Airbus Operations Gmbh

Lee Proudler

Thomas Barnett

Andrew Scaife

Richard Hewson

A method of manufacturing an aircraft aerofoil such as a winglet. The aircraft aerofoil includes: a first cover, a second cover, an aerofoil leading edge, and an aerofoil trailing edge where the first and second cover are joined at a trailing edge interface. The first cover is formed by: a lay-up step in which a plurality of fibre plies are laid up to obtain a preform, wherein the preform has a thickness and a preform trailing edge, and the preform is laid up during the lay-up step with a ramp of decreasing thickness where the thickness of the preform decreases towards the preform trailing edge; and a curing step in which the preform is cured to form the first cover, wherein the ramp of decreasing thickness cures during the curing step to form a contact surface of the first cover.

Method of manufacturing aircraft aerofoil

A winglet is disclosed including first and second covers, a front spar, a rear spar, a rib, and a mid spar between the front spar and the rear spar. The rib and each spar are joined to the first cover and to the second cover. The mid spar has a length and the mid spar curves along all or part of its length. The length of the mid spar extends from an inboard end of the mid spar to an outboard end of the mid spar, and the rib wraps around the inboard or outboard end of the mid spar.

Winglet and winglet cover assembly

A cover panel for an aircraft including: a first region, a second region for forming an overlap with a second panel, and a ramp, wherein at least a portion of the ramp is between the first and second regions, wherein the ramp includes a tapered region such that a width of the ramp tapers towards a free-edge of the first region, and wherein the free-edge is configured to form a butt-joint with the second panel.

Cover panel

A wingtip device to attach to a wing of an aircraft includes an aerofoil portion and a connection spar arranged to be received in a connection spar receiving portion of the wing of an aircraft. The spar includes a first through hole in a first portion of the connection spar and a second through hole in a second rearward portion of the connection spar, the second portion being rearward of the first portion with respect to a direction of flight. The first and second through holes are arranged to receive a retaining pin that is to be inserted through both the first and second through holes.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, United Kingdom

Lee Proudler