A gas turbine engine comprising a fan section, a compressor, a combustor
and a turbine, includes a nacelle having an inner nacelle surface
defining an inlet duct designed to reduce an inlet duct area of the inlet
duct to increase acoustic attenuation. The gas turbine engine also
includes a spinner, disposed forward of the fan section, that includes
features to increase acoustic attenuation. In one embodiment of the
present invention, the nacelle includes a nacelle contoured surface
protruding radially inward from the inner nacelle surface to reduce the
inlet duct area. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the
spinner includes a spinner contoured surface for reducing the inlet duct
area. In other embodiments, the nacelle and/or the spinner include an
inflatable bladder, a SMA actuator, a fluidic actuator, or a combination
thereof, selectively activated to increase acoustic attenuation during
certain conditions of an aircraft.