Aft engine for an aircraft
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsPatrick Michael Marrinan, Thomas Lee Becker, Kurt David Murrow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propulsion system for an aircraft including a plurality of primary engines is provided. The plurality of primary engines includes at least a first primary engine and a second primary engine, each configured for mounting to a respective one of a pair of wings of the aircraft. The propulsion system additionally includes an aft engine configured for mounting at a tail section of the aircraft. The plurality of primary engines are sized to provide an amount of thrust sufficient for the aircraft to takeoff without use of the aft engine, such that the aft engine may be configured as a non-prime reliable engine.
Claims20
A propulsion system for an aircraft having a pair of wings and a tail section, the propulsion system comprising:
- a plurality of primary engines including at least a first primary engine and a second primary engine, the first primary engine configured for mounting to a first of the pair of wings of the aircraft, and the second primary engine configured for mounting to a second of the pair of wings of the aircraft;
- and
- an aft engine configured for mounting at the tail section of the aircraft, the plurality of primary engines sized to provide an amount of thrust sufficient for the aircraft to takeoff without use of the aft engine;
- wherein the aft engine comprises a fan shaft mechanically coupled to a power source located at least partially within a fuselage of the aircraft and one or more structural members configured as variable inlet guide vanes extending between a nacelle and the fuselage of the aircraft that include a flap at an aft end configured to rotate about a radial axis between a variety of positions to vary a direction of the air flowing thereover.
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage extending between a nose end and a tail section;
- a pair of wings extending outward from opposing sides of the fuselage at a location between the nose end and the tail section;
- a plurality of primary engines, at least a first of the plurality of primary engines mounted to a first of the pair of wings and at least a second of the plurality of primary engines mounted to a second of the pair of wings, each of the plurality of primary engines sized to generate a maximum primary engine thrust when operated at maximum capacity;
- and
- an aft engine mounted at the tail section of the aircraft, the aft engine sized to generate a maximum aft engine thrust when operated at maximum capacity, the maximum aft engine thrust being at least ten percent greater than or less than the maximum primary engine thrust;
- wherein the aft engine comprises a fan shaft mechanically coupled to a power source located at least partially within a fuselage of the aircraft and one or more structural members configured as variable inlet guide vanes extending between a nacelle and the fuselage of the aircraft that include a flap at an aft end configured to rotate about a radial axis between a variety of positions to vary a direction of the air flowing thereover.
A method for operating an aircraft having a pair of wings, an aft engine mounted at a tail section of the aircraft, and a plurality of primary aircraft engines, at least a first of the plurality of primary engines mounted to a first of the pair of wings and at least a second of the plurality of primary engines mounted to a second of the pair of wings, the method comprising:
- operating the plurality of primary aircraft engines to generate an amount of thrust sufficient for the aircraft to takeoff;
- and
- operating the aft engine at less than full capacity during a takeoff operating mode of the aircraft;
- wherein the aft engine comprises a fan shaft mechanically coupled to a power source located at least partially within a fuselage of the aircraft and one or more structural members configured as variable inlet guide vanes extending between a nacelle and the fuselage of the aircraft that include a flap at an aft end configured to rotate about a radial axis between a variety of positions to vary a direction of the air flowing thereover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.