TOP 6 FASTEST TURBOPROP PLANES

Here the fastest turboprop planes:

• Piaggio P.180. Avanti Evo

• Bombardier DHC-8Q400

• Beechcraft Starship 2000A

• EPIC E1000 GX

• Daher TBM 940

• Evolution Turbine

Mankind has always been accompanied by the desire to move as quickly as possible. To implement these plans, man created various machines and mechanisms. I must say that the process of conquering speed has not stopped so far. At the present stage, certain results have been achieved in this direction, to a greater extent related to the development of aviation and the modernization of powerful aircraft turboprop engines.

If a person is interested in aviation, then sooner or later, they wonders which turboprop aircraft is the fastest in the world. Let’s understand why the models presented above are the fastest in the turboprop segment. In our article, you will find detailed technical characteristics of each aircraft. And also learn models features that make them special for flights. Do you want to enjoy flying with private aviation right now? Use the services of CharterJet Inc.

Differences between twin turboprop and single-engine turboprop

Turboprop aircraft have significant differences in their types:

• Twin turboprop. In this design, the propeller and compressor are rotated by different turbines. Twin turboprop aircraft are easily recognizable by their unique design, which, as the name suggests, has two propellers usually located on the sides of the aircraft’s fuselage. With their easily recognizable nature, it’s no surprise that many twin turboprop engines have another distinguishing feature – lightning speed. Therefore, they are faster than almost all single-engine turboprops. Also, two engines provide a faster start and rise of the aircraft.
• Single-engine turboprop. As for this type, one can see a common turbine at the heart of the design. This allows owners of single-engine turboprop models to save on operating costs. All thanks to the maintenance and refueling of only one engine instead of two. And while there are very fast twin turboprops, there are still single-engine turboprops that can reach even higher speeds, and we will talk about them below.

There is also an opinion that a twin-turboprop is much safer in flight than a single-engine model. But there is no confirmation of this information. Only at the beginning of these aircrafts development, there were difficulties with the operation of single-engine turboprops. However, today all critical aspects in the design of these models have been brought to perfection, which allows you to fly in safety and comfort. Do you want to enjoy a new experience on private flights? Take advantage of CharterJet Inc.

Top fastest twin turboprops

After profound research, we have made the top 3 fastest twin turboprop aircrafts list:

1. Piaggio P.180. Avanti Evo. The aircraft is powered by two Pratt and Whitney Canada turboprop engines. A top speed of 402 knots makes the Avanti EVO the fastest turboprop aircraft in the world! Its engines are not typically located as usual with turboprops – in front in a “pull” position, but deployed in a pushing position, like jets. Also, incredible speed was achieved thanks to the jet’s design. The aircraft got three bearing planes – the classic two (tail, wing) and the third in the form of the front plumage. The latter creates additional lift, thereby unloading the remaining two planes. Thanks to this, it was possible to reduce the main wing of the aircraft, thereby reducing aerodynamic drag.
2. Bombardier DHC-8Q400. The turboprop aircraft was created by the Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace. The airliner is modernized version of the early models of the Bombardier Dash 8 family aircraft. So you can see that the aircraft body is being lengthened by 6.84 m and new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A turboprop engines with 5071 hp power installed with six-blade propellers model R408 (diameter 4.11 meters, 850 rpm) and a modified wing section. All this allowed the aircraft to gain a 360 knots speed! It is essentially an economy aircraft designed for faster and more efficient flights over short distances.
3. Beechcraft Starship 2000A. The aircraft is built using the SCAT 1 automatic speed control system for takeoff and landing. It has a variable narrowing wing on which two pusher engines are installed. Large end plates, two small keels on the wing’s trailing edge, and a ventral keel provide directional stability. Large variable geometry nose rudders deflect forward 4 degrees when flying at low speed and back 30 degrees when flying in cruise mode. The power plant of two engines is mounted on the trailing edge of the wing. Each engine is powered by a five-bladed propeller and gives the aircraft a speed of 335 knots!

Let’s look at the technical characteristics of each of the models.

Piaggio P.180 Avanti Evo

Fastest twin turboprop aircraft features include:

• Newly designed wingtips, nacelles, and reshaped front fenders that increase climb performance by 3% over previous models.
• The aircraft has five-bladed saber-shaped propellers, which significantly reduce noise. The level of external noise has decreased by 68% – 5 dB(A), and internal – by 20% – 1 dB(A).
• A new brake system that now requires a shorter distance to run. Thanks to this, the geography of its application has increased significantly. The aircraft needs only 1000 m of “concrete” for the run and 994 m for the run.

Bombardier DHC-8 Q400

Features of this jet model include:

• Compared to its predecessors, the Dash 8Q-400 has a longer fuselage and increased passenger capacity, fundamentally new engines, and onboard equipment.
• The Dash 8Q-400 has a low noise level and high flight speed, which, combined with the economy of a turboprop aircraft, gives it an advantage over jet airliners when operating on short routes.

Beechcraft Starship 2000A

The main features of this aircraft:

• The Beechcraft Starship 2000 aircraft is equipped with an automatic speed change system, and its structure is made of a composite using titanium elements.
• The good aerodynamics of the Starship and the high efficiency of two 1200 hp engines allow, at a top speed of 335 knots, to carry out flights with six passengers on board up to almost 3000 km.

Fastest single-engine turboprop

Here single-engine turboprop aircrafts list:

• EPIC E1000 GX. This is the fastest American turboprop single-engine aircraft developed by Epic Aircraft. The five-bladed propeller features stronger composite polymer blades with a thinner, wider airfoil that optimizes flight performance, including stronger takeoff acceleration and higher speeds of 333 knots.
• Daher TBM 940. The upgraded version replaced the TBM 930 introduced in 2016 as the flagship of the family. Unlike the previous version, the TBM 940 is equipped with automatic traction control and an improved automatic anti-icing system. This allows aircraft owners to safely operate the turboprop within the power ratings of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66D engine. Thus, the aircraft can reach a speed of 330 knots.
• Evolution Turbine. Starting in 2008, Lancair International (USA) launched the production of Evolution light multi-purpose aircraft, which became a further development of the Lancair Legacy aircraft. The new aircraft is a four-seater low-wing composite aircraft with a pressurized cabin. There are two types of aircraft, one of which is the Evolution Turbine. It is powered by a 750 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A turboprop engine, allowing the aircraft to reach speeds of 315 knots.

EPIC E1000 GX

Daher TBM 940

Evolution Turbine

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