OSHKOSH — More than 600 single-engine turboprop TBM700 and TBM850 (pictured below) in the global fleet have amassed nearly 1 million flight hours, Daher-Socata‘s Senior Vice President Nicholas Chabbert said Tuesday at AirVenture. In addition to the fleet milestone, officials reported the TBM850 Elite was certified.
The Elite, which took just six months of certification work, is an interior quick change option. The passenger seating (behind the front seats) can now be either four seats (club arrangement) or two (forward facing) with additional cargo capacity. It also includes five years of free maintenance and a seven-year engine warranty.
“We expect 45 aircraft to join us here at AirVenture,” noted Chabbert, “which represents just under 10% of the global fleet.”
Daher-Socata President and CEO Stephane Mayer advised the gathered press that Socata intends to bring another aircraft to market. “We intend to assess the market, define the product, build a business case and seek partnership to bring it to fruition,” he said.
Parent company Daher is a 149-year-old family owned business with interests in the nuclear, aerospace, and defense industries.
