Rotatable nose and nose boom strakes and methods for aircraft stability and control

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for stability and maneuver control using rotatable nose strakes to control forebody vortices at medium to high angles of attack are disclosed. In one form, small left and right nose strakes are supported on a member or members forming the forward most contours of the forebody. Supporting of the two strakes on a single member allows rotation of the two in unison, the angular position thereof controlling the asymmetry of the forebody vortices at higher angles of attack, while support of each strake on a separate forebody nose member allows individual strake control for the same purpose. In another embodiment, the strakes may be mounted on a nose boom for rotation about the axis of the nose boom, whereby rotation of the strakes about the nose boom axis affects the development of the forebody vortices and the asymmetry thereof. Various embodiments and methods of operation thereof are disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.