Why does the c130 use turboprops?

The whole family of all C-130 aircraft variations use turboprop engines for a number of reasons such as short field takeoff and landing capabilities, the ability to operate from relatively unprepared fields, cost of operations, and ability to do slow flight for parachute drops, etc.

Why is turboprop more efficient?

Compared to turbofans, turboprops are most efficient at flight speeds below 725 km/h (450 mph; 390 knots) because the jet velocity of the propeller (and exhaust) is relatively low. Modern turboprop airliners operate at nearly the same speed as small regional jet airliners but burn two-thirds of the fuel per passenger.

Is c130 still in production?

The C-130 Hercules is the longest continuously produced military aircraft at over 60 years, with the updated Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules currently being produced.

What are the new propellers for the C-130 aircraft?

The new eight-bladed composite propellers are shaped to provide additional thrust in the takeoff and low airspeed range while using the current C-130 engines. Regular C-130 “legacy” planes use four-blade propellers. With eight blades, the NP 2000 props are designed to perform with more power and efficiency.

What’s the difference between the NP 2000 and the C-130?

“The NP 2000 has been optimized more and represents the next step in propeller technology,” said Major Cain. In the coming months, the NP 2000 propellers will be replaced on the C-130H3 with legacy four-blade propellers to conduct flight tests to directly compare the performance differences between new and old.

Will the NP 2000 propeller produce a flight manual for LC-130s?

Engineers have been conducting performance testing since May on the NP 2000 propeller to characterize how the propeller performs to produce a flight manual for the LC-130, or any other C-130 that may be outfitted with the new prop.