The Boeing Company

David J Manley

Aaron Jonathan Kutzmann

John Charles Vassberg

Max Urban Kismarton

Neal A Harrison

Robert D Gregg, Iii

Robert Erik Grip

Arvin Shmilovich

Yoram Yadlin

Kevin Reed Lutke

Roger W Clark

Edward L Lawson

Antonio B Gonzales

Robb Gregg, Iii

Steve Hollowell

Apparatus and methods provide for a swept-wing powered-lift aircraft. Aspects of the disclosure provide a powered-lift aircraft that utilizes the engine exhaust flow over upper surface blown flaps to increase lift during various flight operations. The powered-lift aircraft has wings with inboard portions and outboard portions. The adjacent inboard and outboard portions share a swept leading edge. The leading edge is swept to a degree that shifts the outboard portion rearward to a position in which the aircraft center of lift has little to no variance upon the activation or deactivation of a powered-lift system.

Swept-wing powered-lift aircraft

A method and apparatus for controlling the shape of a control surface. A structure is rotated about an axis. The structure is located between a flexible skin and a skin located substantially opposite of the flexible skin. An assembly is moved to change the shape of the control surface in response to a rotation of the structure. The assembly is movably connected to the structure and is configured to move such that the flexible skin forms a plurality of curvatures.

Shape-changing control surface

Apparatus and methods provide for an aircraft configuration that utilize structural and engine exhaust flow control devices to enhance performance. Aspects of the disclosure provide a fuselage with a pressure vessel nested within a non-cylindrical outer mold line fairing. A twin-boom empennage may be connected to the fuselage. A wing may attach in a blended wing configuration with a sweep angle that positions the aircraft center of lift to minimize any pitching moment induced by the activation or deactivation of an upper surface blown (USB) system. The USB system may include a conformal USB flap positioned downstream of an engine exhaust plume, as well as a controllable USB nozzle aperture to promote exhaust flow attachment to the conformal USB flap. A universal convergent nozzle may be utilized to connect each controllable USB nozzle aperture to a corresponding internally mounted aircraft engine.

Aircraft configuration utilizing fuselage, wing, empennage, and exhaust flow control devices

Cargo aircraft

A system and method for controlling boundary layer flow over an aircraft wing are provided. The system includes at least one wing element, and a plurality of ports defined in the wing element and in fluid communication with one another. The system also includes at least one fluidic device operable to continuously ingest the fluid through at least one of the ports and eject the fluid out of at least one other port to control boundary layer flow of the fluid over the wing element.

System for aerodynamic flows and associated method

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Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

David J Manley