UK Patent Abstracts

In UK patent 2238026 British Aerospace plc describes an externally mounted fairing arrangement for bridging an aircraft fixed structure such as a wing and a control surface comprising an aileron, hingedly mounted upon and angularly displaceable with respect to the fixed structure. The fairing arrangement includes a single element sealing diaphragm which maintains continuity of the fairing aerodynamic shape whilst permitting differential movement between the respective parts of the fairing. The sealing diaphragm may be of fabric material or a moulded plastic material such as nylon, and incorporates stablising elements comprising grouped layers of flexible rods in single or stacked layers.