the compressor stages are sequentially numbered in the figure the compressor flow path comprises any number of rotor stages and stator stages such as eighteen however the exact number of rotor and stator stages is a choice of engineering design any number of rotor and stator stages can be provided in the combustor as embodied by the invention the seventeen rotor stages are merely exemplary of one turbine design the eighteen rotor stages are not intended to limit the invention in any manner the compressor rotor blades impart kinetic energy to the airflow and therefore bring about a desired pressure rise across the compressor directly following the rotor airfoils is a stage of stator airfoils both the rotor and stator airfoils turn the airflow slow the airflow velocity in the respective airfoil frame of reference and yield a rise in the static pressure of the airflow the configuration of the airfoil along with its interaction with surrounding airfoils including its peripheral surface provides for stage airflow efficiency enhanced aeromechanics smooth laminar flow from stage to stage reduced thermal stresses enhanced interrelation of the stages to effectively pass the airflow from stage to stage and reduced mechanical stresses among other desirable aspects of the invention typically multiple rows of rotor stator stages are stacked in axial flow compressors to achieve a desired discharge to inlet pressure ratio rotor and stator airfoils can be secured to rotor wheels or stator case by an appropriate attachment configuration often known as a u201c root u201d.