Why to Fly a TBM

Exceptional Performance

The TBM is the fastest commercially manufactured single-engine turboprop aircraft in the world. It is a six-seater aircraft designed for short and medium-range business and family traveling. The TBM excels in combining its speed, rate of climb, range, a very short take-off and landing distance. In addition, it offers an exceptionally high payload with full fuel tanks and with good flight economy.

Comfort and Adaptability

Contrary to cheaper aircraft of this category, the TBM´s large volume cabin is more spacious and offers a high degree of adjustablity. It allows for a variety of comfortable configurations of the passenger cabin, but it also provides the much-needed travel comfort for the crew, who are therefore focused on impeccable and safe execution of the flight. With its interior space, this aircraft will perfectly meet the demands of people of larger size and stature.

Access to the passenger´s cabin is provided by large cargo door, which also allows for the carrying of high volume cargo (e.g. bicycles, baby carriages, etc.). The entry of the crew into the cockpit is facilitated by the front side pilot door, which provides a safe position of the aircraft's center of gravity at all times when boarding passengers or loading transported cargo.

Electronically dimmable cabin windows give a futuristic touch and complete the overall luxurious image of the aircraft.

Hi-tech Equipment and Flight Safety

TBM aircraft are powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada's state-of-the-art turboprop engines from the PT6 type family. These are among the most reliable engines of this concept in the world. The fleet of TBM aircraft has already logged more than 2.2 mil flight hours with these engines.

The five-bladed propeller ensures the maximum ratio of engine thrust to power, and all this at a significantly reduced noise level.

The crew will appreciate the highly intuitive integrated avionics system (Glass Cockpit G1000NXi or G3000) and the wide range of installed flight safety and protection systems which provide avoidance and automatic correction of possible dangerous situations during flight (prevention of stall, slip, etc.). The aircraft has also been equipped with an RVSM system enabling flight at altitudes above FL280 (8,500 m), where the aircraft achieves its best and most economical flight performance.

The engine and propeller management has been fully automated (EPECS system), which significantly simplifies the operation of the entire aircraft. Starting the engine means pressing a single button and full and effective engine and propeller control means moving a single lever in the cockpit.

In the event of an emergency (i.e. when the crew is indisposed), the aircraft is equipped with the autoland system (Home Safe Button). With the press of a single button, this system provides the aircraft autonomous return and automatic safe landing at an airport automatically selected with regard to the current meteorological situation, surrounding flight traffic, remaining fuel in the tanks, airport technical equipment and other parameters.

History of the Brand

The TBM manufacturer is the oldest existing aircraft factory in the world. Its history begins under the Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier brand, which was founded by Raymond Saulnier and by the brothers Léon and Robert Morane in October 1911.

The first airplane manufactured in this factory was the Morane-Borel monoplane (sometimes also called Type A) in 1911, which the pilot Jules Védrines used to win the Paris-Madrid race that same year.

After the outbreak of the First World War, the Morane-Saulnier Type L was introduced into the French Air Force. It was the first purely fighter aircraft used in the war. A propeller deflector of bullets from a machine gun firing through the active area of the propeller was successfully tested and used on this type of aircraft shortly afterwards. The well-known Roland Garros, who became the first French aviation fighter ace, flew with such a plane until he was shot down.

After the end of the Great War, the Morane-Saulnier workshops produced a whole series of small civil and training aircraft, of which the MS.230 high-wing monoplane is worth mentioning.

With the turbulent and unstable international situation in the 1930s, the Morane Saulnier brand became involved in the production of military aircraft again and in 1935 it introduced its most famous type into production - the MS.406 all-metal low-wing fighter, on which the Czechoslovak airmen won their first victories in the Battle of France.

After the war, the production of small sport aircraft (e.g. the well-known Rally type) continued at Morane Saulnier until 1962, when the factory was bought by Potez, its competitor. In 1966, the Morane Saulnier brand was renamed SOCATA (Societe de Construction d'Avions de Tourisme et d'Affaires) and began focusing exclusively on the production of small civil aircraft. The famous TB10 and TB20 series airplanes were created during this period, and the first serial TBM 700 saw the light of day in 1990. In 2000, SOCATA became a part of the EADS multinational corporation, and in two steps (in 2008 and 2014), the company was sold to its current owner, the French technology company Daher. As of 2015, it exists only under this brand.

The following versions of TBM have been developed and manufactured over a period of more than three decades:

• TBM 700 – 324 pcs of all versions from 1990 to 2005
• TBM 850 – 338 pcs from 2006 to 2013
• TBM 900 – 114 pcs from 2014 from 2016
• TBM 910 – 73 pcs from 2016 until now
• TBM 930 – 85 pcs from 2016 to 2019
• TBM 940 – 126 pcs from 2019 to 2021
• TBM 960 – 150 pcs from 2022 until now

Present

The current owner, Daher (or DAHER), is a French industrial holding whose history dates back to 1863, when it was founded as a transport company. Daher currently provides production, transportation, and services in several industries: aviation, defense, nuclear and automotive.

After 2000, Daher began to focus more on the field of aviation. In addition to the acquisition of SOCATA and Quest Aircraft, it has become a major manufacturer and supplier of primary aircraft structures to Airbus (e.g. components for the A380), Boeing, Dassault and Gulfstream Aerospace.

Its current small aircraft production program includes the TBM910 and TBM 960 types manufactured in Tarbes, France, and the Kodiak type manufactured in the USA.

To date, more than 1150 TBMs of all versions have been manufactured, with a total flight time of more than 2.2 million flight hours and an average flight time of 196h / aircraft / year.