Abstract: An aircraft and method of operating the aircraft are provided. The aircraft includes a fuselage including a nose, a tail, and a hollow, elongate body extending therebetween, a wing extending laterally away from the fuselage, the wing including a leading edge in a direction of motion of the aircraft during normal flight and a trailing edge on an opposing edge of the wing, and an engine configured to drive a bladed rotatable member, the engine coupled to at least one of the wing and the fuselage. The aircraft further includes at least one of a forward chine member and an aft chine member extending from the fuselage at a point forward of the engine aftward to a point aft of the bladed rotatable member.

Abstract: An aircraft and method of operating the aircraft are provided. The aircraft includes a fuselage including a nose, a tail, and a hollow, elongate body extending therebetween, a wing extending laterally away from the fuselage, the wing including a leading edge in a direction of motion of the aircraft during normal flight and a trailing edge on an opposing edge of the wing, and an engine configured to drive a bladed rotatable member, the engine coupled to at least one of the wing and the fuselage. The aircraft further includes at least one of a forward chine member and an aft chine member extending from the fuselage at a point forward of the engine aftward to a point aft of the bladed rotatable member.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine system and method of operating gas turbine engines are provided. The gas turbine engine assembly includes a gas turbine engine includes a power shaft configured to rotate about an axis of rotation. The gas turbine engine assembly also includes a first fan and a second fan coupled to the power shaft coaxially with the gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine assembly also includes a first fan duct configured to direct a first stream of air to the first fan. The gas turbine engine assembly also includes a second fan duct configured to direct a second stream of air to the second fan. The gas turbine engine assembly also includes an exhaust duct configured to direct a stream of exhaust gases of the gas turbine engine in a direction of the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes at least two propulsion engines. Each propulsion engine rotates about a longitudinal rotational axis, and a propulsive fan associated with each propulsion engine rotates in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal rotational axis. Each plane is at least one of spaced axially along a fuselage of the aircraft and canted such that each plane does not intersect any other plane associated with another propulsion engine and propulsive fan.

Abstract: A variable pitch fan for a gas turbine engine includes a fan blade defining a pitch axis and attached at a radially inner end to a trunnion mechanism. The variable pitch fan also includes a disk having a disk segment with the trunnion mechanism extending at least partially through the disk segment. A key is positioned at least partially in a key slot defined in a base of the trunnion mechanism, and further positioned adjacent to a support member of the disk segment. The key defines a first contact line between the key and the key slot and a second contact line between the key and the support member. The first and second contact lines respectively define a first contact reference line in a second contact reference line. The first and second contact reference lines define an angle with the pitch axis of the fan blade greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees.

Abstract: A feedback sensor system is provided. The feedback sensor system includes a first ring rotatable about an axial direction and a second ring also rotatable about the axial direction. The first ring includes one or more first ring features and the second ring includes one or more second ring features. The feedback sensor system also includes a sensor directed at the surface of the first ring for sensing a parameter influenced by the one or more first ring features and the one or more second ring features. The sensor may determine a position of the first ring relative to the second ring by sensing the parameter.

Abstract: A fan for a gas turbine engine is provided. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades, a disk, and a trunnion mechanism for attaching the fan blades to the disk. The disk can be formed of a plurality of individual disk segments, with the trunnion mechanism attaching one of the plurality of fan blades to a respective disk segment. A retention member is also provided. The retention member includes a means for catching a portion of the trunnion mechanism should a primary attachment system of the trunnion mechanism fail.

Abstract: A frangible airfoil that mitigates adverse conditions associated with release of material resulting from impact damage to the composite blade is provided, the airfoil having provisions for dissipating energy, self-shredding, and predetermined release trajectory.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a frangible laminate is provided. The method comprises constructing a reinforced polymer matrix, cutting the reinforced polymer matrix into a plurality of laminae, forming a laminate via stacking the plurality of laminae and at least one energy dissipating member, and consolidating the laminate.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine composite article having a composite article airfoil extending outwardly to an article root to an article airfoil tip. Within the article airfoil is a core including a core airfoil attached to a core root including a core dovetail. A continuous outer three-dimensional braided layer including braided composite material tows are braided on the core and the braided layer covers the entire core airfoil and the core root. The core may be an inflatable mandrel or a composite core made of a composite material. The core may include stiffeners such as an I beam or hollow rectangular cross-section box beams. A method for making such an article includes braiding a continuous outer three-dimensional braided layer including braided composite material tows on the core including covering the entire core airfoil and the core root with the continuous outer three-dimensional braided layer.

