A wing structure

Abstract

A wing structure 24 has a rear wing spar 26, a front spar 28, wherein the rear and front spar are connected by ribs 30, a mounting member 32 and a landing gear 34. The mounting member 32 extends rearw

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of aircraft wings and landing gear. It relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a wing structure comprising a landing gear, a wing framework, an aircraft comprising such a wing structure, and a landing gear.

[0002] In many aircraft the main landing gear is attached to the fuselage of the aircraft and stowable into a wing or attached to a wing and stowable into the fuselage. In either case this places significant design constraints on the location of the main landing gear - it must be located at or near to the root of one of the wings in order to be able to stow correctly.

[0003] In other aircraft the main landing gear is attached to a wing and stowable into the wing. Such a format may allow a little more flexibility in positioning of the landing gear, but nonetheless it is necessary for it to be positioned relatively close to the root of the wing. Firstly, the landing gear must be positioned far enough inboard for the majority of the weight of the aircraft can be born by the landing gear without the wings flexing excessively. Also, since wings narrow from root to tip the landing gear must be positioned far enough inboard for there to be space within the wing for the landing gear to be stowed.

[0004] Accordingly, in many aircraft the main landing gear must be positioned at or near the root of the wing. However, all else being equal wings with a high aspect ratio (i.e. wings which have a longer span but shorter chord) allow aircraft to fly more efficiently and thus use less fuel. Increasing the wingspan of an aircraft moves its centre of gravity rearwards, since increasing the length of (rearward swept) wings moves more weight towards the rear. The centre of gravity of the aircraft must be located between the main landing gear and the nose landing gear, and with the main landing gear needing to be positioned at or near the roots of the wings, there is effectively a limit placed on the aspect ratio of the wings.

[0005] Another problem with aircraft where the landing gear stows into the wings is the need for the landing gear to fit into the wing. This too places a limit on the aspect ratio of the wings, as too narrow a wing would be unable to accommodate the landing gear. Instead or as well, it requires the landing gear to be narrower and / or undergo complex kinematics when stowing, which can make the landing gear less stable, harder to manufacture and / or in need of more frequent maintenance.

[0006] A further problem is that most conventional landing gear are tailored to the specific circumstances of their use, in particular the side of the aircraft on which they are located. Different main landing gear of an aircraft are therefore commonly mirror images of one another, which increases the number of different parts required and the associated tooling costs.

[0007] In aircraft with rear mounted engines rather than engines mounted to the wings, an additional problem is that tyre debris (for instance from heavy breaking of from a tyre bursting) can be sucked into the engines, necessitating additional maintenance and thus driving up costs.

[0008] The present invention seeks to mitigate one or more of the above-mentioned problems. Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved or alternative wing structure, wing framework aircraft or landing gear. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a wing structure comprising: a rear spar configured for engagement with a front spar via one or more ribs; a mounting member which provides a mounting point, the mounting member extending rearwardly from the rear spar to the mounting point; a landing gear having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein: the distal end of the landing gear has a wheel support configured to support at least one wheel; and the proximal end of the landing gear is attached to the mounting member at the mounting point and supportable by the rear spar via the mounting member.

[0010] With the rear spar supporting the landing gear via the mounting member, and the mounting member providing the mounting point rearward of the rear spar, the rear spar may be able to support the landing gear at a position further aft than with conventional arrangements. This can allow the landing gear to be positioned further back relative to the wing of an aircraft comprising the wmg structure, which in turn can allow the aircraft to have a centre of gravity which is further back than would otherwise be possible. This can then allow the aircraft to use higher aspect ratio wings than would otherwise be possible, which may provide benefits in terms of fuel economy.

[0011] Instead or as well, the rear spar supporting the landing gear with the mounting point positioned behind it may allow the landing gear to stow into a pod with reduced impact on other components and / or on the aerodynamic performance of the wing structure, as discussed in more detail later.

[0012] For the avoidance of doubt, reference to the mounting member extending rearwardly should be interpreted to mean that the mounting member extends in a direction which has a component in the rearward direction, rather than necessarily purely rearwards. For instance, the mounting member may extend rearwardly and downwardly, or rearwardly and downwardly and inboard. That being said, in some arrangements the mounting member may extend in a substantially rearward direction (i.e. a direction with little or no component in any direction other than rearwards).

[0013] It is to be understood that the mounting member may be an assembly, or may be a single unitary component.

