Hybrid bearing assembly with rolling elements and plain bearing

A flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft, comprising:

• an arm (42);
• a connecting rod (44) pivotally connected to the arm (42) and pivotally connectable to a flap (54);
• and
• a bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) positioned on the arm and connectable to a wing of the fixed wing aircraft, the bearing assembly comprising,
• an outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) having an inner surface (26) defining a concave contour;
• an inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) positioned in the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414), the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) having an inner surface (18) defining a bore (22) therethrough and an outer surface (28) defining at least one groove (17) circumscribing the outer surface (28);
• a plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) rollably located in the at least one groove and in rolling contact with the inner surface (26) of the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414);
• and characterized by
• a lubricious liner (36, 136, 236, 336, 436) having an inner liner-surface (36A) and an exterior liner-surface (36B), the exterior liner-surface (36B) being disposed on the inner surface (18) defining the bore (22), the lubricious liner (36, 136, 236, 336, 436) having at least one of:
• a modulus of compression of a magnitude sufficient to allow misalignment of the inner liner-surface (36A) relative to the exterior liner-surface (36B) in response to a force applied thereto, and
• a coefficient of friction of a magnitude sufficient to prevent relative motion between the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) and a shaft extending through the bore of the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) during a first operating condition and to allow relative motion between the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) and the shaft during a second operating condition.