A basic airfoil has its operating performance improved by incorporating one or more apertures in the airfoil adjacent its trailing edge. These apertures extend from the upper surface of the airfoil down through to the lower surface of the airfoil. The entry port and the exit port of these apertures has a greater circumference than that of the throat circumference which is intermediate thereto. This structure forms a venturi having a vertical axis. Spaced below the throat of the aperture are a plurality of air nozzles that communicate with an air plenum chamber within the airfoil. A source of pressurized air is connected to the plenum chamber. The leading edge of the airfoil causes air to flow across both the upper surface and lower surface of the airfoil. The venturi creates a strong suction on the upper surface of the airfoil to enhance the airfoil's pressure differential. When the axis of the venturi is inclined forwardly with respect to the horizontal axis of the airfoil, a vector thrust in the forward direction is created in the same direction as that of the low pressure side of the airfoil. The venturi enhanced airfoil can be utilized both in a horizontal fixed airfoil or its structure can also be incorporated into the tail rudder of an aircraft or helicopter. The venturi enhanced airfoil can be oriented in any position between the horizontal and vertical axes.

Venturi enhanced airfoil

Apparatus and methods for airflow testing, especially for air testing of gas turbine components on an airflow test bench (30). Various embodiments of the present invention include the use of a measurement section downstream of the component (60) being tested. The measurement section, in one embodiment, includes apparatus for measurement of gas properties at a plurality of spaced-apart radial locations and/or a plurality of spaced-apart circumferential locations. In another embodiment, the invention includes a method for testing a component including a comparison of gas properties measured in both forward and reverse flow directions.

Flow vector analyzer for flow bench

A linkage for area controlled thrust vectoring comprising of vane cascade (26) having a plurality of vanes (28, 29, 30) pivotable in unison and a flow regulating vane (36) oriented to provide a constant collection gas flow area is provided with a mechanical linkage for orienting the vanes (28, 29, 30) and the flow regulating vane (36) responsive to a single linear actuator (59).

Linkage for area controlled, thrust vectoring vane cascade

A wing ( 11 ) for a compound helicopter having a lifting rotor comprises a plurality of wing elements ( 12 ) of which one wing element is rotatably mounted and in one position thereof the wing elements form a single continuous aerofoil. In a preferred embodiment the wing comprises a plurality of rotatably mounted wing elements. Each rotatable wing elements is rotated by rotating means so as to tend to reduce resistance to the downward airflow generated by the rotor when the helicopter is in vertical take off-landing mode.

A wing for a compound helicopter

A thrust deflector for use in VSTOL aircraft which has a pressurized gas generator. The thrust deflector consists of a number of adjacent nozzles. Each of the nozzles has a body with a first face and a second face. The nozzles further have an inlet for receiving pressurized gas from the pressurized gas generator and at least one outlet connected to the inlet for discharging pressurized gas from the nozzle. Each of the nozzles is rotatable from a first position in which the outlet directs pressurized gas downwardly, to a second position in which the outlet directs pressurized gas rearwardly. In the first position the first and second faces of the bodies of adjacent nozzles are spaced apart to permit air to flow between the nozzles. In the second position the first and second faces of adjacent nozzles are in contact preventing air passage between adjacent nozzles. The thrust deflector may be mounted in stub wings along either side of the fuselage or in a chordwise arrangement in the main wing of the aircraft. Lower ejector doors may be rotatably mounted adjacent the nozzles distal the fuselage and the nozzles suitably spaced to cause thrust augmentation according to the ejector principle.

Segmented rotatable nozzles

The invention relates to an aircraft with VTOL or STOL operational capability. In accordance with the invention, the wing, or airfoil contour, is provided with a plurality of spanwise extending slots or ducts having inlet and outlet openings in the suction and pressure surfaces respectively of the wing. The slot openings are normally closed by spanwise extending flaps which fair into the airfoil contour and when the slots are open cooperate therewith to form individual thrust augmenting ducts. A large number of primary nozzles are provided for injecting high pressure air, derived for example from the bypass air of a conventional turbofan engine, into the ducts. The injected air is delivered as individual jets moving downward in the direction from the suction to the pressure surface of the airfoil and inducing a flow of ambient air from above the wing to mix with the primary air from the jets. The increased mass flow from the thrust augmentor ducts will give rise to vertical thrust or lift which may be of the order to twice the thrust which would have been produced by the primary air alone. The flaps on at least the suction surface are individually operable both as to magnitude and rate of displacement so as to provide for varying conditions of flight operation.

Scolatti C

Papers

Jet wing with multiple thrust augmentors