[0014] The mounting member may be attached to the rear spar.

[0015] This may provide an advantageously rigid connection between the rear spar and the mounting member (and thus between the rear spar and the landing gear), and / or a connection which is advantageously compact, lightweight and / or easy to manufacture.

[0016] The mounting member may be attached to the rear spar by welding, using adhesive and / or using one or more fasteners such as bolts or rivets. In some arrangements the mounting member may be integrally formed with the rear spar.

[0017] As one alternative to the mounting member being attached to the rear spar: the wing structure may comprise a rib which is engaged with the rear spar and configured for engagement with said front spar; said rib may extend past or through the rear spar; and the mounting member may be attached to (or integrally formed with) said rib.

[0018] The landing gear may be movable relative to the rear spar between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.

[0019] The landing gear may therefore be stowable when not required (e.g. while cruising) so as to reduce its impact on the aerodynamics of an aircraft comprising the wing structure.

[0020] As an alternative, the landing gear may be fixed in a deployed configuration.

[0021] Optionally: the landing gear is pivotally attached at the mounting point; and movement of the landing gear between the deployed and stowed configurations includes pivoting motion of at least part of the landing gear about the mounting point.

[0022] This may allow the wing structure to be advantageously lightweight, compact, reliable, rugged and / or low-maintenance.

[0023] As an alternative, the landing gear may be slidably attached at the mounting point, for instance to enable movement of the landing gear between configurations to include translational motion relative to the mounting point.

[0024] As another alternative, the landing gear may be fixedly attached at the mounting point (whereupon if the landing gear is movable between stowed and deployed configurations the mounting member and the part of the landing gear attached thereto may be movable together, or the landing gear may move between configurations by moving the distal end relative to a stationary proximal end, for example).

[0025] The landing gear may comprise at least one wheel supported on the wheel support, and with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the wheel may be located substantially entirely lower than the rear spar.

[0026] This may avoid the need for the landing gear to interrupt the airfoil shape of a wing comprising the wing structure at the point at which the landing gear is stowed. Thus, the wing may continue to house components such as fuel tanks and / or hydraulic components without the need for a break or constricted region at the point at which the landing gear is provided.

[0027] As an alternative, with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the wheel may be located partially level with and partially below the rear spar. Instead or as well, with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the wheel pay be located partially level with and partially above the rear spar. As another alternative, with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the wheel may be located entirely above the rear spar.

[0028] The wing structure may further comprise a pod positioned beneath the rear spar, the landing gear being received within the pod when in the stowed configuration and projecting downward beyond the pod when in the deployed configuration.

[0029] With the landing gear stowing into the pod, the requirement for space to be provided in e.g. the wing or the fuselage may be removed. Thus for example the wing may accommodate more components or larger components (e.g. more hydraulic components and / or a larger fuel tank), and / or the fuselage may have more luggage space or passenger space.

[0030] Instead or as well, the landing gear stowing into the pod may allow simpler kinematics to be used than if the landing gear had to stow into a tighter and / or more complex-shaped space in a wing or the fuselage, and / or can allow the wing or fuselage to be smaller without the need to accommodate the landing gear. Alternatively or additionally, the pod may reduce the need for the two main landing gear of an aircraft to be mirror images of each other. For example, the pod may allow both landing gear to be substantially the same as one another, thereby reducing tooling costs.

[0031] A further advantage where the wing structure is used in an aircraft with rear mounted engines may be that with the landing gear in the deployed configuration, the pod may act as a shield to prevent tyre debris from being sucked into an engine.

[0032] It is noteworthy that the landing gear (a) being attached to a mounting point on a rearwardly-extending mounting member, and (b) stowing into a pod are mutually complementary and synergistic in nature. For instance on the one hand, where landing gear is attached to a mounting point on a rearwardly-extending mounting member, it may be harder for the landing gear to be stowed into the wing, therefore the use of a pod may be particularly beneficial. On the other hand, where the landing gear is stowable into a pod it may be particularly beneficial for it to be attached to a mounting point on a rearwardly- extending mounting member because this may allow the pod to be positioned further rearward, which may keep it out of the way of other components of the wing and / or may minimise the aerodynamic effect of the pod.

[0033] Optionally, the landing gear is received substantially entirely within the pod when in the stowed configuration.

