Daher TBM 700/850/900/910/930/940/960/980

The frontmatter on this page describes the current-production TBM960/980 (7,615 lb MTOW, PT6E-66XT, 895 shp installed), not the historically larger 850/900/910/930/940 fleet (7,394 lb, PT6A-66D, 850 shp). This is a deliberate change from the prior research pass, made because Daher's own live site (tbm.aero) now publishes a full, well-conditioned specification page only for the TBM960 and TBM980 -- the 900/910/930/940 pages have been retired from the manufacturer's site and could not be located archived this session. See docs/CATALOG-SPLITTING-RULE.md's rule that a shared page must say, near the top, exactly which variant its frontmatter describes; the Variants table below carries the other nine trade names' own certificate- sourced weights honestly. This is also, independently, one certificate: FAA TCDS A60EU lists a single model, "TBM 700," and covers every trade name from the 1990 TBM 700A through the newly-added TBM980 (s/n 1627+, first delivered 2026) by serial-number and modification block rather than by separate model section -- see the TCDS passage for the full serial map. The TBM980 is a finding of this research pass that predates the briefing this pass was run from (which described the line as running "700 through 960"); Daher confirms it is a real, currently-delivering airplane, a G3000 PRIME avionics refresh of the TBM960 airframe with no change to weight or power, and the page's common_name above has been updated to include it.

The TBM is the world's fastest single-engine turboprop, a pressurized six-seat French turbine that redefined what a single could do when it was certified in 1990. Born from a Mooney/Socata joint venture (TBM stands for "Tarbes — the Socata factory town — and Mooney, Business, Mooney"), the airplane has gone through TEN trade names across 36 years of continuous production (nine at the time of the prior research pass, now ten with the TBM980), always chasing the same formula: jet-like cabin, jet-like speed, piston-like fuel burn. Over 1,100 have been delivered, and in July 2024 there were 523 of the 900-series alone flying worldwide — still the numerical majority of the fleet even though the TBM960/980 is what Daher currently sells and what this page's frontmatter now describes. TBM owners are overwhelmingly owner-flown professionals — doctors, lawyers, business owners — who need to cover 800-1,500 nm legs in a day on their own schedule, and who have either graduated up from a cirrus-sr22 or sidestepped from a light jet looking for lower operating costs. The TBM960/980 flies a 1,200 nm trip at a King Air's speed on half the fuel burn, and single-pilot from the left seat. It is the benchmark the Pilatus PC-12 competes against on cabin size, and the airplane that makes the Cessna 208 Caravan and Daher Kodiak 100 look utilitarian. See also turbine-transition and Aircraft Valuation Methodology.

The frontmatter's cruise/burn/range triple describes the TBM960 (and, identically, the TBM980), not the 900-series — see the Overview for why. Daher's own spec table gives three cruise settings at 31,000 ft with max fuel, ISA, MTOW, one pilot, 45-min reserve: 252 KTAS/1,730 nm (long-range), 290 KTAS/1,585 nm (Daher's own "recommended cruise"), and 326 KTAS/1,440 nm (fastest). Separately, Daher publishes a maximum cruise of 330 KTAS at 28,000 ft with NO range or burn figure attached, and a descriptive-prose fuel burn of "57 U.S. gph at a fast cruise speed of 308 kts" that does not exactly match any of the three table rows (Daher's own inconsistency, recorded in the mfr passage). This page stores the 290 kt/31,000 ft/1,585 nm row for cruise_speed_ktas/cruise_altitude_ft/range_nm, paired with the 57 gph prose figure as the closest same-document match — an earlier pass of this page paired the 330 kt headline number with 57 gph and a 1,730 nm range, three numbers from three different rows of Daher's own table, which is exactly the mismatched-triple trap rule 3 exists to catch. VMO is 270 KCAS (271 KCAS pre-MOD70-0357-71; both are Daher's own certificate figures — see TCDS passage), VA is 160 KCAS on every trade name on the certificate. Time-to-climb to 31,000 ft is 18 min 45 sec per Daher; no sea-level fpm rate-of-climb figure is published, so rate_of_climb_fpm is left unsourced rather than backed into from the average. Hot-and-high performance is favorable because the PT6E-66XT is flat-rated — the 895 shp limit (960/980) or 850 shp limit (850-940) holds well above 10,000 ft density altitude, where a normally-aspirated piston would be gasping. Single-engine service ceiling is moot because there's only one engine; the certificated maximum operating altitude is 31,000 ft on the majority (MOD70-139-00-and-later) block — stored in service_ceiling_ft as that systems limit, not a climb-derived ceiling; the TCDS does not separately publish one for this type.

