Business aviation is already a seriously established industry,
but there is a particular type of plane whose position cannot be easily shaken; turboprops are
the unshaken kings of short-haul travel. Despite that, the light jets pose a serious threat and
are seriously winning a market share; turboprops are the ultimate aircraft in short-haul flights.
Let's look at flying variables like speed, range, practicality, and operating cost. For
this comparison, we will stick with turboprops and jets that carry a maximum of 6 passengers,
similar size and price. Speed
Flying in almost all cases is simply the faster and more reliable option.
Even within the realm of flying, speed matters. The TBM can achieve a maximum speed of 330-knots.
The Epic E1000 flies slightly faster at 333-knots, only 3-knots faster than the TBM. In comparison,
the Vision jet can only reach a maximum speed of 311-knots, while the Embraer Phenom 100 can
leave dust on all of their windshields with its cruise speed of 406-knots.
But when you factor in the fact that roughly 80% of private flights in the U.S.
are less than two hours, the Phenom 100 won't make much difference. For example, if you frequently
commute between New York and Atlanta; MINUS TAKE OFF AND LANDING TIMES, the Phenom 100 will
get you there in 1-hour 40-min; it will take the E1000 24 minutes more to cover the same distance;
with the TBM, you will get there in two hours, AND FOR THE VISION JET, YOU WILL BE THERE AFTER
EVERYONE ELSE AT 2-HOURS 20-MINUTS. But suppose the Piaggio Avanti Evo is Tossed into the mix.
In that case, it leaves all of them in the dust because with its cruise speed of 402-knots,
it gets there almost at the same time as the Phenom 100, and with its serious range of 1,770
nautical miles, this plane takes you to Chicago nonstop from Los Angeles. Some people will say
eeeeeehhhhhhh for long flights, light jets are better haha; light jets don't do long flights
either. Show me a light jet that comfortably fly New York to Califonia Nonstop or transatlantic,
then I will give you a Dwayne's Aviation award haha. Some people will be fast to comment that
the Cessna citation cj4 has the range, but there is a reason I said "comfortably." You can as well
mention the Syberjet SJ30 too, haha. Range
The speed of an aircraft only addresses half of the performance requirements for planes in this
class. Not only must these aircraft be able to fly fast, but they must have a long range and fly
to more distant destinations. The Epic E1000 can reach an impressive range of 1560-nautical miles.
At 1730-nautical miles of range, the TBM flies 200-nautical miles longer than the E1000, but
the E1000 gets there faster. The Phenom 100 can only reach a maximum range of 1170-nautical miles
for the light jets, while the Vision jet flies a little farther at 1275-nautical miles. This
wider flying range allows the turboprops to reach many destinations nonstop, whereas most
jets would simply fall short; they would need to make a refueling stop. The average fuel stop can
take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour; this additional stop can drastically increase
the overall travel time the journey would normally take. Combining the range of the turboprops with
their speed and efficiency, it's simply hard to find an aircraft more suitable for the job.
Service Ceiling As altitude increases, the density
of the air decreases. This is good for aircraft because less air means less air resistance. The
less air resistance the aircraft experiences, the easier it is to zip through the atmosphere.
This can allow the aircraft to fly at faster speeds while burning less fuel.
All of these planes have pressurized cabins. The TBM can reach altitudes of up to 31,000-ft;
the Epic E1000 flies higher at 34000-ft. The Vision jet flies just as high as the TBM.
But at 34000-ft, the E1000 can poop on the TBM and the Vision jet, but the Phenom 100
can poop on all of them at 41000-ft. Climb Rate
How fast an aircraft climbs is equally as important as the service ceiling; the Vision jet,
for example, cruises at 31000-ft, but do you know how long it takes to get there? Hmm.
Not only is the E1000 capable of soaring at high altitudes and fast speeds than its rivals,
but it can reach these altitudes faster. With a rocket fast 4000ft/min climb rate,
it gets to altitude faster than the TBM, which climbs at a rate of 2400-feet/min.
In comparison, the Phenom 100 climbs at the rate of 3000-ft/min (slower than the TBM), while the
Vision jet snails behind at 1600-ft/min. Lower Initial Cost
The upfront cost of an aircraft can affect its viability and profitability.
Therefore, the initial cost of an aircraft can determine whether it is suitable for a customer
or not. The TBM costs anything from 4.5 to $5 million dollars. The base price for a
typically equipped E1000 will run you anything around 3.5 to $4m. In comparison, a typically
equipped Vision jet will run you around $3.5m, while the list price of the latest variant 100EV
is 4.6 million U.S. dollars. The jets are cheaper, but the lower initial cost does not result in
lower overall operations costs. Fuel Consumption
The lower overall operational cost of an aircraft can determine whether it's a viable option, but
bear in mind that you can never truly justify the cost of flying a private plane. With fuel
costs becoming an ever-increasing concern to operators, efficiency matters. Reduced fuel
costs can significantly reduce the per-flight cost and thus overall operational costs. The Socata TBM
has one of the lowest fuel consumption rates per hour compared to the other aircraft in its class.
