Airplanes Modified for SPEED - 10 Turboprop Conversions
2024 ж. 14 Мам.
265 502 Рет қаралды
10 airplanes that had piston engines, converted to TURBOPROPS! Putting a turbine engine in an airplane is the best way to increase speed, climb performance, and reliability. Here are some of the best conversions.
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*Remade and reuploaded from an old video*: Comment your favorite turboprop conversion, or which you would like to see!
Why’d you have to reupload the video?
A very interesting turboprop modification will be the Tchèque made vl3 ultralight today available with Rotax 912 100hp an Rotax 915is 135hp. Jmb aircraft is testing the turbotech trp90 turboprop engine now. But will it be also a European ultralight 600kg plane???
@@CalebT_RC Desperate for views, lack of unique ideas.
I'd like to see a single engine Cessna Skymaster (rear engine) converted to 8 seats along with a radar nose..!
Tbm 390
Still watching for the Draco to be resurrected. It will be a true Phoenix.
You are not the only one !....Mike....back to work !
Rumor has it his new pool will be turned into a jacuzzi using a turbine powerplant
Those DC-3s are fire!!!
The Maule family of bush planes are legendary for performance, even at gross weight. A few years back, they offered a TP version which was an absolute Beast of a backcountry tool. Unfortunately, they're few and far between so they're BIG $$$. I'd love to have a more affordable, modern conversion kit for my 1971 M-4-220 Maule. ^v^
Beech Starship 1, awesome t-shirt
I flew a Cessna 421C with the Riley Rocket conversion. The 421 was originally powered by two Continental GTSIO-520-L engines of 375 hp each. The 421C was later converted to the Riley Turbine Eagle 421 aka Riley Rocket, which was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135 turboprops with 750hp each. It was an amazing plane to fly especially after the prop gear reduction box was removed.
Ugh, 421. Whoever designed that plane to have those gearboxes must have been in the throws of insanity.
How many of those Riley Turbine Eagle 421C are there?
@@BobbyGeneric145 gearboxes, when done right, are actually a good thing. You can let the engine turn faster and the prop slower (tip speed at larger prop diameter) which increases overall efficiency. From what I have read, many geared engines (C175) suffered from the pilots still wanting to run them "square". I don't know, if that is really the case, but it would certainly not help these make TBO.
@@BobbyGeneric145 Never met a 421 owner who didn't say it was the most reliable, coolest running aircraft engine they have ever own...you just have to know how to operate them in the decent...
Geared, Turbocharged, injected and opposed. Aka grenades.
my fav would be the DC-3...as a private jet with a comfy cabin ,what a dream airplane..!!
That PC-12 at :41 belonged to one of my customers (he sold it and bought a Mustang). It had a buffalo and ostrich interior. I spent three days on it a few years ago. Wild seeing it here.
These are some great aircraft. I see others have mentioned it, but I was blown away when you got to number 10 and hadn't mentioned any De Havilland aircraft. By far some of the hardest working and most common turbo prop converted aircraft in the world. Australia, the Bahamas, South America, Germany and the Pacific North wWest ,just to name a few places you'll find them.The Turbo Beaver, and Turbo Otter should at least get an honorable mention!
That royal Duke 😍 definitely 🏁
Thanks for the video, Beaver and Otter were some of the first aircraft to be converted to turboprop.
You forgot the piper Cheyenne with the Garrett TPE331-14 engines. It's literally the fastest plane ever built ever
I went to Velocity a month ago for a tour and flight with my dad on his Bday. Was great fun. They had a twin turbine getting the final touches at the hangar. Imagine that beast of a thing!
Loved the Starship shirt. Haven't seen any memorabilia like that for a VERY long time.
Content...presentation....editing...you are going places. God bless you.
The next turboprop airplane I'd like to see is mine!
Love the sound of those low passes.
Haven’t heard good things maintenance-wise on the earlier [piston] Dukes-specifically their engines. The specs of the converted one make it sound like a beast.
