The Boeing Company

Victor Ken Stuhr

Paul E Mikulencak

Stephen T Brown

Christopher Andrew Konings

Adam P Malachowski

Chester P Nelson

Christopher A Vegter

Bruce R Detert

R Blake Emery

Michael L Drake

Richard K Wong

Alan K Prichard

Mark Edward Eakins

Mark E Eatkins

Joseph R Olivadoti

Mithra M K V Sankrithi

Sergey D Barmichev

Lowell Bruce Campbell

Joshua M Kusnitz

Arvin Shajanian

Ismail Robbana

Mithra MKV Sankrithi

A hybrid fuel airplane and methods are presented. A cryogenic fuel is transferred to an airplane propulsor from an airplane fuel system comprising a cryogenic fuel tank and a jet fuel tank. The cryogenic fuel tank conforms to an outer mold line and carries a cryogenic fuel, and is located in a portion of the airplane body while not extending beyond the outer mold line. The jet fuel tank carries a jet fuel and is located in an airplane wing, or an airplane body, or both. A dynamic aircraft load is born on the cryogenic fuel tank, and the airplane propulsor is operated using the cryogenic fuel to generate thrust for the hybrid fuel airplane. An aerodynamic lift is generated using the airplane wing coupled to the airplane body.

Efficient low carbon emission airplane integrating jet fuel and cryogenic fuel systems

Cryogenic fuels tanks for use in aircraft structures are disclosed herein. An example apparatus disclosed herein an airfoil-shaped structure disposed outboard of a fuselage of an aircraft. The example apparatus also includes a first cryogenic fuel tank disposed inside the airfoil-shaped structure.

Cryogenic fuel tanks for use in aircraft structures

Provided are aircraft for transporting intermodal containers and methods of operating such aircraft including methods of loading and unloading the containers. An aircraft includes a fuselage having a cargo space for receiving and supporting intermodal containers. The containers are oriented in the transverse direction in the cargo space or, more specifically, in a direction normal to the longitude direction that extends from the nose to the tail of the aircraft. The aircraft may transport standard 20-foot or 40-foot containers or lighter version of such containers that otherwise have the same form and features as the standard intermodal containers. The intermodal containers may be loaded through an opening in the bottom of the fuselage. Specifically, intermodal containers may be arranged into a row. The aircraft may be then rolled over this row of the containers and lowered onto the containers followed by engaging container corners.

Cargo aircraft for transporting intermodal containers in transverse orientation

Methods and systems for efficiently increasing the wing area of an aircraft are disclosed herein. An integrated wingtip extension configured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a tapered wing section and a winglet. The tapered wing section includes an inboard end portion having a first chord length and an outboard end portion having a second chord length that is less than the first chord length. The winglet is fixedly attached to the outboard end portion. The inboard end portion is configured to be fixedly attached to a tip portion of an aircraft wing. In one embodiment, the tapered wing section and the winglet can be integrally formed from composite materials.

Integrated wingtip extensions for jet transport aircraft and other types of aircraft

The structural strength of an aircraft wing is continuously tailored along its length to closely match continuously varying imposed wing loads. The wing includes upper and lower skins each formed from panels joined together. Each of the skin panels includes a stiffening web sandwiched between and joined to the inner and outer facesheets. The web has a repeating pattern and at least one dimension that continuously varies along the length of the panel.

Aircraft wings having continuously tailored structural strength

Methods and systems for manufacturing composite aircraft wings and other structures are disclosed herein. A tool assembly for use in manufacturing composite laminates in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a tool plate carried by a movable support system. The tool plate includes a tool surface configured to support fiber-reinforced resin material and define an outer mold line (OML) of the fiber-reinforced resin material. The movable support system is configured to respond to signals from a controller to automatically change the shape of the tool surface and alter the OML of the finished part to suit the particular application. In one embodiment, the movable support system can include a plurality of telescoping actuators operably coupled to the tool plate.

Methods and systems for manufacturing a family of aircraft wings and other composite structures

A propulsor apparatus for a mobile platform, for example an aircraft is provided. The propulsor apparatus includes an aerodynamically shaped propeller duct that houses at least a portion of a turboprop engine, and fully houses a propeller driven by the engine. Inside the propeller duct is a circumferential ring that closely surrounds the propeller such that only a small clearance is provided between the outermost tips of the propeller blades and an inner surface of the circumferential ring. The circumferential ring includes sound deadening material that attenuates noise generated by the tip vortices created at the outermost tips of the propeller blades. The propeller duct and circumferential ring are supported by a plurality of structural rods that couple to structure of the mobile platform, for example to the spars within a wing of an aircraft. The apparatus and method significantly reduces the noise associated with a turboprop engine.

Ducted open rotor apparatus and method

Jet airplane

Jet airplane configuration

A pivoting aircraft wing and associated system and method are provided. The pivoting aircraft wing includes a wing member, a carry-through structure, and a spar box assembly pivotally connected to the carry-through structure. The spar box assembly extends longitudinally within the wing member. The spar box assembly comprises a spar box and a bearing support structure attached to the spar box. The aircraft wing further includes a plurality of bearings disposed within a plurality of bearing races defined by the bearing support structure and carry-through structure. The plurality of bearing races advantageously define an arcuate path of rotation such that the wing member is capable of rotating about a virtual axis of rotation.

Pivoting aircraft wing and associated method

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Victor Ken Stuhr