The TBM uses approximately 65.7 gallons per hour at maximum cruise;
fuel consumption at economy cruise is 37 U.S. gallons per hour. The E1000 delivers fuel burns of
60 gallons per hour at cruise speeds of 300 knots down low and 40 gallons per hour at 300 knots
up high at 34,000 feet. The Vision jet typically burns 80-gallons per hour for the first hour,
but it drops to 55 at its best economy cruise settings. The Phenom 100 burns 125 gallons in
the first hour and 90 subsequently. Operational and maintenance costs
Speaking of operating costs, which comprise fuel, staff, maintenance, and all associated fixed
costs of owning and operating the aircraft. Based on 450 annual owner-operated hours
and a $7.00-per-gallon fuel cost, the TBM has total variable costs of $446,850.00,
total fixed costs of $176,020.00, and a yearly budget of $622,870.00.
This breaks down to $1,384.16 per hour. The EPIC E1000 has total variable costs of $396,900.00,
total fixed costs of $158,549.00, and an annual budget of $555,449.00, which breaks down to
$1,234.33 per hour. In comparison, the Vision jet is the cheapest to operate; it has total variable
costs of $450,450.00, total fixed costs of $44,956.00, and an annual budget of $495,406.00,
which breaks down to only $1,100.90 per hour, and for the EMBRAER Phenom 100, the total
variable cost is $612,625.50, total fixed costs is $63,106.00, and an annual budget of $675,731.50,
which breaks down to $1,501.63 per hour. Remember that this is based on 450 hours per year, and most
pilots fly half of that, which means that the operating cost in most cases is half of that.
It is challenging to appropriately analyze turboprops versus jets in such a small and
limited setting; there are many variables in the equation. Twins versus singles,
which size category, and so on. Turboprops burn less fuel but are slower,
so it ultimately evens out in the end. Jets are much more sensitive to austere and unprepared or
unmaintained airfields and require considerably longer pavement for takeoffs and landings.
Apart from the examples mentioned in this video, let's look at other serious Turboprops and light
jets you can equally get. Best Turboprops to Buy
The Lancair Evolution is the best four-seat plane you can buy in place of a jet,
and it comes with three different turboprop engine options, but I recommend the 750-hp
Pratt & Whitney PT6 engine, which has a maximum cruise of 300 knots at 25,000 ft
on a fuel burn of 39 gallons per hour of Jet-A.
The Piper Meridian is one of the most cost-effective small turboprop airplanes
on the market today. This airplane is good at both short-range and long-range flights, and it
uses the highly reliable 600hp Pratt and Whitney PT6 turbine engine and Garmin's advanced avionics
to yield a flight range of over 1,000 miles at an altitude of 30,000 ft. The cabin is great,
which can comfortably seat up to 5 passengers. The Beechcraft King Air C90GTx is one of the most
efficient twin-engine options out there. With a maximum flight range of 1500 miles, cruising at
250 mph, and an impressive sitting capacity of up to 8, the Beechcraft King Air C90GTx
can carry your entire family from California to Texas nonstop, or New York to Atlanta,
or London to Madrid, even Paris to Moscow. The Pilatus PC12 is a versatile workhorse,
a multi-purpose powerhouse, and a highly reliable airplane, which can take you from gravel to
grass or even more rudimentary runways. It also uses the Pratt and Whitney PT6 turbine engine,
and its capabilities are seriously great. Best light-jets to buy
The Honda Jet is the most unique light jet out there, particularly because of its nose section,
which looks like some nice shoes; its lavatory, despite its relatively small size
(it's the only very light jet with a lavatory), then the over-the-wing engine mount,
which is its most unique feature. Powered by two GE Honda HF120 turbofan engines,
cruise speed is 422 KTAS at 30,000-feet, and maximum range is 1437 nautical miles.
The Stratos 716x is the closest thing you can get to the Vision Jet. On paper,
it outperforms the Vision Jet in every direction, but it has been in development for a long time;
I don't know when it will hit the market, but this jet is a game-changer. It is designed with
the owner-operator in mind, focusing on simplicity and docile flight qualities for ease of operation.
The Stratos 716X's engine thrust acts close to the aircraft's center of gravity,
contributing to the design objectives of easy handling and low pilot workload. Powered by
a Pratt & Whitney Canada engine, cruise speed is 400-knots, with about 2000 miles of range.
Eclipse 500 is the first very light jet in the world. The cabin of this jet is pretty small and
automobile-inspired, but it is comfortable for 4 passengers, with the maximum configuration
seating 5 with one pilot in the cockpit. Using two Pratt & Whitney Canada turbofan engines,
the maximum range is 1294-miles, and a maximum is 370 knots, making it perfect for trips around
800 to 1000 miles. Conclusion
The inherent sexiness of jets often makes consumers automatically prefer them. However, when
you consider the pros and cons of turboprops and jets, it is easy to understand why the turboprop
option is often the most logical choice. The fact is, as mentioned before, roughly 80% of private
flights in the U.S. are less than two hours, so the speed of a jet won't make much difference,
and light jets don't fly farther than turboprops either. The business aviation marketplace seems to
understand this as well, as turboprops accounted for nearly 30% of business-related flights last
year. For longer flights in excess of 1,000 miles, jets may very well be the most comfortable option.