A gas turbine engine includes a fan section, a compressor section, and a turbine section. The fan section has a plurality of vane assemblies spaced circumferentially about an engine axis. The vane assemblies each include an airfoil extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, a control rod extending through the airfoil, and a mechanism driven by the control rod to change the shape of the airfoil. A vane system for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

Cantilevered airfoils and methods of forming the same are disclosed herein. An example airfoil disclosed herein includes an airfoil including an airfoil body including a first face and a second face, a first recessed portion formed in the first face and internal temperature-regulating features and a first insert disposed within the first recessed portion, the first insert causing the airfoil body to assume a first predefined curvature profile at a first temperature, the first insert causing the airfoil body to assume a second predefined curvature profile at a second temperature.

A variable geometry aerodynamic blade system employs a blade having a leading edge and a trailing edge. At least one shape memory alloy component is integrated in the blade for aerodynamic repositioning of one or both of the leading and trailing edges. At least one heating element interacts with the at least one shape memory alloy component to provide heating for transition between an austenitic and a martensitic phase. The at least one shape memory alloy component is responsive to the at least one heating element to alter one of a camber and twist of the blade responsive to a control signal. A control system is operatively engaged to the at least one heating element, the control system receiving a command signal and outputting the control signal responsive to the command signal.

A morphing airfoil includes a dynamic flexible skin system that is capable of carrying high level aerodynamic (or fluid) pressure loads over a structural surface. The structural surface can morph and bend in response to control inputs to change a lift force without separate movable control surfaces. A plurality of standoff mounts are attached to an inner surface of anisotropic skin. The standoff mounts include through apertures for receiving a flexible stringer. The anisotropic skin is attached to underlying structure through the flexible stringers. The flexible stringers interface with actuated position control ribs and passive compliant support ribs. A control system causes the underlying support structure to move to a desired location which in turn causes the skin to bend and/or flex without exceeding a stress threshold and thus vary the lift and drag distributions along a span of the airfoil without separate control surfaces.

A rotor blade airfoil of a turbomachine, which rotor blade airfoil has: a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a profile chord length which is dependent on the height of the blade airfoil. In a side view of the blade airfoil, a maximum projected chord length his defined as the axial spacing between the axially foremost point of the leading edge and the axially rearmost point of the trailing edge of the blade airfoil in the side view under consideration. Here, the axial position of the leading edge varies in a manner dependent on the height of the blade airfoil above a front axial region. Provision is made whereby, furthermore, with respect to the side view under consideration, the axial position of the trailing edge of the blade airfoil varies in a manner dependent on the height of the blade airfoil above a rear axial region, wherein the variation of the axial position of the trailing edge in the rear axial region amounts to at least 10% of the maximum projected chord length, the trailing edge of the blade airfoil assumes the axially rearmost point at a height of the blade airfoil that lies in the range between 20% and 50% of the total height of the blade airfoil at the trailing edge, and the leading edge of the blade airfoil assumes the axially foremost point at a height of the blade airfoil that lies in the range between 15% and 35% of the total height of the blade airfoil at the leading edge.

An airfoil including a plurality of composite plies extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge and between a tip and a root. The airfoil further includes a frangible airfoil portion at the tip extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and extending between the tip and a frangible line along a span. The frangible airfoil portion including a plurality of composite plies and one or more shape memory alloy inserts disposed between the plurality of composite plies. A gas turbine engine including a frangible airfoil and methods for forming a frangible airfoil are also disclosed.

An airfoil includes an airfoil wall that defines a leading end, a trailing end, and first and second sides that join the leading end and the trailing end. A rib connects the first and second sides of the airfoil wall. The rib defines a tube portion that circumscribes a rib passage, and first and second connector arms that solely join the tube portion to, respectively, the first and second sides of the airfoil wall.

An airfoil including: an airfoil portion having an airfoil surface; and a communication hole extending at least in the airfoil portion and a first opening open in the airfoil surface, through which the first opening is communicated with a second opening provided in a portion of the airfoil. On a cross-section perpendicular to the spanwise direction through a position of the first opening of the spanwise direction, an angle A1 satisfying a condition (a) exists within an angle range −10 degrees to 10 degrees with respect to an extension line obtained by extending a camber line of the airfoil portion from a leading edge. The condition (a) is a static pressure at a position of the first opening is equal to a static pressure at a position of the second opening when the airfoil portion receives a fluid flow from a direction of the angle A1 toward the leading edge.

An airfoil includes an airfoil wall that defines a leading end, a trailing end, and first and second sides that join the leading end and the trailing end. A rib connects the first and second sides of the airfoil wall. The rib defines a tube portion that circumscribes a rib passage, and first and second connector arms that solely join the tube portion to, respectively, the first and second sides of the airfoil wall.

Morphable rotor blades for a turbine engine systems include a root portion and an airfoil portion having a morphable portion including a morphable material that changes shape in response to a stimulus.