To move an airplane through the air, thrust is generated with some kind of propulsion system . Many low speed transport aircraft and small commuter aircraft use turboprop propulsion. On this page we will discuss some of the fundamentals of turboprop engines. The turboprop uses a gas turbine core to turn a propeller.
Propellers develop thrust by moving a large mass of air through a small change in velocity.
In the turboprop, a gas turbine core is used. There are two main parts to a turboprop propulsion system, the core engine and the propeller. The core is very similar to a basic turbojet having a compressor , burner , and turbine . However, at the exit of the main turbine the hot exhaust gas is passed through an additional turbine, shown in green on the schematic, before entering the nozzle . Unlike a basic turbojet, most of the energy of the exhaust is used to turn this additional turbine.