1
$\begingroup$

Last week I saw two planes with three propellers on each side of the wing. I found it strange I could distinctly hear jets.

My first thought was they were C-130, but I haven't heard of any modern plane that runs six propellers in conjunction with jet engines.

What plane could that be? Any explanation for seeing propellers and hearing a jet sound?

Improve this question
New contributor
Jesselyn Kay Meszaros is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering. Check out our Code of Conduct.
$\endgroup$
2
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ It would likely be much easier to answer this if you specified your location $\endgroup$
    – 60levelchange
    Commented Sep 4 at 5:47
  • $\begingroup$ Please clarify your specific problem or provide additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it's hard to tell exactly what you're asking. $\endgroup$
    – Community Bot
    Commented Sep 4 at 5:55

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
8
$\begingroup$

All currently flying large propeller airplanes use turboprops, which are essentially jets driving turbines driving a propeller. So, seeing a propeller and hearing a jet is completely normal. (Basically, the thrust of the jet engine is not used to propel the aircraft directly, rather, it is used to drive a turbine. That turbine, in turn, drives the propeller.)

There are no six-engine turboprops currently flying, and the last six-engine large airplane was the Antonov An-225 Mriya with its six turbofans, which was unfortunately destroyed during the early days of the Russian invasion into Ukraine.

The drop tanks on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules look very similar to the engine nacelles from certain angles, and are almost evenly spaced between them, which can make them look very much like two extra engines from certain angles:

An RAAF C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft installed with external fuel tanks. Credit: © Royal Australian Air Force. An RAAF C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft installed with external fuel tanks. Credit: © Royal Australian Air Force.

So, I would guess it is possible that you saw a C-130.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
6
  • $\begingroup$ And really, a turbofan (which is what most people think of as a 'jet engine' today) is just a turboprop with the propeller stuffed inside a tube, when you get down to it... $\endgroup$
    – Darth Pseudonym
    Commented Sep 4 at 19:08
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ And the CFM RISE is just a turbofan without the tube. Or an infinite-bypass turbofan, if you will. $\endgroup$
    – Jörg W Mittag
    Commented Sep 4 at 19:53
  • $\begingroup$ No I could count the propellers and see them spinning three on each wing $\endgroup$
    – Jesselyn Kay Meszaros
    Commented Sep 5 at 9:04
  • $\begingroup$ I figured has to be Military because they were flying very close together and flying basically the exact same flight path... Training flight I assumed. I live in Minneapolis and we've got The Air National Guard airlift wing operating out of Fort Snelling which basically an extension of or adjacent to the Minneapolis International Airport $\endgroup$
    – Jesselyn Kay Meszaros
    Commented Sep 5 at 9:09
  • $\begingroup$ @JesselynKayMeszaros There's just not that many planes with six engines period, even if you count vintage planes. If you only count ones with exposed props, the number is tiny. And presumably you would have noticed if you were looking at a 1930s Tupolev or some sort of flying boat, so we can reasonably exclude anything particularly old. So that pretty much leaves the Hercules and misidentifying the external tanks (which is moderately common). $\endgroup$
    – Darth Pseudonym
    Commented Sep 5 at 16:23

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .