Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Textron Innovations Inc.

Jimmy Charles Narramore

Dudley E Smith

Charles L Hollimon

Albert Gerard Brand

Paul Branson Sherrill

Brendan P Lanigan

John Michael Kebrle

James H Harse

James R Andrews

Justin Daw

Jim Hurdle

Sidney Xue

Bryce Docker

John T Brieger

Daniel Bryan Robertson

George Ryan Decker

Ashok K Agnihotri

John Joseph Schillings

Benjamin M Green

Donald W Axley

Robert B Mullins

According to one embodiment, a quality analyzer receives aerodynamic performance data for a part that has been manufactured according to a design. The aerodynamic performance data expresses aerodynamic performance of the part as calculated from a plurality of coordinates measured on the part. The quality analyzer determines whether the aerodynamic performance data for the part satisfies minimum aerodynamic performance requirements.

Aerodynamic analysis for quality assurance of manufactured parts

A system and method to control fuselage torque of an aircraft. The system includes a tail boom having a first surface that creates a high-pressure region in a downward rotorwash and a second surface that creates a low-pressure region in the downward rotorwash. The difference in pressure regions creates a lateral force that opposes the fuselage torque.

Airfoil shaped tail boom

A tail boom adapted for counteracting a fuselage torque created by an engine carried by a fuselage of a rotary aircraft. The tail boom is positioned within the rotorwash from the rotary and includes a first side surface contoured to create a low-pressure region of an airfoil and a second opposing side surface contoured to create a high-pressure region of an airfoil. The pressure difference between the high-pressure region and the low-pressure region causes the tail boom to move towards the low-pressure region, resulting in a lateral force opposing the torque on the fuselage.

A ducted fan for a helicopter includes a transverse duct and a counter-torque device supported within the duct. The counter-torque device includes a rotor rotatably mounted within the duct and a stator fixedly mounted within the duct downstream from the rotor. The rotor includes a rotor hub having a rotor axis, and rotor blades extending from the hub. The Rotor blades have a modulated angular distribution about the rotor axis. The stator includes a stator hub, and a plurality of stator vanes distributed around the stator hub. The stator vanes are angularly modulated around the stator hub.

Counter-torque device for a helicopter

One embodiment of the present invention is a main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers. A cross-section of this blade includes aft camber. The difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and a midpoint of the chord line and decreases to the trailing edge producing the aft camber of the blade. The aft camber generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

High performance low noise rotorcraft blade aerodynamic design

A flow control device is disclosed including a flow control surface over which fluid is designed to flow in a predetermined direction. Vortex generators are associated with the flow control surface. Each respective vortex generator has a pivot axis that forms an acute angle with respect to the predetermined direction and is capable of being positioned in both of an extended state, in which the respective vortex generators function to create a swirling fluid flow, and a retracted state, in which the respective vortex generators are pivoted via the pivot axis so as to lie adjacent to the flow control surface. An actuator is associated with each of the vortex generators, each actuator adapted to position the associated vortex generator between the extended and retracted states. The flow control device is disclosed to be used in tiltrotor vehicles.

Retractable vortex generator

A proprotor blade () having a fixed, spanwise, leading edge slot () located in at least the inboard portion of the proprotor is disclosed. The slot () is formed by a selectively shaped slat () disposed in a selectively shaped recessed area () located at the leading edge () of the main portion of the proprotor blade. The slot () is selectively shaped so the a portion of the airflow over the lower airfoil surface of the proprotor blade is diverted between the main portion of the proprotor blade and the slat () and exits at the upper airfoil surface of the proprotor blade. The present invention may be used on both military-type tiltrotor aircraft () and civilian-type tiltrotor aircraft () with only minor variations to accommodate the different shapes of the proprotor blades.

Proprotor blade with leading edge slot

The present invention provides an aircraft wing (10) having a main portion (20) with a trailing edge (20b) and a movable flaperon (22) hingedly secured at the trailing edge. A movable flaperon seal (40) is hingedly attached at its leading edge to the trailing edge of the main portion of the wing. Interconnecting structure is provided between the main portion of the wing and the flaperon seal. Such structure is operable to pivot the seal flap such that the opening between the trailing edge of the main wing portion (20b) and the leading edge of said movable flap (22a) on the upper surface is selectively closed by the movable flap at predetermined angular positions of the movable flap.

Growing community of inventors

Bedford, TX, United States of America

Jimmy Charles Narramore