I know it's not a conversion, but the PA-42 Cheyenne 400 is just badass.
That’s one of my favorites. I love that huuge T tail
@@FloridaFlying Have you seen the video of Chuck Yeager climbing in one at about 5-6000 feet per minute? So awesome.
Our salesman for Muncie Aviation brought a 400LS down for a demo flight. When he lifted off on his way back to Muncie he asked ATC for an expedited climb to his flight plan altitude. From the time he made is outbound turn to the time he arrived at the Nabb VORTAC(13 miles away) he was at 25,000 ft.
@@stevehicks8944 That's badass.
Im really glad you mentioned the wilga and the draco
Your comparison and closer look videos are great! Thanks for posting.
Hey thank you! I am trying to do more of those. Like anyone interested in aviation, I could talk about planes all day
I caught on video of a cessna 337 with a turbo prop. The Grumman mallard is nice with a turbo prop also.
Hi Las Vegas Craig here My first time watching your channel I enjoyed Your video Great job on research and examples of engine up grades Bravo 👏🏻 I look forward to watching more videos from your channel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ✌️👍👌
Kodiak is a certified model I love! I liked the video. Thanks
Surprised you didn't have the de Havilland Beaver and Otters. Both are very commonly being converted to turbo prop, with several companies specializing in the conversion..
I was thinking the same thing. Probably a lot more common than most of the others on this list.
I think that’s why they weren’t on the list because it is fairly common
Nice list. Thanks!
I think the most obvious omission is the Turbine Lancair. Fun video anyhow. The DC-3 conversion feels like heresy.
Great video, thanks for the info.
This is a great channel, glad to have found it.
More info on turboprop conversions. Loved this video!
Had to get Draco in there. I cannot wait until V2 is built!
Me either! I’m still waiting to see some real Scrappy footage
He is not building another one.
@@speedomars3869 He is. He said so on his channel and he bought a new Wilga to rebuild it with. Do you watch his stuff? Because I do and have for years.
@@FloridaFlying the new bike mounts video has me so ready!
@@DataRew The last time I saw him talking to anyone he said he was done. Maybe he changed his mind.
would love to see a Mooney with a turbo prop
The Cheyenne 400 was my favorite. 41,0000’ in 11 min and 8sec. The VSI will “peg” through 14000’. LA to Vero Beach non stop. 352kts top speed if is tuned correctly. Faster if it is not. Landing distance is 750’. No conversion necessary
That is an absolute beast of a time machine!
Didn't Chuck Yeager promote that thing? That alone speaks volumes ... ^v^
I have a Glasair Sportsman that can be easily converted to a taildragger or floats from tricycle gear (all mounting points built into the original aircraft). A small turbo prop would give that aircraft great on water performance, ability to fly where 100LL is not available, increased payload and better high altitude performance for mountain flying. I’m sure it would also improve landing and takeoff distances which are already very good. And of course reliability is nothing to be ignored as a major positive. The big downside is obviously cost. An issue may be weight distribution and CG but it might be something worth looking at in the future, especially if a good replacement for 100LL is not found.
I’d love to see a Mooney set up like that.
👍 I'd like to see a C-123 turbo Prop
Great video 👍
Royal Turbine, Beech and Turbo props are like peanut butter and jelly. Turbo props on a DC 3 while practical is BLASPHEMY!
Not in my church!
@@buffomarinus17 radials roar after marking their territory.
Flew in a Duke one time out of P.C.B, Florida to Birmingham Alabama. Bham tower thought we were C 90 King Air!
nice video, very informational; i like your style.
Thank you, I appreciate it!
