If you’re afraid of tech, please step away now. As you probably know, we here at Matouring love travel and we love aviation: two activities that just keep on giving. We also live not too far away from a major airport, so the skies are filled: it’s a symbiotic relationship with loads of real and present history.
But, jet planes and propeller planes represent two fundamental and distinct approaches to aircraft propulsion, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The big differences stem primarily from how they generate thrust, which in turn dictates their optimal operating conditions and applications. What’s good is that both types of airship still co-exist.
In fact, there are legions of av-geeks who follow individual planes as well as the airlines. It’s quite a diverse group, right down to the call letters of the planes themselves.
To get to the point, piston props are typically much slower, while turboprops are faster but still operate in the low-to-mid subsonic range (e.g., 250-400 mph). Propeller efficiency drops significantly as blade tips approach the speed of sound, creating shockwaves and drag.
Aviation lesson over, the real reason that we’ve done this post is that you may find yourself in a propeller plane and wonder why it’s not a jet. Simply, there is a place for these birds of the skies and each has its purpose. Turbo-props can easily fly into small airports that can’t support today’s airships. That means that even the smallest town can enjoy air services.
Also, with their excellent short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities, the propeller’s airflow over the wings at low speeds generates significant lift, allowing them to operate from shorter runways, and even unpaved or grass strips. Everyone’s a winner. So, the next time you are scheduled on a propeller flight, rejoice and enjoy a little bit of history.
If you want to get in on something good, here is a rather abbreviated list of airlines who still do. WestJet Encore: WestJet’s (Canada) regional subsidiary primarily operates Dash 8 Q400s. Air Canada Express (operated by Jazz Aviation): Jazz Aviation, a regional partner of Air Canada, operates a significant fleet of Dash 8 turboprops. Horizon Air (Alaska Airlines subsidiary): Operates Dash 8 Q400s for Alaska Airlines’ regional network. Cape Air: Operates smaller turboprops like the Tecnam P2012 Traveller, Cessna 402, and Britten-Norman Islander for short-haul flights in the Northeast, Caribbean, and Midwest. Silver Airways: A major turboprop operator in Florida and the Caribbean, flying ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft.
Air New Zealand (domestic/regional): Operates a large fleet of ATR 72s. Ethiopian Airlines: Uses Dash 8 Q400s for domestic and regional routes. Azul Brazilian Airlines: Operates a significant number of ATR 72s. IndiGo (India): Has a large fleet of ATR 72s for regional connectivity. The list goes on and on. So, the next time you’re scheduled on a propeller plane, rejoice and enjoy a bit of history.
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