Turboprop operations
TPs offer performance at affordable costs.
By Shannon Forrest
Contributing Writer
In the simplest non-technical terms, a turboprop is a gas turbine that powers a propeller. On the aviation spectrum that starts with piston reciprocating aircraft and ends with jets, turboprops have always held an intermediate position.
They are sometimes described as “Goldilocks aircraft” because, for many mission profiles, a piston aircraft might be insufficient, but a jet provides more capability than is necessary.
A turboprop can be “not too big and not too small, but just right.” It can take off and land using shorter runways, which means access to many more public and private airports in the US, while still attaining reasonably fast speeds with modest fuel consumption.
Who flies a turboprop?
Entry-level turboprop buyers focusing on single-engine airframes often step up from a high-performance piston single like a Beech Bonanza or Piper Saratoga.
Trading up from a light multi-engine aircraft like a Cessna 310 or Piper Navajo to a single-engine turboprop is also common. The turboprop holds a significant advantage in dealing with weather, especially flight into known icing (FIKI). Engine reliability is paramount, and data shows turboprops are more reliable than piston powerplants.
Many professional pilots start their careers flying turboprops, and a significant number continue to fly them full-time, whether within a corporate flight department, for a charter operator, or for a high-net-worth owner. Owner/operators are another key demographic for single-engine turboprop manufacturers.
According to Piper Aircraft, the M500 is a “category-defining aircraft that bridges the gap between piston planes and high-end turboprops, offering owner-pilots a level of sophistication and safety that no other aircraft in its price range can match.”
The M500 brochure boasts of the aircraft’s 1000-nm range at 260 kts TAS, a maximum cruise altitude of FL300, a takeoff distance of 2438 ft, and a landing distance over a 50-ft obstacle of 2110 ft.
The difference between standard empty weight and max takeoff weight yields a useful load of roughly 1700 lb. The suggested retail price for a new M500 is around $3 million, but pre-owned versions cost between $1.5 and $2.5 million.
Calculating true costs
As any aircraft owner or flight department manager can attest, acquisition cost is only a small portion of the total.
There are costs for insurance, hangarage (not always easy to find), fuel, and scheduled and unscheduled maintenance – plus the cost of a professional pilot, if required. These are often calculated on a per-hour basis, which varies with annual utilization. Piper estimates the M500 costs about $590 per hour to fly, with annual ownership costs around $230,000 based on 200 hours.
With the PT6A-42A burning 37 gallons per hour, 200 hours consumes 7400 gallons annually. Jet-A price fluctuations in the same area can exceed $3 per gallon. For instance, Atlantic Aviation MCO (Intl, Orlando FL) currently advertises Jet-A at $7.09 per gallon.
One advantage of a turboprop is that it can land almost anywhere. A pilot willing to fly 36 miles southwest of MCO to a self-serve pump can get the same Jet-A for $4 a gallon.
That equates to more than $20,000 in annual fuel savings. The same strategy applies to landing and handling fees. Adding the word “turboprop” to an airframe makes fees jump at major airports.
The M500’s wingspan is only 10 ft wider and its length only 2 ft more than the piston-driven Piper Saratoga, yet its classification as a turboprop triggers a premium ramp fee. At a smaller municipal airport, however, the fee may be nominal.
The takeaway is that if an operator already flies a piston aircraft, it makes sense to consider a turboprop. Although turbine maintenance costs are higher for items like hot section inspections and overhauls, the faster speed reduces engine time per trip, while the often lower cost of Jet-A versus 100LL, as well as maintenance incentive programs, can bridge the financial gap.
For comparison, according to Lycoming distributor Air Power GKY (Arlington TX), a factory-remanufactured IO-540 engine (300 hp) lists for $83,000, with an average 26-month lead time. While there’s no absolute requirement to overhaul at time between overhauls (TBO), unless required by operating regulations, it is a standard metric for cost calculations.
Conversely, the Maintenance on Reliable Engines (MORE) company in Reno NV holds an FAA STC for a complete maintenance method that extends PT6A TBO to 8000 hours. More than 3500 aircraft use this STC, which incorporates instructions for continued airworthiness.
The high-performance TBM 960
Given that most privately-owned and corporate aircraft average under 300 hours annually, even a small TBO extension defers expensive maintenance, improving affordability over time. The Daher TBM 960 is a 6-place, single-engine aircraft offering the speed of a light jet at turboprop costs. Daher claims a 330-kt cruise speed. The PT6E-66XT engine is controlled by the Engine and Propeller Electronic Control System (EPECS).
