System and method of operating a ducted fan propulsion system inflight

A method of operating an aircraft during a landing approach mode of operation, said method comprising:

• determining the aircraft is in the landing approach mode of operation, wherein the landing approach mode of operation corresponds to an intermediate forward thrust mode of operation of one or more gas turbine engines of the aircraft;
• receiving an indication that a throttle device is in a first position associated with deployment of the intermediate forward thrust mode of operation of one or more gas turbine engines of the aircraft, wherein the throttle device is moveable into the first position by a first throttle device input manipulation;
• receiving an indication that the throttle device is in a second position associated with engagement of the intermediate forward thrust mode of operation, wherein the throttle device is moveable into the second position by a second throttle device input manipulation;
• deploying a drag flap assembly from said one or more gas turbine engines of the aircraft that increases drag on the aircraft;
• and
• autonomously modulating, by an electronic control system, in the intermediate forward thrust mode, a thrust reverser assembly of the one or more gas turbine engines between a fully deployed position and a fully stowed position to control at least one of an air speed, a ground speed, and an approach angle of the aircraft.

A thrust reverser assembly comprising

• a fan duct configured to channel a flow of air from an inlet to a nozzle, said fan duct including a bleed passage configured to channel a portion of the flow of air to ambient;
• an actuator assembly selectively operable to continuously vary an amount of the portion of the flow of air channeled through said bleed passage;
• and
• an actuator lock operatively coupled to said actuator assembly, said actuator lock configured to selectively prevent said actuator assembly from modulating between a fully stowed position and a fully deployed position;
• and
• a synchronizing system configured to control relative positions of actuators of said actuator assembly wherein said actuator assembly is lockable between the fully stowed position and any of a plurality of intermediate positions using an actuator lock on the synchronizing system, said actuator lock configured to prevent said actuator assembly from moving from each intermediate position to the fully deployed position when an engine to which the thrust reverser assembly is attached is operated in an intermediate forward thrust mode corresponding to a landing approach mode of an aircraft.