Patent ID: 8402739

Claim:
A gas turbine engine, comprising: a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section; a nacelle assembly at least partially surrounding at least one of said compressor section, said combustor section and said turbine section, wherein said nacelle assembly includes a plurality of discrete sections circumferentially disposed about an engine longitudinal centerline axis and each having a leading edge and a body panel portion including a first portion and a second portion; said first portion facing radially inward and being aft of said leading edge and said second portion facing radially outward and being aft said leading edge; said first portion and said second portion having a common adaptive structure and defining a nacelle thickness; wherein said thickness is selectively adjustable by a simultaneous deployment of said first and said second portions by said adaptive structure of said body panel portion relative to said engine longitudinal centerline axis to alter said adaptive structure; and a programmable controller that identifies an operability condition, wherein said programmable controller selectively commands the adjustment of said nacelle thickness of said plurality of discrete sections in response to said operability condition.