Airbus Operations Gmbh

Keith Macgregor

Christopher Lynas

Peter William James

Henry Edwards

David Croston

An aircraft includes an active drag control system such as a Laminar Flow Control (LFC) system having a port LFC apparatus and a starboard LFC apparatus. The aircraft has a control system to test how efficiently the LFC system is working by differentially operating the port LFC apparatus and the starboard LFC apparatus, for example by deactivating either LFC apparatus, and measuring the effect on the direction of flight of the aircraft. The control system also can change the direction of the aircraft, and trim the aircraft, by differentially operating the port LFC apparatus and the starboard LFC apparatus.

Active drag control system for an aircraft

An aircraft landing gear arrangement with an airbag attached inside a landing gear bay is disclosed. The airbag has a deflated configuration and a first inflated configuration, wherein, when the landing gear is in the extended position and when the airbag is in the first inflated configuration, the airbag closes off the landing gear bay. The airbag may substantially close off the landing gear bay. The airbag may comprise an external surface, wherein the external surface of the airbag closes off at least a significant proportion of the landing gear bay and lies substantially flush with an external surface of the aircraft body. An aircraft, methods of operating a landing gear arrangement, and methods of operating an aircraft are disclosed.

Aircraft landing gear arrangement

An aircraft fuel tank system is disclosed in which a vent tank is provided with an ullage vent for use in combination with an eternal flamer barrier means during a refuelling process.

Aircraft fuel tank system

An aircraft fuel tank system is disclosed in which a vent tank is provided with an additional ullage vent for use, in combination with an eternal flame barrier means, when refuelling.

An aircraft insulation apparatus is disclosed having a variable thermal insulating member adjacent the inner fuselage wall and adjacent an aircraft heat source. The variable thermal insulating member is operable to provide variable thermal insulation between the heat source and the exterior of the inner fuselage wall by being changeable between a first state and a second state, the first state providing a first level of thermal insulation and the second state providing a second level of thermal insulation.

Apparatus for providing variable thermal insulation for an aircraft

A bi-directional flight control surface mechanism comprises a fixed part V of a vertical stabilizer having leading and trailing edges and a rudder having leading and trailing edges. The rudder is mounted relative to the fixed part of the vertical stabilizer so that the trailing edge of the fixed structure is adjacent the leading edge of the rudder. The rudder is movable from a neutral position in which the rudder lies in line with the fixed part of the vertical stabilizer to define a notional centerline to first and second angled positions in which the rudder is angled relative to the fixed part of the vertical stabilizer at a non-zero angle on one or other side of the notional centerline. An actuator is provided to drive the rudder relative to the fixed part of the vertical stabilizer so as to vary the distance between said part of the trailing edge of the fixed part of the vertical stabilizer and the leading edge of the rudder.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, United Kingdom

Keith Macgregor