Gas turbine engine variable area exhaust nozzle

A method of operating a gas turbine engine having a casing defining a flow passage through the gas turbine engine, a variable area nozzle being arranged at the downstream end of the casing, the variable area nozzle comprising a plurality of first movable members arranged around and extending in a downstream direction from the downstream end of the casing and a plurality of second movable members arranged around and extending in a downstream direction from the downstream end of the casing, comprising the steps of:

• in a first mode of operation
• maintaining the first movable members in an un-actuated position and
• maintaining the second movable members in an un-actuated position,
• in a second mode of operation,
• moving the first movable members to an actuated position and
• maintaining the second movable members in the un-actuated position and
• in a third mode of operation,
• moving the first movable members to an un-actuated position and
• maintaining the second movable members in an actuated position, moving the first movable members outwardly from the un-actuated position to the actuated position to increase the area of the variable area nozzle and
• moving the second movable members inwardly from the un-actuated position to the actuated position to decrease the area of the variable area nozzle.