The Boeing Company

Matthew J Berden

Michelle Crivella

Pradip K Saha

Dennis Ray Mathis

Robert Alan Smith

Jake Aspen Wilson

Richard N Johnson

William R McCoskey

James Alan Aske

Ashley Susan Combs

Robert A Smith

James Aske

Jake A Wilson

An aircraft surface cover is provided. The aircraft surface cover includes a cover member that is configured to be removably secured to an aircraft structure. The cover member includes an exterior surface that has a microtextured surface including microtexture ribs that are configured to improve aerodynamic performance of the aircraft structure.

Systems and methods for aircraft structure surface covers

A positioning device for positioning a drilling tool of a drilling apparatus relative to a workpiece includes a cage mounted to the drilling apparatus such that the cage at least partially surrounds the drilling tool. The cage includes an end portion that includes an alignment surface that is configured to be engaged in physical contact with a workpiece surface of the workpiece. The alignment surface of the cage is oriented relative to a centerline axis of the drilling tool such that the centerline axis extends approximately normal to the workpiece surface when the alignment surface of the cage is in contact with the workpiece surface. The positioning device also includes a laser projector mounted to the cage such that the laser projector is configured to project an illuminated dot onto the workpiece surface that indicates where the centerline axis of the drilling tool intersects the workpiece surface.

Positioning device for a drilling apparatus

A fastener system, which includes a fastener with an RFID tag secured to the fastener, wherein the RFID tag includes an antenna communicatively coupled to an integrated circuit which includes a memory. The fastener system further includes an operating system device, which transmits a command signal containing logistics data to the antenna of the RFID tag wherein the antenna receives the command signal and communicates the command signal containing the logistics data to the integrated circuit.

Intelligent fasteners

A powered nose aircraft wheel system () for an aircraft () includes landing gear () that extends from the aircraft (). A wheel axel () is coupled to the landing gear (). A wheel () is coupled to the wheel axel (). A wheel motor () is coupled to the wheel axel () and the wheel (). A controller () is coupled to the wheel motor () and rotates the wheel (). A method of taxiing an aircraft () includes permitting the wheel () of the aircraft () to freely spin during the landing of the aircraft (). Power is transferred from an auxiliary power unit () of the aircraft () to the wheel motor (). The wheel () is rotated via the wheel motor (). The aircraft () is steered and the speed of the wheel () is controlled via one or more controllers selected from an onboard controller () and an offboard controller ().

Powered nose aircraft wheel system

A method of forming a torque-transmitting coupling () includes forming at least one fitting () having a tube conforming area (). The forming area () includes a material overflow groove () and multiple flat surfaces (). The forming area () has an associated tube arc length that is approximately equal in length to a formed area length of the flat surfaces () with the elongated overflow groove (). An elongated tube () is procured. The elongated tube () is formed onto the tube conforming area () to form the torque-transmitting coupling ().

Low chamfer angled torque tube end fitting with elongated overflow groove

A method of forming a torque tube () is provided. The method includes forming a fitting () having an elongated tube conforming area (). The conforming area () includes chamfer areas () having upper surfaces (), lower surfaces (), and chamfer surfaces () that transition between the upper surfaces () and the lower surfaces () and have chamfer angles () of approximately 20 relative to the lower surfaces (). An elongated tube () is procured and an end portion () of the elongated tube () is formed onto the conforming area () to form a torque-transmitting coupling (). The torque tube () is also provided and formed according to the above-stated method.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Matthew J Berden