TBM 850 reborn
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Posted Date: 01/03/2008
Issue: Executive & VIP Aviation International March 2008
Publication: Executive & VIP Aviation International
Tucked away in a small French town is a hive of aerospace industry. Tarbes is the site of the TBM 850 turboprop design and manufacture; it is also where EADS Socata chose to show off its wares to customers and press alike. The TBM programme has more than 20 years under its belt. The turboprop was launched in 1987 and, by 2004, 300 TBM 700s had been delivered. In the following year, the TBM 850 programme was launched – powered by a PT6 A66D Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprop engine - with first deliveries following in 2006.
The Tarbes discovery show was all about the relaunch of the TBM 850 to 2008 specifications. New Garmin G1000 avionics feature two primary flight displays and one multifunction display. This latter display integrates navigation, weather, traffic and terrain information. Also included in the system is the GMC 710 autopilot. Gary Kelley, Garmin’s Vice President of Marketing, explained that the TBM 850 is the first turboprop in which the G1000 is installed. He called the new TBM model a perfect blend of power, technology and beauty.
Replacing the TBM 850s environmental and vapour control system is the Global Air System from Liebherr Aerospace. The system delivers a dual zone temperature control to allow the pilot and passengers the ability to adjust the temperature separately.
Next on the agenda is the TBM 850’s new cabin design. This has been undertaken by the Catherineau design bureau and allows easier cockpit access. Cockpit and cabin redesign also contribute to reduced airframe weight. Fuel tank capacity has also been increased, as has nautical mileage.
All 60 TBM 850s earmarked for production have been sold and the order book is now open for deliveries in mid-2009. Socata has sold more than 150 TBM 850s in the 24 months since its launch. The primary market is the US but there is a 20% market share in Europe and 10% in South America, Asia and the Pacific.
During the Tarbes show, Jean-Michel Léonard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EADS Socata, focused on the future and forging new markets. Louis Gallois, Chief Executive Officer of EADS, celebrated Socata’s performance and that of the TBM 850 itself. He talked of taking the technology to the next level and applauded the teams involved.
After the French Air Force, Jacques Lemaigre du Breuil is the lead customer for the TBM 850. His fractional company, Jetfly (see Executive & VIP Aviation International, September 2007), has already taken delivery of two TBM 850s and has nine more on order for fractional clients. In fact, Lemaigre du Breuil has a long history with Socata and TBM aircraft. In 1994, Lemaigre du Breuil won the Lindbergh Trophy by flying the New York to Paris route in a TBM 700 in less than 11 hours. The previous year he was part of a team that flew around the world in less than 80 hours in a TBM 700. Such a fan is Lemaigre du Breuil of the TBM turboprop that, in 2000, his fractional company was the first to order a civilian fleet of TBM 700s.
With the discovery show ended, the 2008 version of the TBM 850 made its way to Florida to meet its US market where the aircraft type has already received a warm reception. Hopes are high that the 2008 model – with a price tag for an average TBM 850 of around $3 million – will meet very much with the US market’s approval.
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