Flight controls with automatic balance that consists of ailerons divided into two parts, which at low speed adopt the shape of a conventional aileron and rotate in their entirety with the same degree and at high speeds, a part of it rotates or extends to a determinated angle by means of the actuator and the other part of the aileron, that is hinged or articulated to the main part of the aileron, rotates with reference to the main part as a function of the air speed pressure, opposing to this rotation by means of one or more springs.

An actuating device (100) can change a position of an active member (102) that remains in substantially the same position in the absence of a force of a predetermined magnitude on the active member (102). The actuating device comprises a shape-memory alloy actuating member (104) for exerting a force when actuated by changing the temperature thereof, which shape-memory alloy actuating member (104) has a portion for connection to the active member (102) for exerting thereon a force having a magnitude at least as large as the predetermined magnitude for moving the active member (102) to a desired position. Actuation circuitry (200) is provided for actuating the shape-memory alloy actuating member (104) by changing the temperature thereof only for the time necessary to move the active member (102) to the desired position. The invention is particularly useful for changing the position of a camber-adjusting tab (104) on a helicopter rotor blade (102) by using two shape-memory alloy members (104) that can act against each other to adjust dynamic properties of the rotor blade (102) as it is rotating.

- Système pour la commande d'une surface aérodynamique (2), montée mobile sur un aéronef (1) de façon à pouvoir librement pivoter autour d'un axe fixe (10) et pourvue d'un volet compensateur (14) lui-même articulé sur le bord de fuite (12) de ladite surface aérodynamique (2), ledit système étant tel que des moyens élastiques de liaison (18) sont prévus entre ledit volet compensateur (14) et ladite surface aérodynamique (2) et que ledit volet compensateur (14) est directement actionnable par le pilote, par l'intermédiaire d'un organe d'actionnement volontaire (16) et d'une timonerie (17).

- Selon l'invention, ce système est caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte :

- un actuateur (40) interposé entre lesdits moyens élastiques de liaison (18) et ladite surface aérodynamique (2) ;

- un dispositif de commande (44) dudit actuateur (40) ; et

- un embrayage (46) reliant la structure de l'aéronef à ladite timonerie (17) ; et en ce que ledit dispositif de commande (44) de l'actuateur commande également ledit embrayage (46), de façon que celui-ci soit en position débrayée lorsque ledit actuateur est actif et en position embrayée lorsque ledit actuateur est inactif.

A load alleviation device (11, 31, 41) for a wing tip of an aircraft comprises one or more control surface devices (12, 32, 42) for increasing and/or decreasing the lift of a wing tip (10), and a drive train (13) connected to at least one of the control surface devices (12, 32, 42) for actuating a movement of the control surface devices (12, 32, 42). The drive train (13) is configured to be mounted with one end (14) near the root (15) of the wing tip (10) and to extend spanwise between an upper shell (16) and a lower shell (17) of the wing tip (10) at least partly out of the neutral axis (18) of the wing tip (10), to cause a movement of the control surface device (12, 32, 42) by the bending of the wing tip (10). The load alleviation device (11, 31, 41) is used in a method for alleviating the load of a wing tip of an aircraft.

Mini-spoilers for enhancing the effectiveness of lateral-control surfaces of aircraft wings are described. An example aircraft includes a wing (800), a lateral-control surface in the form of an aileron (132), a flaperon or a spoiler, as well as a mini-spoiler (808). The lateral-control surface is movably coupled to the wing. The lateral-control surface is movable between a neutral position, a first upward deflected position, and a second upward deflected position extending beyond the first upward deflected position. The mini-spoiler is located on or forward of the lateral-control surface. The mini-spoiler is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position. The mini-spoiler is configured to be moved from the retracted position to the deployed position based on the lateral-control surface being moved from the neutral position to or toward the first upward deflected position.

Movement of an aerodynamic cove lip door (270) is directly slaved to real time movement of a trailing edge control device operably secured to an aircraft wing (110). The cove lip door (270) is adapted to move relative to the movement of the control device for managing aerodynamic air gaps. For this purpose, a cove lip door mechanism is defined to include an actuator (200, 202) and an aircraft input controller (190), wherein movement of the control device is subject to the actuator via the input controller. A bell crank mechanism (150) is coupled to the control device to link movement of the actuator directly to movement of the control device. The cove lip door is separately attached to the trailing edge, positioned proximal to the control device. The actuator is configured to also control movement of the cove lip door as a function of movement of the control device to optimize operational aerodynamic performance and efficiency.

Systems and methods for controlling a fixed-wing aircraft during flight are disclosed. The aircraft comprises first and second flight control surfaces of different types. The method comprises determining that a pilot command of the first flight control surface will excite a structural flexible mode of the aircraft and then executing the pilot command of the first flight control surface in conjunction with a command of the second flight control surface to mitigate the effect of the excitation of the structural flexible mode of the aircraft.