A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes a fan section, a turbine section, a compressor section, and an engine bleed system. The compressor section includes a low compressor stage proximate to the fan section, a high compressor stage axially downstream from the low compressor stage and proximate to the turbine section, and a mid-compressor stage including variable vane assemblies distributed axially between the low and high compressor stage. The engine bleed system includes engine bleed taps with a mid-compressor bleed tap axially between two of the variable vane assemblies, at least one low stage bleed tap axially upstream from the mid-compressor bleed tap, and at least one high stage bleed tap axially downstream from the mid-compressor bleed tap. An external manifold is in pneumatic communication with the mid-compressor bleed tap. A valve system can select one engine bleed tap as a bleed air source for an aircraft use.