[0034] The wing structure may further comprise: a front spar; one or more ribs engaged with the front spar and the rear spar; and a wing skin extending over the spars and ribs and forming a leading edge of the wing structure, wherein the leading edge extends past the pod in a spanwise direction, the leading edge being uninterrupted by the pod.

[0035] The leading edge being uninterrupted may improve the aerodynamic performance of the wing structure. In contrast, if the leading edge were interrupted by the pod then the pod may introduce turbulence into the air running over the leading edge at either side, thereby reducing lift.

[0036] The pod may be not configured to accommodate an engine therein.

[0037] For instance, the pod may have insufficient space to accommodate a suitable engine, and / or may lack the ducting necessary to allow air to enter and / or exit an engine.

[0038] By separating the pod from any engine, the shapes and / or positions of the pod and the engine may each be optimised for their individual requirements. For example, if a pod was required to accommodate both the landing gear and an engine then it may need to have a larger cross sectional area (and thus create more drag) then a pod and an engine provided separately. As another example, the pod accommodating an engine would require the landing gear and the engine to be positioned adjacent to one another, at which point it would be difficult to separate the engine from the fuselage by sufficient distance without bringing the landing gear too far outboard.

[0039] The landing gear may comprise at least one wheel supported on the wheel support, and with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the pod may extend rearward of the wheel by at least 25% of the diameter of the wheel. For instance, with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the pod may extend rearward of the wheel by at least 50%< at least 100% or at least 125% of the diameter of the wheel.

[0040] The pod extending rearward by such an amount may be beneficial in terms of aerodynamics (e.g. giving the pod a degree of a “long tail” shape for reduced drag) and / or in terms of the extent to which the pod can shield rear mounted engines from tyre debris.

[0041] The wing structure may further comprise a forward mounting point positioned forward of the mounting point, the proximal end of the landing gear being attached at the forward mounting point as well as the mounting point.

[0042] The forward mounting point may afford the landing gear greater support and thus more rigidity, thereby improving ride comfort and / or steering performance of an aircraft comprising the wing structure.

[0043] Instead or as well, the use of a forward mounting point may distribute loads more evenly within the wing structure, thereby allowing it to be smaller and / or lighter.

[0044] The forward mounting point may be positioned forward of the rear spar.

[0045] With the two mounting points positioned either side of the rear spar, the rear spar may experience reduced torsional loading in comparison to an arrangement where both mounting points were behind the rear spar. This reduced torsional loading may allow the rear spar (which is generally built to experience bending loads experienced by the wing) to be smaller and thus lighter and less expensive.

[0046] As one alternative, the forward mounting point may be positioned level with the rear spar.

[0047] The wing structure may further comprise a rib engaged with the rear spar and configured for engagement with said front spar, wherein the forward mounting point may be provided on said rib.

[0048] Providing the forward mounting point on the rib may allow loads exerted on the forward mounting point by the landing gear to be distributed beneficially evenly between the front and rear spars. Instead or as well, it may reduce the number of components required by the wing structure, thus reducing assembly time and / or tooling costs.

[0049] Nonetheless, in other embodiments the forward mounting point may be provided on a stand-alone component, for instance a component extending between two ribs.

[0050] Optionally: the landing gear is pivotally attached at the forward mounting point; and movement of the landing gear between the deployed and stowed configurations includes pivoting motion of at least part of the landing gear about the forward mounting point.

[0051] This may allow the wing structure to be advantageously lightweight, compact, reliable, rugged and / or low-maintenance.

[0052] As an alternative, the landing gear may be slidably attached at the forward mounting point, for instance to enable movement of the landing gear between configurations to include translational motion relative to the forward mounting point.

[0053] As another alternative, the landing gear may be fixedly attached at the forward mounting point (whereupon if the landing gear is movable between stowed and deployed configurations the forward mounting point and the part of the landing gear attached thereto may be movable together, or the landing gear may move between configurations by moving the distal end relative to a stationary proximal end, for example).

[0054] Where movement of the landing gear between the deployed and stowed configurations includes pivoting motion about the forward mounting point, and includes pivoting motion about the mounting point, the pivoting motion about the forward mounting point may be in the opposite direction to the pivoting motion about the mounting point, for example.

[0055] Movement of the landing gear from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration may include generally rearward pivoting motion of at least part of the landing gear about the forward mounting point.

