LIDAR) based system detecting and quantifying ice accretions and shedding on an aircraft. This system can be used to detect ice, operate ice protection systems, and satisfy aircraft icing certification requirements. This system can also be used to determine the shape, thickness, type, and location of the ice accretions.

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) ice detection system

An airplane having a fuselage (11), opposed main wings (12), and blunt-leading-edge raked wingtips (8) is provided. Each main wing includes an outboard end (9) and a leading edge (14) having an outboard end leading-edge nose and nose radius. One blunt raked wingtip (8) is located at each main wing outboard end (9) and includes a leading edge (20) swept back from the main wing leading edge (14). Each blunt raked wingtip (8) further includes a plurality of local airfoils each having a leading-edge nose radius and a chord. The nose radius is greater than about 2% of the local chord for the majority of the airfoils. The relative bluntness of the raked wingtips minimizes boundary-layer separation, drag associated with boundary-layer separation, and premature buffeting of the aircraft during low speed flight.

Blunt-leading-edge raked wingtips

Growing community of inventors

Lynnwood, WA, United States of America

Bernard P Paul, Jr