Rohr, Inc.

Goodrich Corporation

Keith Towers Brown

Michael John Layland

Stuart James Byrne

Vijay V Pujar

Steven M Kestler

Claude Marc Hubert

Daniel Paul Christy

Adam Stein

Russell Brian Hayes

David L Rose

Frank J Fowler

Michael Patrick McDonough

Scott Gilzean

An ice protection system for an aircraft may comprise an electric heater embedded within a composite aircraft component. In the event of malfunction of the embedded heater, a secondary heater may be attached to an interior surface of the composite aircraft component. The wiring may be detached from the embedded heater and attached to the secondary heater. The secondary heater may be used to provide ice protection to the composite aircraft component.

Embedded aircraft heater repair

A nacelle may include a pylon and a thrust reverser having an inner fixed structure. A locking mechanism may automatically engage and prevent relative movement between a thrust reverser half and the pylon. A bumper may be coupled to the inner fixed structure. The locking mechanism may limit deflections between the thrust reverser and the pylon in response to a burst duct. The locking mechanism may allow the thrust reverser halves to be opened for access to the engine.

Automatic bifurcation latch systems for a thrust reverser

A nacelle is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. The nacelle may include an outer barrel and an active laminar flow control system. The active laminar flow control system may include a plurality of suction sources and a plurality of arrays of perforations in the outer barrel. The active laminar flow control system may be configured with a plurality of zones. Each of the zones may include a respective one of the suction sources which is fluidly coupled with a respective one of the arrays of perforations in the outer barrel.

Multi-zone active laminar flow control system for an aircraft propulsion system

A nacelle inlet is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. This nacelle inlet includes an outer barrel, a bulkhead and a plurality of supports. The outer barrel extends around an axis and along the axis to an aft end. The bulkhead is within and connected to the outer barrel. An aft portion of the outer barrel projects axially aftward from the bulkhead to the aft end. The supports are disposed around the axis and next to the bulkhead. The supports are configured to support the aft portion of the outer barrel.

Nacelle inlet with extended outer barrel

Methods are provided forming a metallic nacelle inlet structure for a turbine engine aircraft propulsion system with an axis. The nacelle inlet structure includes an inlet lip portion and an outer barrel portion. One of the method may include steps of: forming the inlet lip portion; forming the outer barrel portion; arranging the inlet lip portion axially adjacent the outer barrel portion; and friction stir welding the inlet lip portion to the outer barrel portion to provide a circumferentially extending weld joint between the inlet lip portion and the outer barrel portion.

Forming a nacelle inlet for a turbine engine propulsion system

An assembly is provided for a turbine engine with an axial centerline. This turbine engine assembly includes an outer nacelle and an inner nacelle with a bypass flowpath radially therebetween. The inner nacelle includes a nacelle wall and at least one access panel, which is adapted to at least partially cover an aperture in the nacelle wall. The outer nacelle axially overlaps the access panel.

Access panel(s) for an inner nacelle of a turbine engine

A system for controlling aircraft boundary layer airflow comprising a frame structure configured to be coupled or integral to an inner surface of an aircraft nacelle, the frame configured to support to the nacelle, and/or a modular plenum configured to be received by the frame structure, the modular plenum comprising a truncated tetrahedron intersected at its apex by a duct. The frame may comprise a plurality of sub-frames. The system may further comprise a plurality of modular plenums, each configured to fit within a sub-frame. The system may further comprise a flexible material configured to couple a first duct to a second duct. The system may further comprise a nacelle configured to receive the system.

Modular plenum and duct system for controlling boundary layer airflow

A nacelle for a turbofan aircraft engine having a fan case with a fan case forward edge includes an inlet inner barrel having an inner barrel forward edge and an inner barrel aft edge. The inner barrel aft edge is configured to be affixed to the fan case forward edge in a stationary position on the engine. The nacelle also includes a translating inlet cowl having an inlet lip with an aft inlet lip edge and an outer skin with rear edge. The translating inlet cowl is configured to be movably attached to one or more stationary portions of the engine such that the inlet cowl is selectively movable between a stowed flight position and an extended service position.

Aircraft engine nacelle with translating inlet cowl

An engine nacelle inlet lip includes both acoustic treatment and electric heating for ice protection. The inlet lip has a composite outer skin and a composite inner skin, with the composite outer skin having at least one integrated heater element embedded in the composite material. An acoustic cellular core positioned between the outer and inner skin acts to attenuate fan noise from the engine. Covering the outer skin and overlying the acoustic core is a perforated erosion shield having a first set of openings that pass entirely thorough its thickness. The composite outer skin includes a second set of openings such that sound waves can pass from an inner barrel portion of the inlet lip through the erosion shield, outer skin, and heater element to the underlying acoustic cellular core.

Acoustic nacelle inlet lip having composite construction and an integral electric ice protection heater disposed therein

An aircraft engine nacelle inlet is provided with an inlet cowling. The inlet cowling includes an inner lip, an outer lip, and a leading edge portion connecting the inner and outer lips. Heating elements are provided proximate the leading edge, either on an inside surface of the cowling or on an outside surface. An inner barrel portion and an outer barrel portion of the nacelle inlet define a space therebetween. Ice protection-related equipment such as controllers, cables, switches, connectors, and the like, may reside in this space. One or more access openings are formed in the outer barrel to enable an operator to gain access to this equipment. The inlet cowling attaches to the inner and outer barrels with its outer lip extending sufficiently far in the aft direction to cover the access opening. When the cowling is removed, the access opening is uncovered, thereby permitting access to the equipment.

Growing community of inventors

Bonita, CA, United States of America

Keith Towers Brown