GREAT VIDEO! u guys new subscriber
great content here! and speaking of turboprop conversions, the Cessna 340A also has one, and also using Rolls-Royce/Allison 250s 😎😎 and of course, what I think is the granddaddy of GenAv turboprop conversions - Beechcraft’s Queen Air - which, after being paired with the PT6, gave birth to the legend we know as the King Air 😎😎
-On your video on turboprop conversions... Thumbs up! 😀 I think that the Dehaviland Beaver turbine conversions might be worthy to be included in your list. ( I believe there are quite a number of them flying). -High climb rate and short take-off n' landing capabilities (as you pointed out) is very useful in bushplanes. Also... Isn't there a lot longer time between service intervals on turbine engines?
Yea the can run 3-4 times longer between majors
And your 100 percent the Beaver should be close to the top of the list with a 1000 more weight it can carry and they are a bad ass plane with that long nose and chrome pipes sticking out each side !!
I have been following the progress of the Velocity Twin since 2012, it didn't have the performance, range or load needed so I let them know. I am very excited about the twin Turboprop in the 4 seat which is currently waiting on ECU's and 6 seat configuration that should be flying in 2022
Have they gotten it flying yet?
This list is amazing!! And if you make a video about jet conversions it would be great to put the Piper PA-60 Aerostar converted with 2 jet engines that make look him like the civil version of the Messerschmitt Me-262, nice video keep going!!
The plans exists. Ted Smith envisioned that before selling to Piper.
Great video, however you missed out quite a number of piston to turboprop retrofitted planes. The Beech Baron that had one Turbo prop Walter M601 fitted in its nose and its original pistond motors removed from its wings , called the ''tradewind''. Also a one of a kind modified North American Navion fitted with a Walter M601 Turboprop engine as was depicted in a 2001 Flying magazine issue. The mod was done by a firm called Turbine Design, and the engineer responsible was one Douglas Karlsen. There is also an Allison turboprop modified version of the Sia Machetti ( Italian made plane originally piston 2 seat trainer for their military }. There is also a Beechcraft 36 Bonanza modified to a 550 HP Pratt & Whitney PT 6 engine , not sure if that was done by ''Texas Turbines'' ? As a former owner of a piston Navion Rangemaster, I would like to see a video of the one made in 2001 by Douglas Karlsen. I gather it was sold to a retired airforce pilot somewhere in Nevada USA.
I like the video. I own a Cessna 210 Silver Eagle as well as a Cessna 340 Silver Eagle (which was not on your list)
An interesting turbo prop conversion I know of here in Massachusetts is a PT-6 powered Seawind amphibian (N71RJ). It’s one of a kind. Perhaps you’d want to look into it and mention it in an update to this video.
Plymouth airport?
6:30 Nine Engines and Two Wings - the DEP Antonov - 8 electric and one turboprop !
I think I’ve seen some Antonov AN-2’s in a field in Cuba; they use them for crop dusting
Would love to turbo a Super Cub now that would be a short field aircraft
Probably the most successful turbine conversion on any aircraft is the AT-502, which started out with a 600HP R-1340 on the original prototype and was terribly underpowered. The standard PT6-34 with 750HP made it a popular aircraft, and has more sales than any other converted aircraft produced. They later went nuts with the 502A variant and bolted on a -65ag, giving it 1,100HP. You simply don't run out of power with a 502A. Another conversion that would've never made it beyond prototyping was the Performance Aircraft Legend, that later became the Turbine Legend after they replaced the Chevy V8 with a Walter 601. One off conversions are plentiful, the ones that came to mind above the others were the LoPresti Swiftfury (also wins the most pretentious name award) and the Oracle Turbo Raven, which was a modified Giles-202 with a positive thrust to weight ratio. The Turbo Raven still holds the world record for a 3000m and 6000m climb from a stop, it was the fastest climbing propeller driven aircraft in the world.
Good quality videos 👍👌
Another fun video Pedro.
Thanks Matt! You’re always so supportive
@@FloridaFlying you put out great content!
1:58 Look at the extreme rudder input on that aircraft. Is that a result of the conversion? Can that aircraft get insurance?
Impulse doesn't even have retractable gear yet still fast.
Very interesting!
