The Boeing Company

David S Chambers

Robert H Willie

Thomas A Campbell

Charles William Rust

Paul Robert Tretow

David W Foutch

Justin D Cottet

Mark Nicholas Simpson

Kurt Erik Acheson

Brian S Kornegay

Auxiliary power unit inlet apparatus and methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an aircraft including a fuselage, the fuselage including an air inlet including a first sub-inlet and a second sub-inlet separated from the first sub-inlet; and a door coupled along the air inlet to enable air to separably flow into the first sub-inlet and the second sub-inlet, the door to deter the air from flowing between the first sub-inlet and the second sub-inlet.

Auxiliary power unit inlet apparatus and methods

Auxiliary power unit inlet apparatus and methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an air inlet for an aircraft including a first air flow path and a second air flow path. The first air flow path is immediately adjacent the second air flow path. The first air flow path is at least partially separated from the second air flow path by a first panel. The example apparatus includes a door hingably coupled adjacent the air inlet. The door includes a second panel extending from an interior surface of the door to substantially prevent air from flowing across the interior surface between the first air flow path and the second air flow path.

Dual flow auxiliary power unit (APU) inlets and associated systems and methods are disclosed. An inlet in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes an entrance aperture and a divider positioned in the inlet and located to separate a first portion of the inlet from a second portion of the inlet. The first portion can be configured to couple to an engine air intake of an APU, and the second portion can be configured to direct air away from the air intake. The divider can be positioned to direct air having a first total pressure level and a first distortion level to the first portion of the inlet, and direct air having a second total pressure level and second distortion level to the second portion of the inlet. The first total pressure level can be approximately the same as or higher than the second total pressure level, or the second distortion level can be approximately the same as or higher than the first distortion level, or both.

Dual flow APU inlet and associated systems and methods

An improved vent system for venting an internal cavity of an aerospace vehicle to an exterior surface of the aerospace vehicle generally includes a substantially concave vent inlet surface recessed with respect the exterior surface, and a duct opening formed therein. The vent inlet surface has a major axis substantially parallel to the local external flow direction. The upstream surface contour and the downstream surface contour of the vent inlet surface are substantially oblique to the local external flow direction. The placement and orientation of the duct opening, as well as the geometry of the vent inlet surface, may be selected to achieve a particular pressurization of the internal cavity with respect to the external environment under a variety of conditions.

Vent system for an aerospace vehicle

Apparatuses and methods for preventing foreign object damage (FOD) to aircraft engines are disclosed. In one embodiment, a deployable blocker is coupled to a wing portion and/or a fuselage portion of the aircraft and is configured to prevent debris from travelling on a direct trajectory from a landing gear wheel to an engine air inlet. In other embodiments, the blocker can prevent debris from bouncing off the wing lower surface into the engine inlet, or sticking to the wing lower surface and falling into the engine inlet. The deployable blocker can cover at least a portion of the landing gear when the landing gear is retracted and the blocker assembly stowed. In another embodiment, the blocker can be mounted to the landing gear.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

David S Chambers