RTX Corporation
Flexible support structure for a geared architecture gas turbine engine

Abstract:

A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft that drives a fan that has fan blades. An outer housing surrounds the fan. A bypass flow path is within the outer housing. A fan shaft support that supports the fan shaft defines a fan shaft support transverse stiffness. A gear system is connected to the fan shaft. The gear system includes a gear mesh that defines a gear mesh transverse stiffness. A flexible support which supports the gear system relative to a static structure defines a flexible support transverse stiffness. The flexible support transverse stiffness is less than 11% of the fan shaft support transverse stiffness. The flexible support transverse stiffness is less than 8% of the gear mesh transverse stiffness.