Would love to see a turboprop DC4 or C46. Not overly practical but just think it would look cool 🤣
I think a propjet C46 would be the fckn tits, dude.
That would be a Basler BT-67.
@@SturgellatOSU that’s the dc3 models. We were saying old c46 or dc4 with modern turboprops would look sick
There was actually a proposal to build a turboprop DC7, which was to be the DC7D. It was never built due to lack of interest. You CAN find several drawings of the proposed plane, and it looks pretty slick and modern compared to the original DC7. On the other hand, a few turboprop Constellations were built. With four 5500HP Pratt and Whitney T34 engines, they were actually stellar performers, and were among the fastest propeller driven planes. But like the DC7D, lack of interest ultimately killed the idea.
I'd love to see a Bellanca Super Viking turboprop conversion 🙂
I always thought the ultimate smuggler aircraft would be the turbo DC3 with the float setup like that one up at Folsom lake.
I would love to see a Cessna 402 turboprop conversion!!
I read about the turbine Duke years ago, and it's a rocket for sure. Only problem is the donor aircraft are at least 40 years old which makes for high maintenance vs using a newer airframe. The availability of parts for a 40+ year old Duke might be an issue also.
It looks good though. Maybe they'll make new ones with PT-6's.
The good news is, with the advent of 3D printing, all kinds of rare parts are much more available now. ^v^
Forgot the older Malibus. Those long nose conversions led to the production Meridian. I remember when the Bonanzas and 210s were doing the conversions. Always thought the Duke was a good candidate...and they made a mini-King Air! Wish they would have done the Allison/Rolls Royce conversion on the Cessna 414/421. Especially the 421. I hated working on those geared engines...
Riley had a couple of STCs for engine conversions on the 421Bs and Cs. The first was the Riley Turbine Rocket 421(LTP-101 engines...750hp) and the Riley Turbine Eagle 421(PT6A-135 or -112). The PT6A conversions were essentially the Blackhawk conversion for the Conquest I and the OE engine for the Conquest I. Can’t say I blame you for hating the GTSIO-520s. My first job in aviation was as a power plant mechanic in a piston engine overhaul shop. We had a 421C on leaseback. We ended up overhauling both engines with new cylinders, new spur gear sets and new cranks. Those engine were as near to perfect as humanly possible but we still hid any time that beast took off!
Magnífico 👏 👏
A Cessna 336 Skymaster/337 Super Skymaster Turboprop Conversion would be very interesting 👍
Love the 'MixMaster'. A TP conversion would be an Awesome aircraft ... ^v^
That Lancair!!!!
The Aero Commander had turboprop conversions of their earlier aircraft.
I'd absolutely love to see a pair of PBS TP100s on a B55 Baron or Aerostar.
Interesting re: the RV-10...my Dad's Mooney 201 ran a Lycoming IO-520...imagine a late 70s Mooney with a light turboprop conversion!
Exactly what I was thinking. I built Mooney's back in 1989 and 1990. When they were going through another layoff during slow times, I moved from avionics to security. Over in the experimental dept were some pretty awesome planes. There was even a Mooney twin that never went into production.
With Rolls Royce coming out with that small turbo prop you could see them in about any plane out there. They had a 172 Cessna with one in it. Not my choice but it can be done. I wand you see a Glassair with 450 hp. That would be a rocket because with the piston engine it flew at 290 mph but the insurance would kill the gun !
@@brentmcmahon8188 it seems nobody is really catching on to the RR-300. I almost have the impression that the interest was larger, when the engines were still marketed as Allison 250s. A short-bodied Mooney with a turbine would be great. You'll need to do something about the fuel, because at around 50gal standard, you'd be looking for a gas pump pretty shortly after take off. 😄
A twin turbo prop velocity would be very interesting.
