Method and apparatus for controlling aircraft airflow

An apparatus for controlling aircraft airflow, comprising:

• an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet defining a capture area, the air scoop being configured to mount to the aircraft and be movable relative to at least a portion of the aircraft between a first position and a second position to change an exposed capture area of the inlet, the inlet being oriented with no portion or a first portion of the capture area exposed when the air scoop is in the first position, the inlet being oriented with a second portion of the capture area exposed when the air scoop is in the second position, the second portion of the capture area being greater than zero and/or greater than the first portion, wherein the outlet of the air scoop is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a pressurized portion of the aircraft to convey captured air received from the inlet to the pressurized portion, and wherein the air scoop is configured to significantly increase the drag of the aircraft when the air scoop is in the second position;
• a valve coupled in fluid communication with the air scoop, the valve being changeable from a first configuration to a second configuration, the valve being positioned to pass none of the captured air or a first quantity of the captured air toward the pressurized portion when in the first configuration, the valve being positioned to pass a second quantity of the captured air toward the pressurized portion when in the second configuration, the second quantity of the captured air being greater than the first quantity;
• a latch member operatively coupled to the valve and moveable between a first latch position and a second latch position, with the latch member at least restricting a change in configuration of the valve when the latch member is in the first latch position, and with the latch member allowing a change in configuration of the valve when the latch member is in the second latch position;
• and
• a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the latch member to move the latch member from the first position to the second position when a pressure within the pressurized portion falls below a selected value.

An apparatus for controlling aircraft airflow, comprising:

• an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, the air scoop being configured to mount to the aircraft and be movable relative to at least a portion of the aircraft between a first position and a second position, with the air scoop oriented to capture air when in the second position;
• wherein
• the outlet is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a pressurized portion of the aircraft when the air scoop is in the second position to convey air from the inlet to the pressurized portion;
• and wherein
• the air scoop is configured to significantly increase the drag of the aircraft from a first value when the air scoop is in the first position to a second value when the air scoop is in the second position, the apparatus further comprising;
• an airflow valve coupled in fluid communication with the air scoop, the airflow valve being moveable from a first valve position to a second valve position, the airflow valve being positioned to pass none of the captured air or a first quantity of the captured air toward the pressurized portion when in the first valve position, the airflow valve being positioned to pass a second quantity of the captured air toward the pressurized portion when in the second valve position, the second quantity of the captured air being greater than the first quantity;
• a latch member operatively coupled to the airflow valve and moveable between a first latch position and a second latch position, with the latch member at least restricting motion of the airflow valve when the latch member is in the first latch position, and with the latch member allowing motion of the airflow valve when the latch member is in the second latch position;
• and
• a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the latch member to move the latch member from the first latch position to the second latch position when a pressure within the pressurized portion falls below a selected value.

An apparatus for controlling aircraft airflow, comprising:

• an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, the air scoop being configured to mount to the aircraft and be movable relative to at least a portion of the aircraft between a first position and a second position, the inlet being oriented to receive no air or a first quantity of air when the air scoop is in the first position, the inlet being oriented to receive a second quantity of air greater than zero and/or greater than the first quantity when the air scoop is in the second position;
• wherein
• the outlet is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a pressurized portion of the aircraft when the air scoop is in the second position to convey air from the inlet to the pressurized portion with at least a portion of the air bypassing all primary engines and auxiliary power units of the aircraft before entering the pressurized portion;
• a valve positioned in fluid communication with the air scoop, the valve being changeable from a first configuration to a second configuration, with the valve blocking at least a portion of air captured by the air scoop from passing into the pressurized portion of the aircraft when the valve is in the first configuration, the valve allowing at least a portion of the air captured by the air scoop into the pressurized portion when the valve is in the second configuration;
• a latch member operatively coupled to the valve and moveable between a first latch position and a second latch position, with the latch member at least restricting motion of the valve when the latch member is in the first latch position, and with the latch member allowing motion of the valve when the latch member is in the second latch position;
• and
• a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the latch member to move the latch member from the first latch position to the second latch position when a pressure within the pressurized portion falls below a selected level.

