Gas turbine engine with spoolie fluid transfer connection

A gas turbine engine having a fluid transfer connection, comprising:

• a first component configured to channel a flow of air from a portion of the gas turbine engine;
• a second component configured to receive the flow of air from the first component, wherein the first component and the second component are movable relative to one another;
• a sleeve portion disposed between the first component and the second component, the sleeve portion having elliptical shaped interior surfaces that include a major diameter and a minor diameter;
• and
• a spoolie device disposed within the sleeve portion, wherein the spoolie device bridges the first component and the second component to channel the flow of air from the first component to the second component, and the spoolie device forms an interference fit with the elliptical shaped interior surfaces of the sleeve portion such that the spoolie device contacts the elliptical shaped interior surfaces of the sleeve portion at the minor diameter of the sleeve portion and at the major diameter of the sleeve portion in a bending deflection at the elliptical shaped interior surfaces.

A method of channeling a flow of air between a first component and a second component of a gas turbine engine, wherein the first component and the second component are movable relative to one another, the method comprising:

• providing a fluid transfer connection comprising a sleeve portion disposed between the first component and the second component, the sleeve portion including interior surfaces;
• providing a spoolie device disposed within the sleeve portion, the spoolie device forming an interference fit with the interior surfaces such that the spoolie device contacts the interior surfaces of the sleeve portion at a first diameter and at a second diameter in a bending deflection at the first diameter and at the second diameter;
• channeling the flow of air from a portion of the gas turbine engine to the first component;
• channeling the flow of air from the first component to the second component with the spoolie device bridging the first component and the second component;
• forming a seal between the first component and the second component via the spoolie device with relative positions between the first component and the second component changing;
• and
• deflecting the spoolie device relative to the sleeve portion in the bending deflection.