This is the fan itself. The riveted aluminum structure
you see is probably bolted where the bell  housing goes
on the back of the three rotor and supports the aft extension 
shaft bearing near the fan.

It takes a lot of lead in the nose to balance all this stuff.
When the airplane is designed for this engine fan combination
all that will go away of course. See the ACRE NL web site for 
some further pictures and sketches of proposed three rotor 
turbo ducted fan engines and airplanes.

If all this works the range of business jets could be doubled
because the fuel burned would be halved and the cost of
the engines  halved as well compared to small turbofans
typically used on business jets.
 
Paul Lamar
 
The Aircraft Rotary Engine Newsletter.              Powered by Linux.

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