Controversial? No, not if you chose an aircraft with a Garrett power plant, that is.
I’ve been window shopping around for TPE331’s recently and you pay roughly around $30/hr for a Garrett with time left on it (except the -10, as they’re more desirable). That’s cheaper than a PT-6 in any, shape or form. A friend of mine bought a set of halftime 331’s when his were hitting Hot Section time for pretty much piston engine overhaul prices – around $60K aside. $60K for another 2000hrs. That’s less than I paid for my IO-540’s when all was said and done with hoses, turbos, wastegates! Add to this the 5000hr/2500hr HSI or 5400hr TBO/1800hr HSI (depending on what engine plan you’re on) interval, 20-30% less fuel burn compared to the PT6’s and the Garrett’s are hard to beat financially.
Due to the PT6’s total dominance on the market, they can now charge what they want. Something to think about perhaps if you’re looking to step up to a TP single. Ignoring the "newer airplane " argument (which an old plane can’t compete with obviously), you could fly a TP twin for the same cost in fuel burn and overhaul as an equivalent TP single. And save a ton of money in purchase on top.
Which brings on a broader question – if there was no cost penalty for having a twin, wouldn’t you want that extra safety?
Or when was the last time you saw a charter TP twin renting for $850/hr to customer? With Garrett’s they can make that work. You’d never see a TBM or a PC-12 rented for that cost. Or a KA90. I doubt even an old Caravan would rent for that.
You can’t operate Garrets sensibly in Europe — too loud.
You can’t operate Garrets sensibly in Europe — too loud.
Not entirely true. There are plenty of Garret powered twins flying around like Metroliners, Jetstreams and Do228s. It depends a lot on the propellers. Even if you have to pay a little more for landing fees due to noise (we never did when I flew the Metro) you compensate that with the lower fuel burn compared to engines like the PT6.
Actually, Walter M601 (now GE) may be even cheaper to run. Especially M601B and M601D that are no longer supported by the manufacturer but still overhaulable elsewhere.
Walters should be even cheaper (not in fuel, but in everything else) like UN said. Probably will change now that Honeywell own them and they’re getting westernized. I do hope the Kestrel gets to market – the world needs a single engine alternative to the PT6 dominance.
The fuel burn for a TP single of similar size doesn’t follow conventional piston wisdom – there’s no penalty for having a second engine. A PC-12 burns about 66gal/hr, a Turbo Commander about 58gal/hr. Same size, same weight, same landing fees, roughly. The TC will be faster, too. But perhaps the noise fee’s would add up, I don’t know how much that adds up in Europe.
What “cheap” options are there when one wants pressurization and speed, let’s say at least 280KTAS?
I find it very difficult to compromise with an expensive aircraft, I wouldn’t want to pay 500k€ and then get a stinking and cold cabin (Cessna P210 Silver Eagle) and the old turboprop twins usually look and feel like a 40 year old caravan brothel…
Adam, I am sure the TC is nice but it isn’t a PC12. Can it do the same missions, yes.
What “cheap” options are there when one wants pressurization and speed, let’s say at least 280KTAS?
Single? None that I can think of. Old TP twin – quite a few. All I’m saying is that, if one can put the new plane smell feel aside (I have no argument there), it seems like there’s an irrational barrier towards twins. “It’s going to cost twice as much”, “landing fee’s will be much higher”. No, they won’t. You’ll pay exactly the same as if you’d had a TBM, maybe even less.
It’s like the Cirrus SF50 they’re developing (and I’m sure will sell thousands of). It has terrible specs. Barely does 300kts whilst burning 70gals/hr. A new Mustang twin engine jet will outrun it on less fuel, whilst carrying more. Why are people so hell bent on staying single engine, when it actually costs them more? I don’t get it.
TBM700 will do it.
Why are people so hell bent on staying single engine, when it actually costs them more? I don’t get it.
I could answer that from a personal perspective:
Then you get more generic issues
If everybody did their PPL in a twin, or had an old ME Rating, much of the above would go away. But, in Europe, the natural post-PPL progression SE to ME ended some 10 years ago.
