General Electric Company

Jack L Readnour

Robert H Roth

Jack D Wright

Bruno G Lampsat

An annular nacelle for a turbine engine of an aircraft has a variable contour annular air inlet. The variable contour annular inlet includes annular outer and inner surface-defining radially-spaced structures on the forward portion of the nacelle, an annular member disposed between the annular outer and inner structures and coupled to the annular outer structure for sliding movement along the interiors of the annular outer and inner structures, and a plurality of actuating mechanisms coupled between the nacelle body and the annular member. The actuating mechanisms are operable for moving the annular member between forward and rearward positions. At the forward position, the annular member is located between the forward ends of the annular outer and inner structures with the annular outer structure expanded to an enlarged diameter such that the annular member forms therewith an inlet lip having an aerodynamically blunt exterior contour adapted to reduce drag during takeoff and landing operation of the aircraft. At the rearward position, the annular member is spaced rearwardly from the forward ends of the annular outer and inner structures with the annular outer structure contracted to a reduced diameter permitting the annular outer and inner structures at the forward ends thereof to form an inlet lip having an aerodynamically sharp exterior contour adapted to reduce drag during cruise operation of the aircraft.

Variable contour annular air inlet for an aircraft engine nacelle

An assembly for mounting a plurality of circumferentially spaced and radially extending airfoils. In a preferred embodiment the assembly comprises a plurality of arcuate mounting fairings each including a central boss having at least one radially extending recess disposed in a radially inner surface thereof which contains an elastomeric boot for receiving an end of one of the plurality of airfoils. The mounting fairing further includes integral first and second flanges extending circumferentially outwardly from opposite sides of the boss portion which overlap complementary second and first flanges, respectively, of adjacent mounting fairings. Fastening means connect the first and second flanges of adjacent mounting fairings to form a continuous annular shroud.

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Ft. Mitchell, KY, United States of America

Jack L Readnour