Metering valve assembly and method of assembly thereof

A gas turbine engine system comprising:

• a combustor comprising a fuel nozzle;
• a valve assembly coupled in flow communication with said fuel nozzle, said valve assembly configured to channel a fluid from a fuel line to said fuel nozzle, said valve assembly comprising:
• a body comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow passage extending therebetween and comprising a plurality of valve seats in a stepped arrangement between said inlet port and said outlet port;
• and
• a valve stem positioned within said flow passage and comprising at least one shaft, a poppet disk positioned at one end of said at least one shaft, and a plurality of reed petals coupled to said at least one shaft, wherein said poppet disk is engageable/disengageable with a first valve seat of said plurality of valve seats, and each reed petal of said plurality of reed petals is engageable/disengageable with a respective second valve seat of said plurality of valve seats, and
• wherein said plurality of reed petals comprises a first reed petal comprising a first number of apertures and a second reed petal comprising a second number of apertures.