An aircraft, comprising:

• an enclosed pressurized payload portion;
• an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, the air scoop being mounted to the aircraft and movable relative to at least a portion of the aircraft between a first position and a second position, the outlet being coupled in fluid communication with the pressurized payload portion when the air scoop is in the second position to convey air from the inlet to the pressurized payload portion;
• wherein
• the air scoop is configured to significantly increase the drag of the aircraft from a first value when the air scoop is in the first position to a second value when the air scoop is in the second position, the increase in drag being sufficient to increase a rate of descent of the aircraft from a third value when the air scoop is in the first position to a fourth value when the air scoop is in the second position.

A method for controlling aircraft drag and onboard airflow, comprising:

• moving an air scoop from a first position to a second position, the air scoop having a capture area with no portion or a first portion of the capture area exposed when the air scoop is in the first position, and with a second portion of the capture area exposed when the air scoop is in the second position, the second portion of the capture area being greater than zero and/or greater than the first portion;
• increasing a drag and descent rate of the aircraft by positioning a valve in a first valve position to prevent at least a portion of air intercepted by the air scoop from entering a pressurized portion of the aircraft;
• and
• increasing a pressure in the pressurized portion of the aircraft by positioning the valve in a second valve position to allow at least a portion of the air intercepted by the air scoop to pass into the pressurized portion.

A method for controlling aircraft drag and onboard airflow, comprising:

• moving an air scoop of the aircraft from a first position generally flush with a fuselage of the aircraft to a second position with the air scoop intercepting oncoming air external to the aircraft;
• increasing a drag of the aircraft by positioning a valve to prevent at least a portion of the air intercepted by the air scoop from entering a pressurized cargo portion of the fuselage;
• and
• increasing a pressure in a pressurized cabin portion of the fuselage by positioning the valve to allow at least a portion of the air intercepted by the air scoop to pass into a cargo portion of the aircraft before passing the air into the cabin portion of the aircraft and then passing the air from the cargo portion to the cabin portion, the cargo portion being configured to carry a removable cargo payload.

A method for controlling aircraft onboard airflow comprising:

• moving an air scoop of the aircraft from a first position to a second position, the air scoop having a capture area with no portion or a first portion of the capture area exposed when the air scoop is in the first position, and with a second portion of the capture area exposed when the air scoop is in the second position, the second portion of the capture area being greater than zero and/or greater than the first portion;
• increasing a pressure in a pressurized portion of the aircraft by directing at least a portion of air intercepted by the air scoop into the pressurized portion when the air scoop is in the second position, at least a portion of the air directed into the pressurized portion bypassing all primary engines and auxiliary power units of the aircraft before entering the pressurized portion;
• significantly increasing a drag and descent rate of the aircraft by restricting at least a portion of the air captured by the air scoop from entering the pressurized portion of the aircraft while a pressure of the air is less than a pressure of the pressurized portion;
• and
• directing at least a portion of the air captured by the air scoop into the pressurized portion of the aircraft when a pressure of the air exceeds the pressure of the pressurized portion.

An apparatus for controlling aircraft airflow, comprising:

• an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, the air scoop being configured to mount to the aircraft and be movable relative to at least a portion of the aircraft between a first position and a second position, with the air scoop oriented to capture air when in the second position;
• wherein
• the outlet is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a pressurized portion of the aircraft when the air scoop is in the second position to convey air from the inlet to the pressurized portion;
• and wherein
• the air scoop is configured to significantly increase the drag of the aircraft from a first value when the air scoop is in the first position to a second value when the air scoop is in the second position, the apparatus further comprising;
• a valve positioned in fluid communication with the air scoop, the valve being changeable from a first configuration to a second configuration, with the valve blocking at least a portion of air captured by the air scoop from passing into the pressurized portion of the aircraft when the valve is in the first configuration, the valve allowing at least a portion of the air captured by the air scoop into the pressurized portion when the valve is in the second configuration;
• and
• a latch member positioned proximate to the valve, the latch member being moveable from a first latch position to a second latch position, with the latch member at least restricting the valve from changing from the first configuration to the second configuration when the latch member is in the first latch position, and with the latch member allowing the valve to change from the first configuration to the second configuration when the latch member is in the second latch position.

