A winglet for an aircraft wing is provided. The winglet has an airflow control arrangement, for example in the form of a trailing edge flap ( 20 ) by means of which lift generated by the winglet can be varied. The control arrangement desirably forms part of a manoeuvre load alleviation system ( 22 ) for the aircraft.
1. An aircraft wing including a fixed winglet, said fixed winglet for reducing loads on an aircraft wing during an aircraft maneuver, the fixed winglet comprising:
manoeuvre load alleviation system for sensing loads on said aircraft; and
an air flow control means, responsive to said system for sensing loads, for reducing lift generated by the winglet.
2. An aircraft wing including a fixed winglet, said winglet for reducing loads on an aircraft wing during an aircraft maneuver, the winglet comprising an air flow control means, responsive to the load on an aircraft wing, for reducing lift generated by the winglet.
3. A fixed winglet for an aircraft wing, said winglet for reducing loads on said aircraft wing during an aircraft maneuver, the winglet comprising an air flow control means, responsive to the load on said aircraft wing, for reducing lift generated by the winglet.
4. A winglet according to claim 3 in which the air flow control means is a control surface.
5. A winglet according to claim 4 in which the control surface comprises a trailing edge flap in one or more spanwise sections of the winglet.
6. A winglet according to claim 4 in which the control means comprises a device on a leading edge upper surface which is arranged to cause air flow over an upper surface of the wing to separate to reduce lift.
7. A winglet according to claim 6 in which the device is housed within an envelope of the winglet and is movable into position above the leading edge upper surface to cause the air flow to separate.
8. A winglet according to claim 3 in which the air flow control means is an active control arrangement linked to a control system of the aircraft.
9. A winglet according to claim 3 , in which the control means comprises a leading edge flap in one or more spanwise sections of the winglet.
10. A winglet according to claim 3 in which the control means comprises at least one passage formed in the winglet which extends from a lower surface thereof to an upper surface thereof and which can be opened to allow high pressure air at the lower surface to flow upwardly therethrough to the upper surface to reduce lift.
11. A winglet according to claim 10 in which the passage is normally closed by at least one member which serves as a spoiler when the member is moved to open the passage.
12. A winglet according to claim 11 in which one such member is provided for closing the passage at each of the upper and lower surfaces of the winglet.
13. A winglet according to claim 3 in which the control means is a passive control arrangement operable in response to a predetermined condition.
14. A winglet according to claim 13 in which the control surface comprises a movable leading edge or leading edge section which will move in response to the predetermined condition.
15. A winglet according to claim 14 in which the movement of the control surface is effected by deformation of the leading edge or leading edge section.
16. A winglet according to claim 13 in which the control surface comprises a movable trailing edge or trailing edge section arranged to move in response to the predetermined condition.
17. A winglet according to claim 16 in which the movement of the control surface is effected by deformation of the trailing edge or trailing edge section.
18. A winglet according to claim 13 in which the control means comprises a passage formed in the winglet which extends from a lower surface thereof to an upper surface thereof and which is openable in response to the predetermined condition to allow high pressure air at the lower surface to flow upwardly through the passage to the upper surface to reduce lift.
19. A winglet according to claim 18 in which the passage is openable and closeable by means of a cover arrangement at one of the upper and lower surface of the winglet.
20. A winglet according to claim 19 in which the cover arrangement comprises a louvre arrangement.
21. A manoeuvre load alleviation system for an aircraft which includes a winglet according to claim 3 .
22. An aircraft wing having thereon a winglet according to claim 3 .
23. An aircraft having a wing according to claim 22 .
24. A winglet according to claim 3 , wherein, during level flight, said winglet is an upturned structure.