Daher Delivers 600th TBM 900 Series Aircraft

Daher Aircraft's turboprop-powered TBM aircraft family reached a significant milestone with the delivery of the 600th aircraft in the TBM 900 series, which was presented to its customer at the Paris Air Show. The TBM 900 series is the best-selling model in the history of the TBM line, underscoring the continuous improvements made to this range of fast and efficient general and business aviation aircraft.

Since the aircraft's entry into service in 1990, over 1,260 TBMs have been manufactured across six variants. These began with the TBM 700 and TBM 850, followed by five models in the TBM 900 series: the TBM 900, TBM 910, TBM 930, TBM 940, and TBM 960. The worldwide TBM fleet has accumulated more than 2.6 million flight hours.

TBM 700

Daher recently delivered a milestone TBM 900-series aircraft, specifically a TBM 960 model, to Jim Baum, a seasoned U.S. businessman with three decades of experience as an operations executive in the technology sector. Baum also heads Minus 7, a company that focuses on aviation video and photography. Reflecting the trend among more than half of TBM's clientele, Baum is a repeat customer, having previously owned a TBM 940 and a TBM 930.

TBM 940

Nicholas Chabbert, the CEO of Daher Aircraft’s division, said the TBM’s continued market demand reflects the aircraft’s combination of efficiency, sustainability and speed, backed by the global Daher Care support Network.

“Attributes for the TBM’s success include its combination of jet-like speeds with turboprop performance, opening access to shorter runways, lowering fuel consumption and providing operational efficiency,” Chabbert stated. “We remain committed to the TBM product line’s competitiveness with an emphasis on listening to the customer and applying proven technology for further enhancements in sustainability, maintainability, flight safety and operability.”

TBM 930

In 2014, Daher launched the initial model of the TBM 900-series aircraft, the TBM 900. This version incorporated several aerodynamic enhancements, including the addition of winglets, new engine cowlings, and the integration of Hartzell's five-blade scimitar propeller.

In 2016, the TBM 900 series was expanded with the introduction of the TBM 930, featuring Garmin’s touchscreen-controlled G3000 integrated flight deck. This model included the first components of TBM e-copilot® functionality, designed to reduce pilot workload and enhance situational awareness.

In 2018, Daher Aircraft advanced the TBM 900 series by introducing the TBM 910, which includes Garmin's G1000 NXi avionics. The TBM 930's production was replaced by the TBM 940 in 2019, incorporating the autothrottle feature within its G3000 avionics suite. By 2020, the TBM 940 became one of the pioneering aircraft to feature the innovative HomeSafe™ emergency autoland system.

The TBM 960 represents the newest iteration of the TBM 900 series, introduced by Daher Aircraft in 2022. It features the advanced PT6E-66XT turboprop engine, specifically designed by Pratt & Whitney Canada for this model, alongside Hartzell Propeller’s five-blade composite propeller equipped with the Raptor™ lightweight hub. Both the engine and propeller system are integrated with the TBM 960’s dual-channel digital Engine and Propeller Electronic Control System (EPECS).

The EPECS enhances powerplant performance from engine startup to landing, minimising pilot workload by integrating all functions and safeguarding engine longevity. It also allows for more precise aircraft operation: at Daher’s recommended cruise setting of 308 knots, fuel consumption is merely 57 U.S. gallons per hour, offering a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency for greater sustainability compared to the maximum cruise setting.

The TBM 960 comes with a full range of TBM e-copilot® features, such as an icing protection system, flight envelope monitoring through the Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP) and Under-speed Protection (USP) systems, the Emergency Descent Mode (EDM) function, and the HomeSafe™ emergency autoland system.

Daher has integrated digital technology into the TBM 960's Prestige cabin, introducing a completely new environmental control system. Additional improvements encompass an upgraded cabin design and enhanced comfort, featuring ergonomically optimised seats, LED ambient strip lighting in the overhead ceiling panel, and electronically dimmable windows, all managed via a Passenger Comfort Display (PCD).

The TBM aircraft family remains highly popular among individual owners and business operators, consistently demonstrating its versatility in multi-mission applications. Leveraging its use in military command and VIP transportation, flight test support, and the airlift of time-sensitive cargo, the TBM has now been deployed as a "birddog" aircraft to support wildfire air attack missions.

TBM 960 “Birddog”