Gas turbine on and off to run it only at high efficiency. The emergence of the continuously variable transmission may also alleviate the responsiveness problem. Turbines have historically been more expensive to produce than piston engines, though this is partly because piston engines have been mass-produced in huge quantities for decades, while small gas turbine engines are rarities; however, turbines are mass-produced in the closely related form of the turbocharger. The turbocharger is basically a compact and simple free shaft radial gas turbine which is driven by the piston engine's exhaust gas. The centripetal turbine wheel drives a centrifugal compressor wheel through
Gas turbine system technician Gas turbine system technician Gas turbine systems technicians (abbreviated as GS) is a United States Navy occupational rating. Gas turbine systems technicians (electrical) (GSE) operate, repair, and perform organizational and intermediate maintenance on electrical components of gas turbine engines, main propulsion machinery, auxiliary equipment, propulsion control systems, assigned electrical and electronic circuitry up to the printed circuit and alarm and warning circuitry. Gas turbine systems technicians (mechanical) (GSM) operate, repair, and perform organizational and intermediate maintenance on mechanical components of gas turbine engines, main propulsion machinery (including gears, shafts, and controllable pitch propellers), assigned auxiliary equipment and propulsion control systems.