Textron Innovations Inc.

Christopher Marion Johnson

Joseph Richard Carpenter, Jr

Karl Schroeder

William Anthony Amante

David Gordon Carlson

An external power assist system for an eVTOL aircraft having one or more onboard batteries includes a subsurface power source and a power transfer interface electrically coupled to the subsurface power source. The power transfer interface is movable between various positions including a deployed position and a stowed position. The power transfer interface is configured to transfer power to the onboard batteries of the eVTOL aircraft in the deployed position. The power transfer interface is moved at least partially subsurface in the stowed position.

External power assist systems for charging batteries onboard eVTOL aircraft

A duct for a ducted-rotor aircraft may include internal structural components such as a spindle that is supported by a fuselage of the aircraft, first and second annular spars that are attached to an end of the spindle, a central hub that supports a motor of the aircraft, a plurality of stators that extend from the central hub to the second spar, and a plurality of ribs that are attached to the first spar and the second spar at respective opposed ends. The spindle may include an attachment interface to which the first and second spars are attached. The attachment interface may be disposed at the second end of the spindle. The attachment interface may define first and second arc-shaped planar surfaces to which the first and second spars, respectively, are attached.

Duct for ducted-rotor aircraft

In an embodiment, a vertical-lift augmentation system for an aircraft includes a fan bank mounted to the aircraft in proximity to a wing of the aircraft, where the fan bank may include at least one fan. The vertical-lift augmentation system also includes a panel movably attached to the aircraft in relation to the fan bank, where the panel is adjustable between at least a first position in which the panel encloses the fan bank in the aircraft and a second position in which the panel at least partially exposes the fan bank.

Vertical-lift augmentation system

A hub assembly for a ducted-rotor aircraft includes a plurality of stator supports, a first integral fitting that attaches to first ends of the stator supports, and a second integral fitting that attaches to second ends of the stator supports. The first fitting includes a plurality of motor attachment portions configured to locate and support a motor of the ducted-rotor aircraft, a plurality of fairing mounts configured to support attachment of an aerodynamic fairing to the hub assembly, and a plurality of stator locators configured to locate respective ones of the plurality of stator supports for attachment to the hub assembly. The first fitting has a body portion with an annular wall that supports the motor attachment portions, the fairing mounts, and the stator locators. The first fitting may be fabricated as a monolith that includes the body portion, motor attachment portions, fairing mounts, and stator locators.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Christopher Marion Johnson