An airborne reconnaissance system which comprises: (a) A focal plane array positioned at a focal plane of an optical unit, said focal plane array having an area A, and comprises a plurality of optical pixels sensitive to light; (b) Optical unit for acquiring light rays from a terrain portion, said optical unit comprises a plurality of optical components that are positioned along an optical path, and designed to maneuver said light rays to produce at the focal plane an image of said terrain portion, said image having an area which is several times larger than the focal plane array area A; (c) At least one light diversion optical component along said optical path which, for each acquired terrain portion image, switches between several n states, thereby causing in each state different diversion of said light rays within said path, thereby to impinge in each state another fraction of the terrain image on said focal plane array; and (d) Capturing means for recording in each state of the at least one light diversion optical component the portion of the terrain image which is impinged on the focal plane array.

A method and apparatus for reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft during a failure while the aircraft is flying. The method and apparatus provide a control law that is software-implemented and configured to automatically send flight control data to a mixing/mapping matrix and a reconfiguration management tool configured to communicate with the mixing/mapping matrix in order to safely transfer authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator. A sensor management tool is provided for input to the reconfiguration management tool in order to smooth any transient conditions that may occur during reconfiguration. The method and apparatus provide for a way of smoothing any possible transient situation that might otherwise occur by employment of a fader, the fader being used to gradually convert positioning of failed actuators and positioning of reconfigured actuators.

The invention relates to a sandwich element (1) for the sound-absorbing inner cladding of means of transport, especially for the sound-absorbing inner cladding of aircraft, comprising a three-dimensionally constructed core structure (4, 15) which is disposed between two cover layers (2, 3) which run substantially parallel to one another at a distance. According to the invention, a plurality of passages (6) for sound transmission are incorporated in the core structure (4, 15) and/or in at least one cover layers (2, 3), wherein at least one sound absorption layer (5) is disposed in the area of at least one cover layer (2, 3) at least in parts. As a result of the presence of a plurality of passages (6) in the cover layers (2, 3) and the core structure (4,15), the sandwich elements (1) according to the invention has good sound absorption properties and heat insulating properties. The presence of the passages (6) allows the transmission of sound through the sandwich element (1). As a result of the core structure (4, 15) formed by a plurality of through channels (8, 16) arranged adjacent to one another and the preferably inclined installation of the sandwich element (1), foreign bodies which have penetrated into the core structure (4, 15) for example as a result of the introduction of a cleaning liquid or condensation can be flushed out again. Depending on the area of application, a possibly sufficient sound absorption effect can be achieved by means of the sandwich layer (1) even without the presence of the sound absorption layer (5). The ventilation of the core structure (4, 15) as a result of the passages (6) additionally prevents the long-term presence of condensation which could result in corrosion and/or rotting processes.