‘Lower Costs, Larger Cabins’: Why Aviation Companies Are Investing in the Humble Turboprop

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The long-overlooked turboprop is making a comeback as a nimble short-haul business jet.

AeroVanti is not the only aviation company capitalizing on the benefits of turboprop aircraft—lower costs, larger cabins, and less required runway—that have often been overlooked in favor of jets.Courtesy AeroVanti

Turboprops like the KingAir were used for their short-landing capabilities, often flying to off-grid destinations. Turboprops satisfy a specific customer niche, says Kimberly Herrell, CEO of Schubach Aviation, a private jet charter operator based in San Diego. “They typically have more passenger room and luggage space than a light jet and are priced similar to or less than light jets.

Wheels Up saw a better use for the KingAir 350i as a fleet commuter in populous regions like New York, New England and Florida. Turboprops are especially in demand with the growing popularity of short-hop travel to seasonal destinations, said Vinayak Hegde, president of Wheels Up, the on-demand charter company with the largest fleet of turboprops in the US. “We’ve been working with turboprops since the very beginning,” he told.

Kodiak 100 became a popular regional commuter in remote locations like the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Turboprops comprise about a quarter of overall business aircraft activity in North America, according to Travis Kuhn, vice president of market intelligence for Argus International.

 

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