Rotor blade using adaptive trailing edge assembly

A rotor blade assembly connectable to a rotor hub, which rotates about an axis of rotation, the assembly comprising:

• a rotor blade comprising an inboard region, an outboard region, a blade body, and an internal spar disposed within the blade body, the blade body extending from the inboard region to the outboard region and defining a leading edge and a trailing edge;
• and
• a trailing edge assembly extending from and connected to the trailing edge of the blade body, the trailing edge assembly comprising:
• a trailing edge flap comprising a single segment extending along the trailing edge from the inboard region to about r/R=0.80, where R is a radius of the rotor blade measured from an innermost point of the inboard region to an outermost point of the outboard region and r is a radial location measured from the innermost point of the inboard region, the trailing edge flap configured to be selectively deployed from an undeployed position to a deployed position, and
• an actuator operatively coupled to the trailing edge flap and configured to selectively deploy the trailing edge flap from the undeployed position to the deployed position:
• the trailing edge flap is configured such that,
• in the undeployed position, an upper surface of the trailing edge flap conforms in surface profile to an upper surface of the rotor blade, and a lower surface of the trailing edge flap conforms in surface profile to a lower surface of the rotor blade such that the trailing edge flap is not deflected at an angle relative to the rotor blade, and
• in the deployed position, the trailing edge flap is inclined relative to the rotor blade,
• wherein a twist angle of the rotor blade is at a maximum at about r/R=0.3 and decreases from r/R=0.3 to r/R=0.9, and
• wherein a chord length of the rotor blade is constant from r/R=0.0 to r/R=0.2 and r/R=0.75 to r/R=0.84, increases between r/R=0.3 and r/R=0.7, and decreases from r/R=0.9 to r/R=1.

A method for deploying a trailing edge assembly of a rotor blade of an aircraft assembly, the rotor blade including an inboard region, an outboard region, a blade body defining a leading edge and a trailing edge, and an internal spar, and the trailing edge assembly having a trailing edge flap and an actuator, wherein a twist angle of the rotor blade is at a maximum at about r/R=0.3 and decreases from approximately r/R=0.3 to approximately r/R=0.9, where R is a radius of the rotor blade measured from an innermost point of the inboard region to an outermost point of the outboard region and r is a radial location measured from the innermost point of the inboard region, and wherein a chord length of the rotor blade is constant from r/R=0.0 to r/R=0.2 and r/R=0.75 to r/R=0.84, increases between r/R=0.3 and r/R=0.7, and decreases from r/R=0.9 to r/R=1, the method comprising:

• providing the trailing edge flap along the trailing edge from the inboard region towards the outboard region, the trailing edge flap comprising a single segment extending along the trailing edge from the inboard region to about r/R=0.80;
• operatively coupling the actuator, disposed within the blade body, to the internal spar and the trailing edge flap;
• maintaining, when the aircraft assembly is in forward flight, the trailing edge flap in an undeployed position wherein an upper surface of the trailing edge flap conforms in surface profile with an upper surface of the rotor blade, and a lower surface of the trailing edge flap conforms in surface profile with a lower surface of the rotor blade;
• and
• deploying, by the actuator when the aircraft assembly is hovering, the trailing edge flap to a deployed position by adjusting a deflection angle of the trailing edge flap.