Abstract: A turbine engine assembly is provided. The assembly includes a low-pressure turbine configured to rotate at a first rotational speed, and a fan assembly coupled to the low-pressure turbine and configured to rotate at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. The fan assembly includes a fan blade fabricated from a composite material and having a configuration selected based on the second rotational speed of the fan assembly.

Abstract: Aircraft engine mounted to aircraft pylon with variable pitch mounting system includes variable length actuator disposed between engine and pylon for pitching engine relative to pylon. Spaced apart pylon front and rear mounts may pivotably mount front and rear stationary engine components of engine to front and rear mount positions on pylon. Front and rear linkages may vertically suspend engine from pylon with pivotable links disposed between pylon front and rear mounts and front and rear stationary engine components. One or more thrust links may be pivotably joined at link rear ends to pylon rear mount and at link forward ends to front support frame. Alternative mounting system may include support structure cantilevered off pylon for pivotably supporting engine and actuator substantially horizontally disposed between engine and pylon. Incidence angle between engine centerline axis and air streamlines may be adjusted by changing length of actuator.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a core and a variable pitch fan arranged in flow communication with the core. The variable pitch fan has a disk and at least nine fan blades coupled to the disk for rotation together with the disk. The gas turbine engine further includes a rotatable nacelle covering the disk such that the engine has a fan hub radius ratio of between about 0.1 and about 0.4.

Abstract: A method of making a hollow metal component comprising the steps of providing at least one core comprising a first side and a reverse side; utilizing a first metal spray process to apply at least one metal or metal alloy to the first side of the core, resulting in a partially-formed structure comprising a first side and a reverse side; and utilizing a second metal spray process to apply at least one metal or metal alloy to the reverse sides of the partially-formed structure and the core, resulting in a rough structure. A hollow metal component comprising a first side having interior and exterior surfaces, a reverse side having interior and exterior surfaces, the interior surfaces of the first side and the reverse side defining at least one cavity. The component is integrally formed and has regions comprising relatively different material compositions, the regions having gradual transitions of materials therebetween.

Abstract: An airfoil structure includes a composite core including a triaxial braid, wherein the triaxial braid includes a longitudinal axis, a first bias fiber extending in a first bias direction at a first bias angle to the longitudinal axis, a second bias fiber extending in a second bias direction at a second bias angle to the longitudinal axis, and an axial fiber extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The airfoil structure further includes an outer layer substantially surrounding the composite core, wherein the outer layer includes a plurality of unidirectional prepreg layers.

Abstract: A rotary machine with at least one frangible composite blade that mitigates adverse conditions associated with release of material resulting from impact damage to the composite blade is provided. The composite blade having provisions for dissipating energy, self-shredding, and predetermined release trajectory. A method for manufacturing the composite blade and assembling the blade into a rotary machine is also provided.

Abstract: An airfoil, a fan assembly and an engine include at least one airfoil including a root portion, a body portion and a tip portion. The body portion is configured extending radially outward from the root portion and the tip portion is configured extending radially outward from the root portion and the body portion. The airfoil including a suction and a pressure side coupled together at a leading and a trailing edge and extending therebetween. The airfoil including a compliant tip at the tip portion. The compliant tip extending along at least a portion of the tip portion in a chord-wise direction and a span-wise direction. The compliant tip is configured to provide wave propagation along the tip portion such that critical strain proximate the tip portion and the trailing edge is reduced during a foreign object impact.

Abstract: A composite material includes a composite body having a composite surface, and a reinforcing element extending through the composite body in a first plurality of stitches and a second plurality of stitches. The first plurality of stitches are aligned relative to the composite surface substantially similarly to each other. The second plurality of stitches are aligned relative to the composite surface substantially dissimilarly to each other.

Abstract: A composite material includes a composite body having a composite surface, and a reinforcing element extending through the composite body in a first plurality of stitches and a second plurality of stitches. The first plurality of stitches are aligned relative to the composite surface substantially similarly to each other. The second plurality of stitches are aligned relative to the composite surface substantially dissimilarly to each other.

Abstract: An airfoil having active actuators and at least one morphing area allowing shape change of the airfoil and further allowing for optimization of the airfoil shape at more than one operating condition.