Hinging cradle for fan cowls supported by said cowls in closed position

An engine assembly for an aircraft comprising an engine, a coupling device of the engine as well as a nacelle surrounding the engine and provided with fan cowls as well as an air intake, the coupling device comprising a rigid structure as well as a fore aerodynamic structure, the latter having a cradle equipped with an aerodynamic cowling, the cradle being hinge mounted at its fore end on an entity comprising a fan housing of the engine as well as the air intake, and the fan cowls being mounted to move on the cradle so as to be able to occupy an open position and a closed position in which they are supported at the fore by the entity and at its aft by a thrust reverser system,

• the cradle comprising a first configuration in which the fan cowls are in the open position and an aft end of the cradle is retained by a span of an engine mounting structure, and a second configuration in which the fan cowls are in the closed position and the cradle lacks any direct mechanical link with the other elements of the engine mounting structure.