Patent ID: 7435056

Claim:
A turbofan engine comprising: a turbofan rotor positioned to direct intake air therethrough; a gas turbine core engine disposed downstream of the turbofan rotor and comprising a compressor, a combustor and a turbine; and a plurality of composite stator vanes disposed between the turbofan rotor and the gas turbine core engine, and configured to receive air directed through the turbofan rotor and direct the received intake air into the gas turbine engine core, each of the composite stator vanes is defined by a leading edge, a trailing edge, a concave surface and a convex surface, and each of the composite stator vanes comprises: an epoxy matrix resin; an epoxy matrix resin composite wound and twisted preform comprised of a plurality of braided graphite fibers and aramid fibers embedded in the epoxy matrix resin; a wire mesh screen molded into the leading edge of the composite stator vane and embedded into the epoxy matrix resin whereby a portion of the epoxy matrix resin is extruded through the wire mesh screen to an external surface of the wire mesh screen; and an erosion protection layer disposed on the wire mesh screen and portions of the epoxy matrix resin extruded through the wire mesh screen.