A rotor blade for an aircraft includes an airfoil skin, an active element, and an actuator configured to operate the active element. A heat pipe is configured to promote heat transfer from the actuator to the airfoil skin. The heat pipe has a slope gradient such that a centrifugal force generated during rotation of the rotor blade promotes travel of a condensed working fluid within the heat pipe to move from a condenser end of the heat pipe toward an evaporator end of the heat pipe.