Abstract:
Two element aerofoils are provided, having an aerofoil chord, a primary element having a first leading edge and a first trailing edge, a secondary element having a second leading edge and a second trailing edge, a gap between the primary element and the secondary element, and an axial overlap between the first trailing edge and the second leading edge. The secondary element is deflectable with respect to the primary element about a fixed hinge point by a flap deflection angle. The secondary element is configured to operate in airbrake mode when deflected by a respective the flap deflection angle corresponding to a design airbrake deflection angle wherein to generate an airbrake drag. In at least some examples, the axial overlap is numerically greater than -0.5% of the aerofoil chord, at least for the design airbrake deflection angle. Also disclosed are methods for operating air vehicles, and methods for designing two-element aerofoils.
Abstract:
Methods are provided for operating an air vehicle, the air vehicle including fixed wings configured to provide mild stall characteristics including a post-stall regime, and a propulsion system capable of generating a controllable thrust, the thrust being variable at least between an idle thrust and a maximum thrust. During a landing maneuver, the air vehicle is caused to attain an angle of attack corresponding to said post-stall regime, and during the landing maneuver, there is concurrently generated a thrust level of said thrust greater than said idle thrust to provide a thrust vector having a thrust lift force component at landing. Corresponding control systems are also provided, and air vehicles including such control systems are also provided.
Abstract:
Aerofoil accessories are provided (10, 510), configured for selective attachment to a wing element (32), the wing element (32) having an outer facing aerofoil surface and being based on at least one datum aerofoil section. Each accessory (10, 510) provides a modified geometric profile to a datum profile of the at least one aerofoil section when attached to the wing element. The accessories (10, 510) are each configured for having a substantially fixed geometric profile with respect to the at least one datum aerofoil section at least whenever said wing element is airborne with the respective accessory attached to the wing element. The modified geometric profile is such as to provide said wing element with the accessory attached thereto with a desired change in performance relative to a datum performance provided by the wing element absent the accessory. A kit is also provided for enhancing performance of a wing element in off-design conditions. A method is also provided for enhancing performance of a wing element in adverse conditions.
Abstract:
There is provided a composite air vehicle system including: a first air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; a second air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; and at least one connector element configured for reversibly interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in tandem arrangement to provide a composite air vehicle capable of aerodynamic flight. The composite air vehicle system is configured for enabling at least in-flight separation of composite air vehicle into the first air vehicle and second air vehicle, and for enabling each one of the first air vehicle and said second air vehicle to operate independently of one another.
Abstract:
A two element aerofoil, and wing element based thereon, is provided, including a primary aerofoil element including a leading edge of the aerofoil and a secondary aerofoil element including a trailing edge of the aerofoil. A gap is provided between the primary aerofoil element and the secondary aerofoil element. The primary aerofoil element has at least one of a profile, orientation and location with respect to a respective at least one of a profile, orientation and location of the secondary aerofoil element that is configured for minimizing or avoiding accretion of contaminant on the secondary aerofoil element when subjected to an airflow that includes the contaminant, at least at one design set of conditions. A method for designing a two element aerofoil is also provided.
Abstract:
A propulsion system is provided, including a rotor arrangement rotatably mounted with respect to a nacelle about a rotor axis. The rotor arrangement includes a plurality of rotor blades, each being pivotably mounted to a hub element about a respective blade pivot axis, the rotor blades being deployable between an undeployed configuration and a deployed configuration. The nacelle includes a nacelle body having a nacelle outer surface including a plurality of facet elements and a plurality of transition elements, each facet element extending aft from the hub element, each adjacent pair of facet elements being circumferentially spaced from one another by a corresponding transition element, each facet element having a first curvature with respect to the rotor axis, each transition element having a second curvature with respect to the rotor axis. The first curvature is different from the second curvature. In the undeployed configuration, each rotor blade is in overlying and fully external relationship with respect to a corresponding facet element.
Abstract:
A wing system is provided for an air vehicle, the air vehicle having a fuselage including a fuselage longitudinal axis. The wing system includes a set of wings, configured for transitioning between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The set of wings includes a first said wing having a first wing tip, a first wing longitudinal axis, and a first pivot axis; and a second said wing having a second wing tip, a second wing longitudinal axis, and a second pivot axis. The first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are non-coaxial. In the stowed configuration, the first wing and the second wing are in overlying relationship such that at least a majority of a pressure surface of one wing is facing a suction surface of the other wing, and the first wing tip is spaced from the second wing tip by a first lateral spacing. In the deployed configuration, the first wing is oriented with respect to the second wing such that the first wing tip is spaced from the second wing tip by a second lateral spacing greater than the first lateral spacing. The transitioning includes a pivoting operation, including: pivoting the first wing about the first pivot axis between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration; and, pivoting the second wing about the second pivot axis between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration.
Abstract:
A wing system is provided for an air vehicle, the wing system having a stowed configuration, a pre-deployed configuration, and a deployed configuration. The wing system includes two wings, each wing having aerofoil profiles and being pivotably deployable about a respective pivot axis between the pre-deployed configuration and the deployed configuration. In the stowed configuration the two wings are in first general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and are capable of being accommodated within an envelope having an envelope cross-sectional profile and a corresponding envelope cross-sectional area. In the pre-deployed configuration, the two wings are in second general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and capable of deploying to the deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration the wings are each capable of generating aerodynamic lift in an airstream. Each aerofoil profile of each wing is a slotted aerofoil having a primary element, a secondary element and a chord, the secondary element being pivotable with respect to the primary element and spaced therefrom by a gap. Each aerofoil profile has a respective maximum thickness, and a respective maximum absolute thickness. In the stowed configuration, the respective second element of each aerofoil of one wing is set at a different flap angle as compared with the respective second element of each aerofoil of the other wing.