Patent ID: 7905083

Claim:
A method of assembling a turbofan engine assembly comprises: providing a core gas turbine engine including a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, and a high-pressure turbine; coupling a booster compressor upstream from the core gas turbine engine; coupling an intermediate-pressure turbine downstream from the core gas turbine engine; coupling the booster compressor to the intermediate-pressure turbine using a first shaft; coupling a counter-rotating fan assembly upstream from the booster compressor, the counter-rotating fan assembly including a first fan assembly configured to rotate in a first direction and a second fan assembly configured to rotate in an opposite second direction, the first fan assembly including a plurality of blades that extend substantially to an inner surface of a nacelle surrounding the counter-rotating fan assembly, the second fan assembly including a plurality of blades that extend substantially to the inner surface; coupling the second fan assembly to the intermediate-pressure turbine such that the intermediate-pressure turbine drives the second fan assembly at a speed different than that of the booster compressor; and coupling a low-pressure turbine downstream from the intermediate-pressure turbine; and coupling the first fan assembly directly to the low-pressure turbine such that the first fan assembly rotates at the same rotational speed and in the same rotational direction as the low-pressure turbine.