[0056] Rearward pivoting motion may be advantageously simple in terms of kinematics, which may allow the landing gear to be simpler and / or benefit from improved ease of maintenance. Instead or as well, use of rearward pivoting motion may make the same landing gear suited to use on either side of an aircraft, thereby reducing the tooling costs associated with the aircraft as a whole.

[0057] Rearward pivoting may also allow the landing gear to stow into a particularly narrow (and thus less aerodynamically impactful) pod.

[0058] As one alternative, movement of the landing gear from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration may include generally forward pivoting motion about the forward mounting point.

[0059] Optionally: the landing gear comprises a main leg and an aft brace; the wheel support is provided on the main leg, and the main leg is attached at the forward mounting point; and the aft brace extends from the main leg to the mounting point.

[0060] Such an arrangement may be beneficially straightforward to manufacture. Instead or as well, it may be particularly suited to withstanding drag loads and / or may be beneficially aerodynamic.

[0061] Where movement of the landing gear from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration includes generally rearward pivoting motion about the forward mounting point, the main leg may pivot about the forward mounting point.

[0062] The main leg may be an Oleo strut. As an alternative, it may be substantially rigid (at which point a suspension system could be provided elsewhere on the landing gear)

[0063]

[0064] The aft brace may be bendable at a hinge joint during movement of the landing gear from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration.

[0065] This may allow the main leg to pivot backwards without impairment from the aft brace, with the kinematics involved being beneficially straightforward (and thus easier to produce and / or service).

[0066] As an alternative, any other suitable mechanism may be used e.g. to allow the main leg to pivot rearwardly. For example, the aft brace may be pivotable at one end so as to allow it to fold flat against the main leg, or may be movable out of the path of the main leg.

[0067] The mounting member may define a cavity, at least part of the aft brace being received in the cavity when the landing gear is in the stowed configuration.

[0068] This may allow the landing gear to be advantageously compact (and thus aerodynamically unobtrusive) when in the stowed configuration.

[0069] The landing gear may be generally symmetrical about a plane of symmetry.

[0070] This may allow the landing gear to distribute loads symmetrically. Instead or as well it may be a beneficially straightforward way of allowing the same landing gear to be suitable for use on either side of an aircraft.

[0071] The plane of symmetry may run through mounting point, and / or the front mounting point where present. Instead or as well, the plane of symmetry may run through the main leg and / or the aft brace (where present).

[0072] Movement of the landing gear between the stowed and deployed configurations may include pivoting motion of at least part of the landing gear in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of symmetry.

[0073] This may further improve the ability of the landing gear to be suitable for use on either side of an aircraft.

[0074] For the avoidance of doubt, reference to pivoting motion substantially parallel to the plane of symmetry is intended to include pivoting motion within the plane of symmetry.

[0075] The pivoting motion parallel to the plane of symmetry may be pivoting motion about mounting point, and / or pivoting motion about the about forward mounting point (where present), for example.

[0076] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a wing framework comprising: a rear spar which is attachable to one or more ribs extending from a front spar; a support structure which has an attachment feature, the support structure extending backwards from the rear spar to the attachment feature; and a landing gear having a near end and a far end, wherein: the far end of the landing gear has a wheel fixture arranged to support one or more wheels; and the near end of the landing gear is attached to the attachment feature of the support structure, the rear spar being structurally connected to the landing gear through the support structure.

[0077] With the rear spar being structurally connected to the landing gear through the support structure, and the support structure providing the attachment feature behind the rear spar, the rear spar may be able to support the landing gear at a position further aft than with conventional landing gear. This can allow the landing gear to be positioned further back relative to the wing of an aircraft comprising the wing framework, which in turn can allow the aircraft comprising the wing framework to have a centre of gravity which is further back than would otherwise be possible. This can then allow the aircraft to use higher aspect ratio wings than would otherwise be possible, which may provide benefits in terms of fuel economy.

[0078] Instead or as well, the rear spar being structurally connected to the landing gear with the attachment feature positioned behind it may allow the landing gear to stow into a pod with reduced impact on other components and / or on the aerodynamic performance of the wing structure as discussed above.

[0079] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an aircraft comprising a wing structure according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0080] Such an aircraft may provide one or more of the advantages discussed above.

[0081] The aircraft may be a commercial passenger jet, for example.

[0082] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a landing gear for a wing structure according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0083] Such a landing gear may provide one or more of the advantages discussed above.

