Patent ID: 7490461

Claim:
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine, said method comprising: providing a core gas turbine engine at least partially defined by a frame and having a drive shaft rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the core gas turbine engine; coupling a low-pressure turbine to the core gas turbine engine; coupling a counter-rotating fan assembly including a first fan assembly and a second fan assembly to the low-pressure turbine such that the first fan assembly rotates in a first direction and the second fan assembly rotates in an opposite second direction; coupling a booster compressor to the second fan assembly; mounting a first bearing assembly between the drive shaft and the frame; operatively coupling the first fan assembly to the first bearing assembly to transmit thrust force from the first fan assembly to the frame; mounting a second bearing assembly with respect to the second fan assembly; operatively coupling the second fan assembly to the second bearing assembly to transfer thrust force from at least one of the second fan assembly and the booster compressor to the second bearing assembly; and coupling a first roller bearing assembly between the frame and a cone of the second fan assembly.