The aircraft features a single-lever power control, with EPECS managing torque and temperature to prevent exceedances and reduce pilot workload.
The engine is electronically managed, and a redesigned turbine increases TBO from 3500 to 5000 hours.
EPECS also monitors engine health for trend analysis. A 5-blade propeller produces only 76.4 decibels, placing it well under noise abatement limits and offering a quiet cabin.
As expected, a glass panel is standard. The Garmin G3000 suite is the heart of the system, with intuitive touchscreen interfaces. Daher’s E-copilot paradigm improves situational awareness (SA) and protects against undesired aircraft states.
The first line of defense is an angle-of-attack sensor on the primary flight display (PFD), with secondary protection via a stick shaker and flight envelope protection in the autopilot. Automatic ice protection activates if the pilot fails to activate it manually after ice detection.
The 960 can be equipped with the Garmin Autoland system, designed to land the aircraft in case of pilot incapacitation. In December 2025, the system got its first first real-world test when a Beech King Air 200 used it to land at BJC (Rocky Mountain Metro, Denver CO) after a rapid depressurization departing ASE (Aspen CO).
The conscious pilots donned oxygen but allowed the automated system to fly the aircraft and make radio calls. The aircraft landed safely as designed.
The versatile PC-12
Unlike business jets, which are divided into classes, no such clear distinction exists for turboprops.
However, the next step up from Piper or Daher turboprops for private or business travel is often the Pilatus PC-12. The PC-12 is highly versatile.
Operators can reconfigure the cabin from a luxurious 9-passenger executive layout to cargo or medevac configurations. A large cargo door facilitates loading bulky items, supporting remote operations.
The PC-12 NG is outfitted with the Honeywell Primus Apex avionics suite, featuring 4 high-resolution displays, synthetic vision system (SVS), and an enhanced autopilot.
The Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67P delivers 285 kts at a 30,000-ft service ceiling.
This turboprop is in extensive use with charter operators and fractional ownership companies like PlaneSense. Although certified for single-pilot operations, some organizations use 2 pilots.
Pre-owned PC-12 NGs roughly a decade old average between $4 and $6 million.
Cessna Caravan
You can’t talk about turboprops without mentioning the Cessna Caravan. Textron cites its reputation for “rugged utility and flexibility.”
The Caravan is the Jeep Wrangler of the industry – highly adaptable and heavily modifiable for “off-road” missions.
A stalwart of the freight industry for decades, the latest iteration comes with the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics system, which incorporates SVS and weather radar.
Even with fixed gear, the 675-shp PT6A-114A delivers up to 186 kts. It’s not a get-there-fast airplane, but a get-there-with-every-thing one, whether carrying 14 passengers or cargo like all-terrain vehicles to a gravel strip. Calculating operating cost per pound delivered makes the Caravan a highly efficient turboprop.
The King Air and mods value
The Textron/Beechcraft King Air is the most ubiquitous twin-engine turboprop line. Options range from the entry-level C90 model (now out of production) to the premier King Air 360. On the pre-owned market, 1970s C90s sell for $400,000 to $800,000.
A new King Air 360 has a base price ranging from $8 to $9 million. In performance, the 360 offers a 312-kt cruise, a 3300-ft takeoff length, and a 1800-nm range.
While the price gap is substantial, buyers can bridge it by upgrading older aircraft. A leading modifier is Blackhawk at ACT (Regional, Waco TX).
The company offers engine upgrades for the C90 that provide a 59% increased climb rate, 270-kt cruise, and reduced fuel consumption.
Blackhawk’s cost-of-operation argument is that higher speed saves travel time, leading to more calendar time before recommended overhaul, ie, extending TBO.
Raisbeck Engineering airframe improvements can also be added, making the case for retrofit as a sound investment.
The value in older twins
Good deals can also be found in lesser-known twin turboprops, like the Piper Cheyenne and Mitsubishi MU-2, which may be found for under $1 million. A complete retrofit with a modern glass cockpit, refreshed interior, and an engine life-extension program can produce a reliable, efficient turboprop at a cost significantly lower than buying new.
Shannon Forrest is a current line pilot, CRM facilitator, and aviation safety consultant. He has more than 15,000 hrs TT and holds a degree in behavioral psychology.