An apparatus for controlling aircraft airflow, comprising:

• an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, the air scoop being configured to mount to the aircraft and be movable relative to at least a portion of the aircraft between a first position and a second position, with the air scoop oriented to capture air when in the second position;
• wherein
• the outlet is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a pressurized portion of the aircraft when the air scoop is in the second position to convey air from the inlet to the pressurized portion;
• and wherein
• the air scoop is configured to significantly increase the drag of the aircraft from a first value when the air scoop is in the first position to a second value when the air scoop is in the second position, the apparatus further comprising;
• a valve assembly in fluid communication with the air scoop, the valve assembly being changeable between a first configuration and a second configuration, the valve assembly at least restricting air from passing from the air scoop into the pressurized portion of the aircraft when the valve assembly is in the first configuration, the valve assembly allowing air to pass from the air scoop into the pressurized portion of the aircraft when the valve assembly is in the second configuration, the valve assembly being operatively coupled to a pressure sensor to change from the first configuration to the second configuration when a pressure external to the pressurized portion is at least equal to a pressure internal to the pressurized portion.

An apparatus for controlling aircraft airflow, comprising:

• an air scoop, the air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, the air scoop being configured to mount directly to a wing of the aircraft and be movable relative to at least a portion of the aircraft between a first position and a second position, with the air scoop oriented to capture air when in the second position;
• wherein
• the outlet is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a pressurized portion of the aircraft when the air scoop is in the second position to convey air from the inlet to the pressurized portion;
• and wherein
• the air scoop is configured to significantly increase the drag of the aircraft from a first value when the air scoop is in the first position to a second value when the air scoop is in the second position.

A method for controlling aircraft drag and onboard airflow, comprising:

• moving an air scoop from a first position to a second position, the air scoop having a capture area with no portion or a first portion of the capture area exposed when the air scoop is in the first position, and with a second portion of the capture area exposed when the air scoop is in the second position, the second portion of the capture area being greater than zero and/or greater than the first portion;
• increasing a drag of the aircraft by positioning a valve in a first valve position to prevent at least a portion of air intercepted by the air scoop from entering a pressurized portion of the aircraft;
• increasing a pressure in the pressurized portion of the aircraft by positioning the valve in a second valve position to allow at least a portion of the air intercepted by the air scoop to pass into the pressurized portion;
• at least restricting the valve from moving from the first valve position to the second valve position while a pressure of air in the air scoop is less than a pressure in the pressurized portion, wherein at least restricting a valve includes engaging a pressure-actuated latch member with the valve when a pressure in the air scoop is less than a selected pressure and disengaging the latch member when the pressure in the air scoop exceeds the selected value;
• and
• allowing the valve to move from the first valve position to the second valve position when the pressure of air in the air scoop exceeds the pressure in the pressurized portion.

An aircraft, comprising:

• a fuselage having a pressurized payload portion including a cargo portion and a cabin portion;
• an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet defining a capture area, the air scoop being mounted to the fuselage and movable between a first position and a second position to change an exposed capture area of the inlet, the inlet being at least approximately flush with an external surface of the fuselage when the air scoop is in the first position, the inlet being oriented to intercept a quantity of air external to the aircraft when the air scoop is in the second position, the outlet being in fluid communication with the cargo portion of the fuselage to convey air from the inlet to the cargo portion before the air passes to the cabin portion, with at least a portion of the air bypassing all primary engines and auxiliary power units of the aircraft before passing into the cargo portion;
• a valve positioned to control the flow of air through the air scoop, the valve being movable between a first valve position and a second valve position with the valve blocking at least a portion of the air from entering the cargo portion when the valve is in the first valve position, the valve passing at least a portion of the air toward the cargo portion when the valve is in the second valve position;
• and
• a pressure-actuated latch member operatively coupled to the valve and movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the latch member obstructs motion of the valve from the first valve position to the second valve position when the latch member is in the engaged position and allows motion of the valve from the first valve position to the second valve position when the latch member is in the disengaged position, the latch member being in the engaged position when a pressure within the pressurized payload portion exceeds a selected value, the latch member being in the disengaged position when a pressure within the pressurized payload portion falls below the selected value.