Variable area nozzle and method for operating same

1. A variable area nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine,

a fixed structure surrounding an exhaust duct extending along a nozzle axis, the fixed structure defining an exhaust duct outlet of the exhaust duct, the fixed structure including a first side beam and a second side beam, each of the first side beam and the second side beam extending in a direction axially aft from the exhaust duct outlet;

an upper thrust reverser door and a lower thrust reverser door, each of the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door pivotably mounted to the first side beam and the second side beam at a first axial position; and

an upper panel and a lower panel, the upper panel and the lower panel directly pivotably mounted to the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door, respectively, at a second axial position located axially forward of the first axial position, the upper panel pivotably mounted to the upper thrust reverser door at a second upper pivot axis located at the second axial position, the upper panel pivotable relative to the upper thrust reverser door about the second upper pivot axis, the lower panel pivotably mounted to the lower thrust reverser door at a second lower pivot axis located at the second axial position, the lower panel pivotable relative to the lower thrust reverser door about the second lower pivot axis, the upper panel and the lower panel defining a nozzle outlet cross-sectional area therebetween;

wherein the upper thrust reverser door is pivotable relative to the fixed structure about a first upper pivot axis located at the first axial position, the lower thrust reverser door is pivotable relative to the fixed structure about a first lower pivot axis located at the first axial position, and with the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door in the stowed position, the upper panel and the lower panel are pivotable about the second upper pivot axis and the second lower pivot axis, respectively, between a first position in which the upper panel and the lower panel define a maximum cross-sectional area of the nozzle outlet cross-sectional area and a second position in which the upper panel and the lower panel define a minimum cross-sectional area of the nozzle outlet cross-sectional area.

2. The variable area nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle outlet cross-sectional area has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

3. The variable area nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper panel is configured to remain fixed relative to the upper thrust reverser door as the upper thrust reverser door pivots between the stowed position and the deployed position and wherein the lower panel is configured to remain fixed relative to the lower thrust reverser door as the lower thrust reverser door pivots between the stowed position and the deployed position.

4. The variable area nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein, with the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door in the deployed position, the upper panel is configured to contact the lower panel at a third axial position located axially aft of the first axial position.

5. The variable area nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the upper panel and the lower panel include an inner nozzle flowpath surface extending between a forward axial end of the inner nozzle flowpath surface and an aft axial end of the inner nozzle flowpath surface.

6. The variable area nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper panel and the lower panel are positioned between the first side beam and the second side beam and wherein each of the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door are pivotably mounted to the first side beam and the second side beam radially outside of the upper panel and the lower panel.

7. The variable area nozzle assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first side beam includes a first inner member and a first outer member positioned radially outside of the first inner member and wherein the second side beam includes a second inner member and a second outer member positioned radially outside of the second inner member.

8. The variable area nozzle assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a first actuation system mounted to one or both of the first outer member and the second outer member, the first actuation system connected to the upper panel and the lower panel and configured to pivot the upper panel and the lower panel relative to the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door, respectively.

9. The variable area nozzle assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a second actuation system mounted to the fixed structure, the second actuation system connected to the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door and configured to pivot the upper thrust reverser door, the lower thrust reverser door, the upper panel, and the lower panel relative to the fixed structure.

10. A method for operating a variable area nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

pivoting an upper panel of a nozzle about a second upper pivot axis of an upper thrust reverser door, the upper panel directly pivotably mounted to the upper thrust reverser door at the second upper pivot axis, the second upper pivot axis located at a second axial position relative to a nozzle centerline; and

pivoting a lower panel of a nozzle about a second lower pivot axis of a lower thrust reverser door, the lower panel directly pivotably mounted to the lower thrust reverser door at the second lower pivot axis, the second lower pivot axis located at the second axial position, the upper panel and the lower panel defining a nozzle outlet cross-sectional area therebetween;

wherein the upper thrust reverser door is configured to pivot about a first upper pivot axis and the lower thrust reverser door is configured to pivot about a first lower pivot axis, and wherein the first upper pivot axis and the first lower pivot axis are located at a first axial position which is axially aft of the second axial position

wherein the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door are pivotable about the first upper pivot axis and the first lower pivot axis, respectively, between a stowed position and a deployed position, and with the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door in the stowed position, the upper panel and the lower panel are pivotable about the second upper pivot axis and the second lower pivot axis, respectively, between a first position in which the upper panel and the lower panel define a maximum cross-sectional area of the nozzle outlet cross-sectional area and a second position in which the upper panel and the lower panel define a minimum cross-sectional area of the nozzle outlet cross-sectional area.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the nozzle outlet cross-sectional area has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the upper thrust reverser door and the lower thrust reverser door are pivotably mounted to a first side beam and a second side beam of a fixed structure, the fixed structure surrounding an exhaust duct extending along the nozzle axis, the fixed structure defining an exhaust duct outlet of the exhaust duct, each of the first side beam and the second side beam extending in a direction axially aft from the exhaust duct outlet.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the steps of pivoting the upper panel and pivoting the lower panel include pivoting the upper panel and pivoting the lower panel with a nozzle actuation system mounted to the first side beam and the second side beam.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the upper panel is configured to remain fixed relative to the upper thrust reverser door as the upper thrust reverser door pivots between the stowed position and the deployed position and wherein the lower panel is configured to remain fixed relative to the lower thrust reverser door as the lower thrust reverser door pivots between the stowed position and the deployed position.