Do you think anyone will consider converting a Sling Tsi with a turbo prop engine? It’s a really great plane as a piston driven plane ,but can you imagine that plane with a turbo prop?? ✌🏻🇺🇸👍🏻thanks for another GREAT VIDEO!! ✌🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I’m sure someone will eventually do it. A PBS TP-100 would be perfect for it. However the sling is already so efficient with the rotax, especially the 915. Thank you!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
@@FloridaFlying Your right of course but the thought of a turbo prop on an already Military style as the Sling tsi can look depending on the color. Ex: Mojogrip has a silvery platinum flat paint job on his TSi that has always looked like a military trainer to me. If that plane had a turbo prop engine, it would not only look bad ass but it would be one fast toy to fly. Thanks for taking the time to answer my query, I know your a busy guy these days and I appreciate it. ✌🏻🇺🇸✌🏻🇺🇸✌🏻🇺🇸✌🏻🇺🇸👍🏻
What about the jet power converted aerostar? Or the garret powered one?
The bonanza you showed first video of is a B36TC with a Pratt & Whitney engine, just FYI
The clips of the Vans RV 10 at 8:16 and 8:33 were filmed at Spruce Creek Fly In in Port Orange, FL
You forgot the Glassair with the turbo prop. The piston engine version flew at 290 with a piston engine and woul think it would come close to 400 if they can keep it together !
How about a Skymaster? That would be crazy. Lol
They turned a Beech Duke into a Beech C90 King Air. That’s right BeechCraft did that 50 plus years ago.
Mike pateys turbulence lance air is one of the coolest single engine planes
The sound at the beginning didn't sound like a Turboprop engine at all, almost a radial was it a mistake in sound track?
Bro, I'm from Malaysia, is it difficult to get a flying licence? How long? For small planes, 6 to 12 seaters. What do I need to get it? How long usually?
00:45 lol, past the hold short line
Beavers! The DH ones.......
For the turbine DC-3, they’re also called a basiler (idk if I spelled that right LOL)
Wait a minute, you remade the video? How could you, Florida Flying???
Would be great to know the average costs of each conversion. Nice video.
I'd like to see and ride in a DeHavlin Beaver with turbo prop upgrade. I'm pretty sure they do exist, probably in the Great State of Alaska….
Glass Air III conversion I would like to see.
There are a few glasair turboprops out there
Oops! Antinov….. Fourteen hundred fifty HP. Not Four hundred fifty. Interesting video none the less. Thanks
MIKE PATEY BUILT A LANCAIR WITH A TURBO PROP , IT HOLDS WORLD RECORD FOR FASTEST SINGLE ENGINE TURBO PROP.
Aqui no Brasil recentemente pousou um dc3 com motores pt6
The Bonanza also takes a PT6-21.
You forgot the king of turboprop conversions, the L-1249 Lockheed Constellation. True, you probably aren’t going to reconstruct one unless your name is Elon Musk or Bill Gates. But it’s DEFINITELY worth mentioning an old piston airliner that is capable of flying across the country at 500MPH with turboprop power.
I'd like to see what someone like Mike Patey could do with a P&W PT6A-34 (750hp) on a plane like the Extra 330LX!!!
He's looking at stuffing a 1200hp PT-6 Into... Well, something, anyhow. He says it's gonna make TURBULENCE look like a limping dog.
@@theprojectproject01 Wow! That'll be "Must See" content ... 😎 ^v^
Air Tractor 802 is the world’s largest single engine aircraft.
You talked about improvements, but failed to mention things such as range. There’s a reason the tradewinds bonanza never caught on!
1,500 ft take off roll for a Duke? Yeah, RIGHT. Maybe if it is only the pilot and 100 gallons of fuel. I’ve seen B60s take 3,000 ft or more to become airborne with three passengers plus pilot and half the fuel capacity. BTW....you left out the turbine conversion for the Cessna 340.
If you do this again, please include range.
Yes, I would like to know this too!
0:20........you sound like the Duke brothers explaining to Eddy Murphy what a commodity is. Just saying. ;)
MERLIN 4 has the change.
like 100!