Definition
Airplanes powered by jet engines that produce thrust by drawing in air, compressing it, mixing it with fuel and igniting it, then expelling the hot exhaust gases rearward at high velocity. This category includes pure turbojets and, in common FAA usage, turbofan-powered transport-category aircraft, which share similar handling characteristics, high-altitude performance, and operating procedures distinct from piston or turboprop airplanes.
Plain English
Airplanes powered by jet engines, which create forward push by sucking in air, burning fuel with it, and blasting the hot gases out the back.
Context Anchor
Seen when the FAA handbook compares airplane types and discusses operating considerations for jet airplanes.
Derivation
Turbo' comes from the Latin 'turbo,' meaning a spinning or whirling thing. A turbojet uses a spinning turbine driven by exhaust gases to keep the engine running, which is why the word 'turbo' appears in the name.
Why Pilots Care
Jet thrust does not fall off with increasing airspeed the way propeller thrust does, which changes takeoff distances, climb gradients, and high-speed handling compared with piston airplanes.
Intuition Check
Do not read “turbojet-powered” as simply “any fast airplane.” It means the airplane is powered by turbojet engines specifically, not by a propeller or another kind of engine.
Example Sentence 1
The chapter focuses on the handling differences pilots encounter when transitioning into turbojet-powered airplanes.
Example Sentence 2
Transition training emphasized that turbojet-powered airplanes require earlier descent planning because they cannot safely lose altitude as quickly as piston aircraft.