Turbo time: Overrated?

[AirBill]

Here's a question: Why is kerosene time so highly valued?

I ask this because I got most of my time in piston planes -- all 1,500 of them before I was hired to fly an RJ. Single-engine freight, multi-engine charter and freight, flight instruction, yada yada yada. And yet all we could seem to want while we were building time was to get a job flying King Airs or Caravans.

It seems to me that the single distinguishing charactaristic between turboprop and piston airplanes is that you can chop and drop in a turboprop, but you wouldn't dream of doing that in a piston. Shock cooling makes descents more of a thinking game. Plus, piston aircraft have shorter TBOs, are more prone to failure (blowing a jug), etc.

I guess the attraction is flying higher and faster. But is that all? I realize I'm probably exposing some deep misunderstanding I have about this business. Other than the fact that turbo time is sexier, the lack of that time obviously didn't hurt me: I got a job. But what am I missing? Why is it perceived as being so valuable?

 

[bugchaser]

I have thought the same thing at times. Why do insurance companies require so much experience in turbine equipement before they will turn you loose in one when the turbine engine is much much easier to operate than a complex piston powerplant? What it comes down to I think is that there is much more cost involved with the turbine equipement. It is probably easier to damage a piston engine but the consequences are much greater if you abuse/damage a turbine. Maybe everyone wants to burn kerosene because of the great smell?

 

[Trash8Mofo]

It might be that there are alot more stuff to take care of when it comes to turbine engine. There is the bleeds, which links to pressurization, as well as deice/ anti-ice. Which means you are more likely to fly in crappy wx (say 12k-22k, where ALL the wx hangs out). There's also the hydralics, which links to flight controls, landing gear, speed breaks, regular and park brake. Most pistons dont have ones that are hyrdraulically controlled. And then there is the freaking oil system, auto feather, auto power uptrim and what-have-you that takes two people to verify, readjust settings, and control. I cant think of any of these systems in a C400 or chieftain. But yes, when it comes down to line flying, its all the same stuff..the six-pack (2pacs for glass) in front of you.

 

[Astra Guy]

I think the short answer is because they can. With a glut of pilots they can add discriminators, pretty much as they wish. We all know that operating in a turbine powered aircraft is considerably easier than dealing with the sometimes subtle power changes that are required to keep a recip together.

The chop and drop method you mention will work in a turbine but you would be wise not to use that method too often. Drastic changes in temp internally does have its toll on a turbine engine.