A Malindo Air ATR 72-600 Turboprop plane
Photo Credit: Teerawut Wongdee
What happened to passenger planes with propeller engines? Are they all gone now?
Many people believe that propeller planes are obsolete but the truth is that they are still very much alive and operating in many airlines around the world. They are generally flown on shorter regional or domestic destinations.
One of the most common misconceptions is that propeller planes are less safe than their jet-powered counterparts. However, this is far from the truth.
All airplanes, regardless of whether they are powered by propellers or jets are designed and produced to strict international standards.
In the early days of aviation, most planes used internal combustion or piston engines like your car engine, to turn the propellers. Due to many moving parts, piston engines were less reliable. This changed with the introduction of the turbine engine.
‘Propeller’ planes in the question and answer here refer to turboprop or turbo propeller engines where the propellers are now turned by a jet engine instead of a piston engine.
Turboprop engines have far fewer moving parts as compared to a piston engine. As such, their smooth, vibration-free operation offers greater reliability and longer time between overhauls than piston aircraft.
While piston engines are simpler in design, they are almost out of date today and only used on smaller planes like the Cessna 172. Piston engines driven propeller planes are slower than a turboprop engine plane.
Most regional and domestic airlines today operate with planes such as the ATR 72 with turbo propellers and are turbine powered just like the larger airliners such as a Boeing 777.
In fact, they are two similar aircraft. One with propellers and one without. Both are turbine powered. The engine of the Boeing 777 has a large fan in the front, which generates most of the engine’s thrust.
Commercial turboprop planes tend to be smaller than the regular jetliners like the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 but they are just as reliable and safe.
However, turboprops tend to be a little noisy but they are more reliable if you are flying into a smaller airport. The advantage is that you are on a plane that can stop a lot quicker than a jet plane because the propellers tend to give them that extra drag when the reversers are selected.
While turboprops may not be as fast as jet planes, some airlines use them because they are cheaper to operate. Over shorter distances, and with smaller passenger loads, the effect is particularly clear.
There are times when some people see a plane with propellers and instantly feel anxious. Fear not! Rest assured that you are in a plane that is just as safe as a jet liner.
With that, I wish you all a safe and pleasant flight when flying a turboprop plane on your next holiday!
View a video ‘How do Turbo Prop Engines work?’
here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft016nS_iOw