Why does the C-130 military transport plane use propellers instead of jet engines?
In: Engineering
So, the real reason for using props on the C-130 isn’t any of the reasons listed so far.
The C-130 was designed from the outset to be able to perform logistics missions anywhere. So that means it has to be able to operate from unprepared surfaces, such as dirt/gravel roads. Landing and taking off from those types of surfaces would kick up a significant amount of debris. The turbine blades in jet engines are extremely sensitive to ingesting debris, whereas propellers are not.
Additionally, prop engines are significantly easier to work on in an environment without dedicated support facilities, making the aircraft more reliable in the long term for where its missions tend to occur.
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