US 2024/0336352 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AIRCRAFT TAIL STRIKE PREVENTION

Abstract

Tail strike mitigation devices and related methods are disclosed herein that can prevent or mitigate a tail of an aircraft from striking a runway surface when landing or taking off, including when landing on or taking off from a semi-prepared runway. Tail strike mitigation devices of the present disclosure can extend, for example, from a bottom surface of the fuselage of the aircraft at a tail of an aircraft and/or can include a tail skid with a large contact surface area, as compared to conventional tail strike devices. The tail skid can have a high flotation impact surface. The tail skid can be moved between retracted and deployed positions, and can be oriented at a range of angle relative to at least one of the landing surface and/or the bottom surface of the fuselage.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A tail strike mitigation system for an aircraft, comprising:

a tail skid having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface configured to contact a landing surface to prevent a fuselage of an aircraft from striking the landing surface;
and
a retraction system configured to couple the tail skid to an aft end of the fuselage of the aircraft located rearward of a landing gear of the aircraft,
wherein the tail skid is sized such that a maximum pressure exerted by the tail skid on a landing surface is equal to or less than a pressure exerted by the landing gear of the aircraft on a landing surface in a case of maximum vertical load on the landing gear, and
wherein the tail skid is sized so as to maximize distribution of a force imparted on the tail skid by the landing surface throughout the tail skid in an event of the tail skid contacting the landing surface.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for aircraft tail strike prevention

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for aircraft tail strike prevention

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27