BIG Differences Flying a Turboprop vs. Piston Aircraft

I recently got checked out in a turboprop (Kodiak 100) for the first time. In some ways it's similar to a piston aircraft, and in a lot of ways it's quite different. In this video I wanted to showcase the main differences that stuck out to me, the new terminology and concepts I learned, and how that plays out throughout the flight from startup through landing. I hope it helps you in your aviation journey!

[griam]

Retired controller here……it is in our manual that we assume ALL turbine aircraft are ready for takeoff when they reach the runway (unless the pilot states otherwise).

[Onthescale]

You can really recognize enthusiasm when a grown man makes engine sounds when describing how cool it sounds😂 I love it and can 100% relate!

[brianschalme]

Fun fact: earlier in the career of the Fairchild A10 Thunderbolt II (“Warthog”), they discovered firing that massive 30mm tended to cause engine flame outs, just from all the gunpowder residue getting sucked in to the engines. Nowadays, the gun trigger is wired into the igniter circuitry, so when the pilot fires the gun, the igniters come on, thus avoiding flame outs.

[strawberryboomerang]

This is THE goldilocks video — precise explanations, clear structure, enthusiastic delivery. Awesome work.

[tarquespasqualli]

An hour filming and another hour in studio/edit for every minute of final content is about right. You're doing things professionally.

[matthiashartge]

11:15 I absolutely love that about turboprops: when spotting at a large airport, they may be hardly visible on on the ramps, put they make almost as much noise as a big jet :D

[anthonydail]

Well… this is the most informative video on how to fly a turbo prop I have ever seen! I feel like I could take off in one after seeing this video. Good job and great work. And yeah, I’m a videographer, so I know the work that goes into this stuff. It’s mind blowing most people can’t relate to

[GregoryEvansRacing]

Nice video overall, pretty detailed. I just have a couple things to add from a turbine pilot (PC12 and King Airs):

1. it's not really a throttle, it's a power lever. You're controlling fuel flow into the engine, not the throttle butterfly valve/air flow. It's also a prop lever - in the beta range, the fuel flow is not being changed by the lever, it's just changing the prop blade angle. In reverse, the power lever becomes a prop and fuel controller combined, which is limited by the setting of the condition lever. So if you want max reverse power, high idle is required.

2. power lever and prop lever management is actually the same flow as a piston aircraft. When increasing prop RPM, set props first then power. If decreasing prop RPM, trim power first then props. Torque will rise as NP decreases just like in a piston engine.


3. starting is more complicated than you let on for the majority of PT6 aircraft, and there are many different ways they start. In the King Air, everything is manual. We must disengage the starter after 50% NG and we have to set high idle on the single running engine to start the sister engine. The generators have to also manually be engaged and checked using the bus voltage selector and manually opening and closing the gen ties and bus safety ties. In the Pilatus NG/NGX, we just push a button and introduce fuel. In the NGX the fuel is automatic. But we still have to monitor the starters, igniters, generators, ITT, and fuel pumps. Also, beginning ITT is a huge component of starting a hot engine after dropping off pax or what have you. The starter motor must be "dry motored" until the ITT falls to within safe limits. If you introduce fuel and the ITT is 300 C, you're gonna over-temp the engine when the secondary igniters pop off. Also, if you do hot start or hung start, you should dry motor the engine for a few seconds to reduce ITT and purge fuel, otherwise you could have a fire. In any of these instances, starter limits become a real concern on every start.

4. many PT6/turbine aircraft have an extensive runup check. The King Air runup checklist is over 60 items long. We have to check autofeather, prop governors (overspeed and normal), rudder boost, pressurization, exercise the prop governors, auto crossfeed, etc, etc, etc. The runup checklist even has 4-5 sub-checklists for specific items like the autofeather check.

[DrDirigible]

Thanks, as a piston pilot this clears up the mystery of starting and running a turbo-prop.

[shunae]

I’ve tried watching lots of videos about turboprops, i still don’t quite get it, until this video.
Thank you for explaining it in such practical manner

[Sports-Jorge]

Kodiak is an awesome aircraft! It refuses to fully stall and can land on a football field! So much fun

Really like the chapters shown at the bottom of the screen - but would be even better if they were time stamps so I could easily jump to the relevant chapter. Thanks so much for putting these videos together!

[gveduccio]

this was the best explanation of turboprop operation than anything I ever saw...other well known creators go through the procedures but never explained what ITT etc has anything to do with anything

[graf_marcula]

I only fly in flight simulator, but I just started flying the Cessna 208 after upgrading from the 172 and this video really helped me understand the power settings. Great video! Thanks

[johnreed]

Thanks for the explanation of the beta sound. I've heard it but never knew exactly what it was. Again, your videos are awesome, and have helped me out so much on my aviation journey.

[MarcPagan]

Thanks for the video from a CFI, and former airline pilot.
Good fun, and helpful for my students transitioning to a Regional.

[drdave]

As a GA pilot of 4 seaters, I have often thought about how turbos work. Thanks for this very informative video

[Bizjetpilot]

Very good explanation. I have thousands of hours of piston and jet time but no turboprop time. So now i know most of the procedures. Thanks you.

[Erny_Module]

That's a perfect video! Everything thoroughly explained, using simple examples, with memory hints, examples and real-world flying. This is the first vid I've seen of yours, and I'm impressed! Thanks for the time and effort in putting this together- much appreciated!
Engine sounds... yes, we've all done it! Grown men make engine sounds - it's what we do and who we are!

[VasyaIvanovichPupkin]

15:17 You did good man! This is a really good format and delivery. To the chase yet layman and no bloat. Subbed!