Thrust reverser assembly and method of operating

A method of operating an aircraft engine, comprising:

• the aircraft engine comprising:
• a thrust reverser assembly for the aircraft engine including a core engine, a nacelle surrounding at least a portion of the core engine to at least partially define a bypass duct between the nacelle and the core engine, including:
• a translating cowl moveable between a first position and a second position;
• a fixed cascade element located within the translating cowl when the translating cowl is in the first position;
• a blocker door having a leading edge and a trailing edge that is operably coupled to the translating cowl and where the blocker door is movable between a stowed position wherein the blocker door forms a portion of the bypass duct and a deployed position, where the blocker door extends into a bypass duct conduit to deflect an airflow through the cascade element;
• a biasing element operably coupled to the blocker door and configured to push the blocker door from the stowed position into an initial position wherein the blocker door is partially within the bypass duct conduit and the leading edge forms a gap with a portion of the thrust reverser assembly through which the airflow enters the gap;
• a spring-damper assembly operably coupled to the blocker door and wherein the spring-damper assembly is configured to moderate a speed of the blocker door as the blocker door moves to the deployed position;
• and a second spring-damper assembly operably coupled to the translating cowl and wherein the spring-damper assembly is configured to bias the translating cowl to the first position, the method comprising generating a fore-to-aft airflow through the bypass duct of the aircraft engine;
• and deploying the blocker door from the stowed position to the initial position where the blocker door is partially within the bypass duct such that the leading edge of the blocker door forms the gap with the portion of the thrust reverser assembly, and moving the blocker door to the deployed position when the airflow passes through the gap to interact with the blocker door such that the blocker door is moved to the deployed position.