Patent ID: 6892697

Claim:
A method for improving the reliability of an engine comprising: providing a single engine having an output shaft and first and second power producing members producing power driving the output shaft; providing a first set of systems serving the first power producing member; providing a second set of systems separated from the first set of systems and comprising the same type of systems as the first set of systems, the second set of systems serving the second power producing member; operating the engine, whereby said power producing members drive said shaft; detecting performance degradation of a system of said first and second set of systems or performance degradation of one of the first and second power producing members; reducing a function of at least one system of said first and second sets of systems having the performance degraded system or serving the performance degraded power producing member; and continuing the operation of the engine with said power producing member served by the performance degraded system or said performance degraded power producing member producing a reduced power level relative to the other power producing member.