Static labelled overviewSelected: Turbofan Lp Shaft

The searchable component guide and reviewed text remain usable without WebGL. The interactive model loads when this section approaches the viewport and the browser has idle time.

Read about Low-pressure shaft

Guided journey

Core airflow: intake to exhaust

Follow the working fluid through the generic two-spool turbofan before tracing the shafts that return turbine work to the compressors and fan.

Step 1 of 8Intake

The intake presents the incoming air to the fan.

Trace the system

What connects to this part?

Identify the part

Find it in the model

Test spatial recall with the four reviewed low-pressure-system concepts.

Compare mode

See the difference

Comparison

Compare where each high-lift device sits and how it changes the wing.

Compare	Trailing-edge flap	Leading-edge slat
Location	Inboard trailing edge	Wing leading edge
Primary effect	Increases camber and often area	Opens a slot that delays separation
Exam distinction	Adds substantial lift and drag	Helps sustain attached flow at high angle of attack

Reviewed FAA source (2026-09-09)

Low-pressure shaft

The low-pressure shaft mechanically connects the fan and low-pressure compressor to the low-pressure turbine.

Where it is: Along the engine centreline, inside the hollow high-pressure shaft in the illustrated cutaway.
What it does: It transmits turbine torque forward to the fan and low-pressure compressor.
Relationship: The low-pressure turbine drives it, while the high-pressure shaft is a separate concentric shaft for the high-pressure spool.
Common confusion: A shaft carries mechanical power, not airflow. The core and bypass streams follow different flow paths through the engine.

Check yourself

Without looking back, can you explain where the low-pressure shaft is, what it does, and which component drives it or is driven by it?

Scope: Generic two-spool high-bypass turbofan teaching model. Reviewed 2026-09-09.

Related concepts

Sources

NASA Glenn: Turbofan engines