Upgrades Offer New Life for Legacy Turboprops

Here are three upgrade options that can improve a turboprop's safety, performance, and ease of operation.

Tuesday, January 03, 2023 at 05:45 PM ET

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The wide range of turboprops on the market reflect the penetration these aircraft have had in delivering utility to business applications as well as personal use. [Credit: Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

Turboprop aircraft like PC-12s, King Airs, and TBMs can be significantly upgraded with modern technology to enhance safety, performance, and ease of operation.
Innovative Solutions & Support's ThrustSense autothrottle system improves safety and simplifies operation for PC-12s and King Airs, especially in single-pilot and engine-out scenarios.
Tamarack Aerospace's active winglets for King Airs boost range and endurance by up to 18-23% and reduce takeoff/landing distances, making them highly beneficial for special mission aircraft.
Garmin's GFC 600 digital autopilot modernizes older TBM 700-series aircraft, providing smoother control, advanced features like Smart Glide, and an overall enhanced flight experience.

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The wide range of turboprops on the market reflect the penetration these aircraft have had in delivering utility to business applications as well as personal use. If you’d like to upgrade a solid airplane and improve its safety, performance, and ease of operation, take a look at these three options for a meaningful update.

Innovative Solutions & Support ThrustSense Autothrottles for PC-12s and King Airs

Geoff Hedrick, the late founder of Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S), used to fly a Pilatus PC-12 for business and personal travel. So it was natural that Hedrick would end up working closely with Pilatus Aircraft on integrating into the PC-12 the expertise developed by his company for commercial platforms like the Boeing 757 and 767. IS&S introduced the ThrustSense autothrottle to the series as an aftermarket add-on in 2017, and it became standard on the PC-12 NGX in 2019, paired with the FADEC-equipped Pratt & Whitney PT6E-67XP. Now, more than 30 PC-12s have been retrofitted with the system, according to Tom Grunbeck, director of autothrottle products for IS&S.