A fuselage structure including an upper fuselage portion defined by a first cross-section including at least three different radii of curvature. The fuselage structure may also include a lower fuselage portion defined by a second cross-section including at least three different radii of curvature, wherein the first cross-section is different from the second cross-section.

Optimized fuselage structure

A folding strut having upper and lower portions (14, 16/62, 64) are connected together by a pivotal joint (18, 66, 68) for folding movement relative to one another upon extension and retraction of the strut. The upper portion (14, 62) of the strut is pivotally mounted to the aircraft frame (52, 80). A locking brace (42, 44/84, 86) extends between the upper and lower strut portions (14, 16/62, 64) to brace the strut against folding. The upper and lower portions of the strut are axially aligned (C, F) when the strut is in a fully-deployed position and the locking brace (42, 44/84, 86) maintains the strut portions (14, 16/62, 64) in this axially-aligned position. The locking brace (42, 44/84, 86) is releasable to allow relative folding movement of the upper and lower portions (14, 16/62, 64) for retraction of the strut to a stowed position. An actuation/locking mechanism (106) is provided to maintain folding members (42, 44/84, 86) of the locking brace in an axially-aligned, locked position and to displace members (42, 44/84, 86 ) of the locking brace from the axially-aligned position for retraction of the gear (10, 12).

Retractable landing gear with self-braced folding strut

The invention relates to a raisable undercarriage comprising a hinged leg and associated bracing means. According to the invention, the undercarriage is of the leg-shortening type, and the bracing means are organized in the form of a foldable brace having its bottom arm hinged to bottom end of the sliding rod of the hinged leg, said brace further being organized so that, in the undercarriage down position, the lowered leg slopes towards the front of the aircraft.

Raisable undercarriage, in particular for a heavy transport aircraft

The disclosed invention provides a main landing gear (12, 14, 16, 18) for a high speed (supersonic) aircraft (10) which may be wing-stowed and -mounted in a relatively thin wing (22, 24). The main landing gear (12, 14, 16, 18) is characterized by an inboard gear (12, 14) including a post (58) having a transverse trunnion (52) at a first end (56 or 54) operably mounted on the wing (22, 24). The trunnion (52) is journalled for rotation about an axis for movement of the post (58) between operative and stowed positions. This axis is substantially transverse to the body of the aircraft for forward rotation of the inboard gear (12, 14). A wheel assembly (78, 80) is operably attached at a second end of the post (58). The wheel assembly (78, 80) has a plane of rotation which when stowed in the wing (22, 24) is substantially vertical. In combination with the inboard gear (12, 14) is an outboard gear (16, 18) which includes a post (90) having a skewed trunnion (92) at a first end operably mounted on the wing (22, 24). The trunnion (92) is journalled for rotation about an axis for movement of the post (90) between operative and stowed positions. This axis is skewed relative to the body for obliquely forward and inboard retraction of the outboard gear (16, 18). A wheel assembly (118, 120) is attached at a second end of the post, having a plane of rotation which, when stowed in the wing (22, 24), is substantially horizontal.

Four-post wing-stowed main landing gear for high speed aircraft

A shock strut for supporting and dampening a load with a two-phase dampening characteristic. The shock strut includes an inner cylinder slidably mounted within an outer cylinder, each of the cylinders having slidably mounted therein a piston. A first one of the pistons in the outer cylinder defines a first gas chamber, a second one of the pistons in the inner cylinder defines a second gas chamber. Between the cylinders is a metering device that defines a third and fourth fluid chambers. At full extension of the shock strut, a first stage of dampening is provided as the first gas chamber is compressed by fluid flowing through the metering device into the third chamber from the fourth chamber. As the shock strut is compressed, a second stage of dampening is provided by fluid flowing through the metering device into the fourth chamber and compressing the second gas chamber.

Scherer Friedrich W

Papers

Staggered four truck main landing gear for heavy aircraft

Vehicle soft field wheeled supporting gear