Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes: a front fan having at least one rotor carrying fan blades disposed within a fan duct, and drivingly connected to a low pressure turbine, the front fan including at least one row of outer fan blades disposed outwardly of and connected to the fan blades, the outer fan blades extending across an outer bypass duct which circumscribes the fan duct; a core engine located between the front fan and the low pressure turbine; an aft fan disposed downstream of the low pressure turbine, having at least one rotor carrying aft turbine blades disposed within an aft turbine duct, the aft turbine further including at least one row of aft fan blades disposed outwardly of and connected to the aft turbine blades, and extending across an aft fan duct that surrounds the core engine; and apparatus operable to selectively throttle flow through the outer bypass duct.

Abstract: A fan system is disclosed having a forward fan stage configured to pressurize an airflow and an aft fan stage having a tip-fan configured to pressurize a first portion of a pressurized air flow from the forward fan stage wherein the aft fan stage is driven by a second portion of the pressurized airflow.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes: a front fan having at least one rotor carrying fan blades disposed within a fan duct, and drivingly connected to a low pressure turbine, the front fan including at least one row of outer fan blades disposed outwardly of and connected to the fan blades, the outer fan blades extending across an outer bypass duct which circumscribes the fan duct; a core engine located between the front fan and the low pressure turbine; an aft fan disposed downstream of the low pressure turbine, having at least one rotor carrying aft turbine blades disposed within an aft turbine duct, the aft turbine further including at least one row of aft fan blades disposed outwardly of and connected to the aft turbine blades, and extending across an aft fan duct that surrounds the core engine; and apparatus operable to selectively throttle flow through the outer bypass duct.

Abstract: A fan system is disclosed having a forward fan stage configured to pressurize an airflow and an aft fan stage having a tip-fan configured to pressurize a first portion of a pressurized air flow from the forward fan stage wherein the aft fan stage is driven by a second portion of the pressurized airflow.

Abstract: A method of extracting power is disclosed comprising the steps of generating a pressurized airflow, directing a first portion of the pressurized airflow towards a tip-fan of an aft fan stage, directing a second portion of the pressurized airflow towards a circumferential row of air-turbine blades of the aft fan stage to drive the aft fan stage and driving an external load using the aft fan stage and a power drive system.

Abstract: A method of operating a fan system is described comprising the steps of pressurizing an airflow in a forward fan stage to generate a pressurized flow, directing a first portion of the pressurized airflow towards a tip-fan of an aft fan stage, and directing a second portion of the pressurized airflow towards a circumferential row of air-turbine blades of the aft fan stage to drive the aft fan stage.

Abstract: A power extraction system is disclosed having a forward fan stage configured to pressurize an airflow, an aft fan stage having a tip-fan configured to pressurize a first portion of a pressurized air flow from the forward fan stage wherein the aft fan stage is driven by a second portion of the pressurized airflow, and a power drive system adapted to supply power from the aft fan stage.

Abstract: A method of supplying air to a vehicle is provided, wherein the method includes modulating a flow of air from between a fan assembly of a turbofan engine and a high pressure compressor of the turbofan engine with a core driven fan stage coupled in parallel to the high pressure compressor. The method also includes channeling the air from the core driven fan stage to the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of supplying air to a vehicle is provided, wherein the method includes modulating a flow of air from between a fan assembly of a turbofan engine and a high pressure compressor of the turbofan engine with a core driven fan stage coupled in parallel to the high pressure compressor. The method also includes channeling the air from the core driven fan stage to the vehicle.

Abstract: An aft FLADE gas turbine engine including a fan section drivenly connected to a low pressure turbine section followed by an aft FLADE turbine having at least one row of aft FLADE fan blades radially extending across a FLADE duct circumscribing the aft FLADE turbine, and at least one thrust vectoring nozzle in pressurized fluid flow receiving communication with the FLADE duct. One embodiment of the engine includes spaced apart right and left hand FLADE exhaust nozzles in pressurized fluid flow receiving communication with the FLADE duct and offset from a main engine exhaust nozzle located downstream of the aft FLADE turbine. Right and left hand valves disposed in right and left hand ducts extending between a FLADE airflow manifold in pressurized fluid flow receiving communication with the FLADE duct may be used to vector thrust. The right and left hand FLADE exhaust nozzle may be fixed or thrust vectoring nozzles.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine turbine assembly includes a high pressure spool having a high pressure turbine drivingly connected to a high pressure compressor by a high pressure shaft which is rotatable about an engine centerline. A low pressure turbine has counter rotatable low pressure inner and outer shaft turbines with a row of low pressure variable vanes disposed therebetween and drivingly connected to coaxial low pressure inner and outer shafts respectively which are located radially inwardly of the high pressure spool. The low pressure inner and outer shaft turbines are drivingly connected to a forward and aft fan blade rows by the low pressure inner and outer shafts. A single direction of rotation booster is drivenly connected to the low pressure outer shaft and axially located aft and downstream of the aft fan blade row.

Abstract: An aircraft gas turbine engine includes a low pressure turbine having a low pressure turbine flowpath and low pressure inner and outer shaft turbines with counter rotatable low pressure inner and outer shaft turbine rotors, respectively. The low pressure inner and outer shaft turbine rotors include low pressure first and second turbine blade rows disposed across the turbine flowpath which are drivingly connected to first and second fan blade rows by low pressure inner and outer shafts, respectively. At least one row of low pressure variable vanes is operably disposed across the low pressure turbine flowpath between the low pressure inner and outer shaft turbines. The low pressure first turbine blade rows of the low pressure inner shaft turbine may be in tandem with or interdigitated with the second turbine blade rows of the low pressure outer shaft turbines.