Apparatus, system and method for supporting a wing flap of an aircraft

1. An apparatus for supporting a wing flap of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

a support fitting configured to be coupled to a wing of the aircraft;

a first link coupled to the support fitting and configured to be hingedly coupled to the wing flap; and

a second link separably coupled to the support fitting by a fail-safe joint and configured to be hingedly coupled to the wing flap,

wherein the fail-safe joint comprises:

a primary coupling configured to bear a load between the second link and the support fitting; and

a secondary coupling configured to bear the load between the second link and the support fitting upon failure of the primary coupling.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fail-safe joint is configured to separate the second link from the support fitting in response to the load having a predetermined magnitude.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the load is a shear load.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect the failure of the primary coupling.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the primary coupling is configured to separate the second link from the support fitting in response to a first instance of the load having a predetermined magnitude; and

the secondary coupling is configured to separate the second link from the support fitting in response to a second instance of the load having the predetermined magnitude.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the primary coupling comprises:

a primary pin aperture formed in the support fitting; and

a primary pin fixed to the second link and received by the primary pin aperture;

the secondary coupling comprises:

a secondary pin aperture formed in the support fitting and comprising an aperture first portion and an aperture second portion; and

a secondary pin fixed to the second link and received by the aperture first portion of the secondary pin aperture; and

the secondary pin is configured to move into the aperture second portion of the secondary pin aperture upon failure of the primary coupling.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each one of the primary pin and the secondary pin comprises a hollow tubular body.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the hollow tubular body of the primary pin and the secondary pin is configured to fail in response to the load having a predetermined magnitude.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect when the secondary pin moves into the aperture second portion of the secondary pin aperture.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a pin coupling coupled to the primary pin and the secondary pin,

wherein the pin coupling is configured to break when the secondary pin moves into the aperture second portion of the secondary pin aperture.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, with the wing flap deployed:

the first link is configured to receive a compressive load; and

the second link is configured to receive a tensile load.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second link comprises a double-layered construction.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support fitting comprises:

a spar fitting configured to be coupled to a spar of the wing; and

a wing fitting configured to be coupled to the spar under the wing.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the support fitting further comprises a backup fitting configured to be coupled to the spar opposite the spar fitting.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a carrier fitting, wherein:

the first link is hingedly coupled to the carrier fitting;

the second link is coupled to the first link; and

the carrier fitting is configured to be coupled to the wing flap.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the carrier fitting comprises:

a carrier first portion hingedly coupled to the first link; and

a carrier second portion extending from the carrier first portion at an oblique angle.

17. An aerodynamic system of an aircraft, the aerodynamic system comprising:

a support fitting configured to be coupled to a wing of the aircraft;

a first link coupled to the support fitting;

a second link separably coupled to the support fitting by a fail-safe joint and coupled to the first link;

a carrier fitting hingedly coupled to the first link;

a wing flap coupled to the carrier fitting; and

a drive mechanism configured to move the carrier fitting to move the wing flap between a retracted position and an extended position,

wherein the fail-safe joint comprises:

a primary coupling configured to bear a load between the second link and the support fitting; and

a secondary coupling configured to bear the load between the second link and the support fitting upon failure of the primary coupling.

18. The aerodynamic system of claim 17 , wherein:

the primary coupling is configured to separate the second link from the support fitting in response to a first instance of the load having a predetermined magnitude; and

the secondary coupling is configured to separate the second link from the support fitting in response to a second instance of the load having the predetermined magnitude.

19. The aerodynamic system of claim 17 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect the failure of the primary coupling.

20. A method of supporting a wing flap of an aircraft, the method comprising:

moving the wing flap to an extended position relative to a wing of the aircraft;

bearing a compression load applied from the wing flap to the wing by a first link that couples the wing flap and the wing;

bearing a tensile load applied from the wing flap to the wing by a primary coupling of a fail-safe joint of a second link that couples the wing flap and the wing; and

bearing the tensile load applied from the wing flap to the wing by a secondary coupling of the fail-safe joint in response to failure of the primary coupling of the fail-safe joint.