[0084] It will of course be appreciated that features described m relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0085] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an aircraft according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows part of a wing structure of the aircraft of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective dise view of a landing gear of the wing structure of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a rear view of the landing gear of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the landing gear of Figures 3 and 4 extending from a pod in a deployed configuration; Figure 6 shows a side view of the landing gear and pod of Figure 5; and Figure 7 shows the landing gear and pod of Figures 5 and 6, with the landing gear in a stowed configuration inside the pod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0086] Figure 1 shows an aircraft 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. It has a fuselage 4, a tail 6 and two wings 8. Each wing 8 extends from the fuselage 4 in a spanwise direction and terminates in an upturned wing tip 10. Each wing 8 supports an engine 12 part way along its spanwise length, a fairing 14 accommodating a mechanism by which flaps (not shown) can be extended and retracted, and a pod 16. Each wing 8 has a wing structure (not visible) made up of a front spar, a rear spar, a set of ribs which engage both the spars and extend between them in known fashion, and a skin 18 that extends over the spars and ribs and defines the leading edge 20 and trailing edge 22 of the wing 8. The wings 8 are substantially mirror-images of one another.

[0087] The aircraft 2 has three landing gear, which are not visible in Figure 1 due to their each being in a stowed configuration. In the present embodiment the aircraft 2 has a nose landing gear positioned on the underside of the fuselage 4 at the front of the aircraft, and two main landing gear positioned on the undersides of respective wings 8, between the engine 12 and the fuselage 4 of that wing 8. The nose landing gear is of conventional design and is not material to the present invention, therefore will not be described in detail.

[0088] Figure 2 shows a close-up of part of the wing structure 24 of the right wing, showing the rear spar 26 (shown in ghost outline), the front spar 28 (also shown in ghost outline) and two of the ribs 30. The wing structure 24 also comprises a mounting member 32 and a landing gear 34 (and the skin, though this is not shown in Figure 2). The mounting member 32 is made up of a pair of arms 36 each of which has a bracket 38 and a tapering portion 40. The brackets 38 of the arms 36 are attached to the rear spar 26, and each tapering portion 40 (and thus the mounting member 32 as a whole) extends rearwardly from the rear spar 26 and terminates at a mounting point 42. The two arms 36 extend rearwardly and towards one another, with the mounting member 32 as a whole extending substantially exactly rearward. The mounting member 32 also defines a cavity 44 between the arms 36.

[0089] Each of the ribs 30 shown in Figure 2 has a depending flange portion with a forward mounting point 48 provided thereon. In this embodiments the two forward mounting points 48 are positioned slightly forward of the rear spar 26, as well as being below it. The wing structure 24 also has other ribs which are not shown in Figure 2, which are generally the same as the ribs 30 but are less reinforced so as to be lighter weight. As with the ribs 30, the ribs which are not shown engage the rear spar 26 and the front spar 28, providing structural engagement therebetween.

[0090] The landing gear 34 of the wing structure 24 is shown in isolation in Figures 3 and 4. Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 in combination with Figures 2 and 3, the landing gear 34 has a main leg 50 and an aft brace 52. The main leg 50 of this embodiment takes the form of an Oleo strut with a torque link 54 and stowage actuator 55. The aft brace 52 resembles a sidestay in structure and function, as described later.

[0091] The landing gear 34 extends from a proximal end 56, by which the landing gear 34 is attached to the remainder of the wing structure 24, to a distal end 58. The distal end 58 has a wheel support 60 in the form of an axle on which a pair of wheels 61 (only one of which is shown in Figures 2 and 3) are provided. In this case the wheel support 60 is provided on the main leg 50, and is resiliently movable to provide a shock absorbing action as is known in the art.

[0092] The aft brace 52 is attached to the main leg 50 at a pivot joint 62 and has a hinge joint 64 positioned part way along its length. The aft brace 52 is selectively bendable at the hinge joint 64. The bending of the aft brace 52 is controlled by an over-centre link 66 which in turn is controlled by an actuator 68 m a similar manner to a foldable sidestay.

[0093] The proximal end 56 of the landing gear is attached at the mounting point 42 and the forward mounting points 48. The aft brace is attached, more specifically pivotably attached, at the mounting point 42. The rear spar 26 can therefore support the landing gear 34 at the mounting point 42 via the mounting member 32. The main leg 50 is attached, more particularly pivotably attached, at the two forward mounting points 48. The landing gear 34 is therefore also supported by the ribs 30 (which in turn are supported by the rear spar 26, and indeed by the front spar 28).

