In the past, turboprop singles used for business flying typically did not offer the speed, load capability or systems redundancy of turboprop twins, though singles have amassed a comparable safety record. But the differences between them are disappearing with the advent of new breed of turboprop singles destined to enter the market in the next two or three years.
While their engines might be familiar, with a majority powered by the venerable Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6, the latest business turboprops–namely the Epic LT, Extra EA-500, Grob G160 Ranger, Ibis Ae270 Spirit and Farnborough F1 (the Vulcanair VF600W and Grob G140TP were excluded from this list because they lack pressurization)–have an extra edge because they were designed using state-of-the-art engineering software. The Epic LT, Grob G160 and Farnborough F1 are all-composite designs, which make them even lighter and more aerodynamic.
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