US Patent 11560841 Aircraft propulsion system with variable area inlet

An assembly includes a variable area inlet and an inlet duct. The variable area inlet includes an inlet structure and a center body structure. The inlet structure extends circumferentially about the center body structure with an outer inlet passage radially between the center body structure and the inlet structure. The center body structure includes an outer body and an inner body. The outer body extends circumferentially about the inner body with an inner inlet passage radially between the inner and outer bodies. The inner body is configured to move along a centerline relative to the outer body between a first position and a second position. The inlet duct is fluidly coupled with the outer inlet passage when the inner body is in the first position. The inlet duct is fluidly coupled with the outer inlet passage and the inner inlet passage when the inner body is in the second position.