[0094] As is shown most clearly in Figure 4, the landing gear 34 is symmetrical. More particularly it is symmetrical about a plane of symmetry 70 which is normal to the pitch axis of the aircraft 2 and which runs through the main leg 50 and aft brace 52 (more specifically the centrelines thereof). The plane of symmetry 70 of this embodiment also runs through the mounting point 42.

[0095] The landing gear 34 is movable between a deployed configuration, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, and a stowed configuration. To move the landing gear 34 from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration, the stowage actuator 55 and the actuator 68 of the over-centre link 66 are retracted. Retraction of the actuator 68 buckles the over-centre link 66, allowing the hinge joint 64 of the aft brace 52 to bend forwards. Retraction of the stowage actuator 55 pulls the main leg 50 rearwardly. Thus, the main leg 50 pivots rearwards about the forward mounting points 48, and the aft brace 52 bends forwardly with its upper portion pivoting forwards about the mounting point 42 and its lower portion pivoting forwards about the pivot joint 62.

[0096] Continued retraction of the actuators 55, 68 continues to pivot the main leg 50 and bend the aft brace 52 forwards. In addition to the aft brace 52 bending, the rearward pivoting of the main leg 50 moves the pivot joint 62 rearward and upward. This lifts the aft brace 52 upwards as it bends. When the main leg 50 has pivoted rearward to an almost horizontal (but still slightly downward) position, the landing gear 34 is in the stowed configuration. In this configuration the upper part of the aft brace 52 (i.e. the part between the hinge joint 64 and the mounting point 42) is received within the cavity 44 of the mounting member 32.

[0097] The reverse process to the above is used to move the landing gear 34 from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration, The actuators are extended, pivoting the main leg 50 forward about the forward mounting points 48 and straightening the aft brace 52 (with its upper portion pivoting rearwards about the mounting point 42 and its lower portion pivoting rearwards about the pivot joint 62).

[0098] It is noteworthy that the forward and backward pivoting of the main leg 50 about the forward mounting points 48, and the forward and backward pivoting of the upper part of the aft brace 52 about the mounting point 42, moves those components parallel to the plane of symmetry 70. Indeed, in this particular embodiment these components pivot in the plane of symmetry 70 (as does the buckling and straightening of the over-centre link 66, for the sake of completeness).

[0099] As mentioned in relation to Figure 1, each wing 8 supports a pod 16. Each pod 16 accommodates a respective landing gear 34. The landing gear 34 is received entirely within its pod 16 when in the deployed configuration, and project downward beyond the pod 16 when in the deployed configuration. Figures 5 and 6 show the pod (and part of the wing 8) with the landing gear 34 in the deployed configuration, and Figure 7 shows the pod (and part of the wing 8) with the landing gear 34 in the stowed configuration. Figure 7 shows the main leg 50 positioned almost horizontally and the upper portion of the aft brace 52 positioned within the cavity 44, as discussed above.

[0100] Referring now to Figures 5 to 7 in combination with Figures 1 to 4, each pod 16 extends downward from the lower surface of its wing 8, and rearward from near the leading edge 20 to beyond the trailing edge 22. While the pod extends forward almost as far as the leading edge 20, it does not reach the leading edge 20. The leading edge 20 is therefore uninterrupted by the pod 16. Further, as shown in Figure 7 with the landing gear 34 in the stowed configuration the wheels 61 remain lower than the rear spar 26. Thus, the wheels do not interrupt the aerofoil shape of the wing 8, allowing for maximum use of the wing to accommodate fuel tanks or the like.

[0101] While the pods 16 have some similarity to the engines 12, in terms of their underslung positions beneath the wings 8, it is noteworthy that the pods 16 are not configured to accommodate the engines 12. Rather, the pods 16 and engines are separate and distinct from one another.

[0102] Each pod 16 has a front tapered portion 72 which intersects the wing 8, and a rear tapered portion 74 extending rearwardly beyond the trailing edge 22 of the wing 8. One purpose of the tapered portions 72, 74 is to provide improved aerodynamics, reducing the drag caused by the pods 16 during flight. The rear tapered portion 74 also serves to shield the tail 6 of the aircraft from tyre debris, for instance in the event of one of the wheels 61 bursting. This may be of particular benefit in other embodiments where the engines 12 are mounted at or near to the tail 6 (where they may be particularly vulnerable to sucking up tyre debris).

[0103] To enhance the aerodynamic and shielding effects the rear tapered portion 74 is relatively long, extending back well beyond the wheels 61 with the landing gear 34 in the stowed configuration. In the present case with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the rear tapered portion 74 (and thus the pod 16 as a whole) extends rearward of the wheels 61 by around twice the diameter (i.e. four times the radius) of the wheels 61.

[0104] Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.

[0105] The term ‘or’ shall be interpreted as ‘and / or’ unless the context requires otherwise.

Claims

1. A wing structure comprising:a rear spar configured for engagement with a front spar via one or more ribs;a mounting member which provides a mounting point, the mounting member extending rearwardly from the rear spar to the mounting point;a landing gear having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein:the distal end of the landing gear has a wheel support configured to support at least one wheel; andthe proximal end of the landing gear is attached to the mounting member at the mounting point and supportable by the rear spar via the mounting member.

2. A wing structure according to claim 1 wherein the mounting member is attached to the rear spar.

3. A wing structure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the landing gear is movable relative to the rear spar between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.

4. A wing structure according to claim 3 wherein:the landing gear is pivotally attached at the mounting point; and movement of the landing gear between the deployed and stowed configurations includes pivoting motion of at least part of the landing gear about the mounting point.

5. A wing structure according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the landing gear comprises at least one wheel supported on the wheel support, and with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the wheel is located substantially entirely lower than the rear spar.

6. A wing structure according to any preceding claim further comprising a pod positioned beneath the rear spar, the landing gear being received within the pod when in the stowed configuration and projecting downward beyond the pod when in the deployed configuration.

7. A wing structure according to claim 6 further comprising:a front spar;one or more ribs engaged with the front spar and the rear spar; anda wing skin extending over the spars and ribs and forming a leading edge of the wing structure,wherein the leading edge extends past the pod in a spanwise direction, the leading edge being uninterrupted by the pod.

8. A wing structure according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the pod is not configured to accommodate an engine therein.

9. A wing structure according to any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the landing gear comprises at least one wheel supported on the wheel support, and with the landing gear in the stowed configuration the pod extends rearward of the wheel by at least 25% of the diameter of the wheel.

10. A wing structure according to any preceding claim further comprising a forward mounting point positioned forward of the mounting point, the proximal end of the landing gear being attached at the forward mounting point as well as the mounting point.

11. A wing structure according to claim 10 wherein the forward mounting point is positioned forward of the rear spar.

12. A wing structure according to claim 10 or 11 further comprising a rib engaged with the rear spar and configured for engagement with said front spar, wherein the forward mounting point is provided on said rib.

13. A wing structure according to any one of claims 10 to 12, incorporating claim 3, wherein:the landing gear is pivotally attached at the forward mounting point; andmovement of the landing gear between the deployed and stowed configurations includes pivoting motion of at least part of the landing gear about the forward mounting point.

14. A wing structure according to claim 13 wherein movement of the landing gear from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration includes generally rearward pivoting motion of at least part of the landing gear about the forward mounting point.

15. A wing structure according to any one of claims 10 to 14 wherein:the landing gear comprises a main leg and an aft brace;the wheel support is provided on the main leg, and the main leg is attached at the forward mounting point; andthe aft brace extends from the mam leg to the mounting point.

16. A wing structure according to claim 15 when dependent on claim 14, wherein the aft brace is bendable at a hinge joint during movement of the landing gear from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration.

17. A wing structure according to claim 15 or 16 wherein the mounting member defines a cavity, at least part of the aft brace being received in the cavity when the landing gear is in the stowed configuration.

18. A wing structure according to any preceding claim wherein the landing gear is generally symmetrical about a plane of symmetry.

19. A wing structure according to claim 18 wherein movement of the landing gear between the stowed and deployed configurations includes pivoting motion of at least part of the landing gear in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of symmetry.

20. A wing framework comprising:a rear spar which is attachable to one or more ribs extending from a front spar;a support structure which has an attachment feature, the support structure extending backwards from the rear spar to the attachment feature; anda landing gear having a near end and a far end, wherein:the far end of the landing gear has a wheel fixture arranged to support one or more wheels; andthe near end of the landing gear is attached to the attachment feature of the support structure, the rear spar being structurally connected to the landing gear through the support structure.

21. An aircraft comprising a wing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

22. A landing gear for a wing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

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