Definition
An airplane powered by one or more gas turbine engines, in which a rotating turbine extracts energy from a continuous flow of hot, expanding gases produced by burning fuel in compressed air. This category includes turbojet, turbofan, turboprop, and turboshaft installations, as distinct from piston (reciprocating) engines.
Plain English
An airplane whose engines work by spinning a turbine wheel with hot gases from burning fuel, rather than by pistons moving up and down like a car engine.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of jet airplane systems, turbine engine operation, starting procedures, performance, and maintenance requirements.
Derivation
Turbine comes from the Latin turbo, meaning a spinning thing or whirlwind. The engine is named for the bladed wheel at its core that spins as hot gases rush through it.
Why Pilots Care
Turbine engines deliver higher thrust and operate at different speeds and altitudes, changing takeoff, climb, and handling procedures.
Intuition Check
Do not assume turbine-powered always means a pure jet with no propeller. A turboprop airplane is also turbine-powered because its propeller is driven by a turbine engine.
Example Sentence 1
Before transitioning to a turbine-powered airplane, the pilot completed ground school covering jet engine operation and high-altitude flight.
Example Sentence 2
Performance calculations for the turbine-powered airplane included higher cruise altitudes than those used for piston aircraft.