Apparatus for arresting a crack within an exhaust nozzle flap seal body

A variable geometry exhaust nozzle (90) for a gas turbine engine (20) having an exhaust centerline (74), said nozzle (90) comprising: a plurality of flaps (70) arranged around the exhaust centerline (74), each of said flaps having a sealing surface (78); and a plurality of flap seals (72), each of said seals (72) having a body (80) including a sealing surface (82) and being positioned between a pair of flaps (70) of said plurality of flaps (70) so that the sealing surface (82) of the seal (72) engages the sealing surface (78) of at least one of said adjacent flaps (70), each of said bodies including a plurality of plies (153) stacked and bonded together, wherein at least one of said seal bodies (80) has a reinforcement (200) bonded to said body (80) so that at least a portion of said reinforcement (200) is positioned between two adjacent plies (153) in said body (80).