Definition
The rotating bladed wheels in the turbine section of a turbine engine that extract energy from the hot, high-pressure exhaust gases and convert it into rotational shaft power, which is then used to drive the compressor, propeller, or other engine accessories.
Plain English
Spinning bladed wheels inside the engine that catch the hot exhaust gases and turn that energy into the spinning motion the engine needs to keep itself running and to drive the propeller.
Context Anchor
Seen in turbine-engine system descriptions, especially when learning how a fixed-shaft engine uses hot gas to keep the compressor turning.
Derivation
From the Latin 'turbo,' meaning a whirling or spinning thing. A 'rotor' is simply the rotating part of a machine. So a turbine rotor is the spinning wheel that gets driven by the flow of gas passing through it.
Why Pilots Care
In fixed-shaft turboprops the turbine rotors provide the direct mechanical connection between the engine core and the propeller, so their condition directly affects power delivery and engine limits.
Analogy
A turbine rotor is a little like a waterwheel, except hot gas pushes it instead of water. As the wheel turns, it can drive another part of the machine.
Intuition Check
Do not confuse turbine rotors with helicopter rotors or propellers. Here, rotors are internal spinning engine parts, not external lifting or thrust-producing blades.
Example Sentence 1
In a fixed-shaft turboprop, the turbine rotors are connected through a reduction gearbox directly to the propeller.
Example Sentence 2
In a fixed-shaft engine, any restriction of the turbine rotors immediately reduces propeller RPM because they share the same shaft.