A rotor assembly for generating vehicle thrust. The rotor assembly includes a rotor hub with a plurality of rotor blade assemblies coupled thereto. Each rotor blade assembly includes a metallic bearing race, a composite rotor blade and a split collet assembly. The split collet assembly includes two circumferentially distributed collet members each having an inner inboard conical seat configured to mate with a radially outwardly extending conical feature of the bearing race and an inner outboard conical seat configured to mate with a radially outwardly extending conical feature of the rotor blade. The split collet assembly also includes an outer sleeve having an inner conical surface that mates with outer conical surfaces of the collet members to maintain the collet members in a circumferential orientation around the bearing race and the rotor blade such that the split collet assembly provides a centrifugal force load path therebetween.