Recomputed for the TBM960/980 (frontmatter's own variant) rather than the 900-series — the previous version of this section paired a 900-series (7,394 lb) MTOW with a range figure (1,730 nm) that Daher's own table actually flies at 252 KTAS long-range cruise, not the 330 KTAS this page used to headline; see Performance Notes for that correction. With MTOW of 7,615 lb and empty weight of 4,806 lb (Daher, "Basic empty weight - Prestige Cabin"), useful load is 2,809 lb. Full fuel (1,956 lb / 292 gal) leaves roughly 853 lb of cabin payload — close to Daher's own stated "maximum payload with full fuel: 888 lb," the small gap being pilot/options weight not modeled here. At Daher's own maximum-payload figure of 1,446 lb, remaining fuel is about 1,363 lb (203 gal) — comfortably enough for the 290 KTAS/1,585 nm recommended-cruise leg this page's frontmatter stores, before derating for a shorter real-world mission.

With all six seats filled at 175 lb (1,050 lb) plus 200 lb bags, payload is roughly 1,250 lb, leaving about 1,559 lb / 233 gal of fuel. At 57 gph that yields roughly 4 hours endurance and, at the 290 kt recommended-cruise setting, over 1,000 nm of still-air range — still extraordinary for a single.

The 900-series (7,394 lb MTOW) trades 221 lb of useful load for a lighter, older airframe at a materially lower purchase price — see the Variants table and Valuation Factors. See Business Travel and Cross-Country Flying for mission-weighted payload analyzes.

Business Travel (10/10): This is the defining TBM mission. Pressurized to 6.2 psi (FL310 cabin around 10,000 ft), FIKI certified, single-pilot IFR, 6 seats, known-ice, and 1,500+ nm legs at 300+ KTAS. Nothing else single-engine does this mission better except the larger Pilatus PC-12. See Business Travel.

Cross-Country (10/10): Same reasons as business travel. A TBM turns a 1,200 nm trip into a 4-hour flight instead of an 8-hour flight, and does it above weather. See Cross-Country Flying.

Cargo Hauling (5/5): Useful load of ~2,700 lb and a rear cargo door (700C1 and later) make it a capable mover of light, valuable freight — organs, documents, parts — but the cabin isn't a Caravan. See Cargo Hauling.

Surveying (4/10): Too fast for most photo/LIDAR work; operators prefer slower platforms. Pressurization enables high-altitude sensor work but fuel burn makes it expensive per mission-hour.

Flight Training (2/10): Turbine transition only. Insurance essentially requires 200+ hours total time, multi-engine or complex time, and an instrument rating plus SIMCOM initial before solo.

Backcountry (2/10): Retractable gear, low wing, 7,400-lb airplane on narrow tires. Not a bush plane. Use a Daher Kodiak 100.

Local Fun (3/10): Overkill and expensive per hour; startup alone burns several gallons of Jet-A.

Aerobatics (1/10): Not certified for aerobatics. Category N airplane.

TBM avionics track almost 1:1 with the variant, which is unusual for GA airplanes:

• TBM 700A/B/C1 ($900K-$1.3M): Original Bendix/King EFS 40/50 EFIS, KFC-325 autopilot. Most surviving 700As have been upgraded — GTN 750 pairs, Aspen PFDs, and occasionally full Garmin retrofits. A stock 700A panel is a negotiation point.
• TBM 700C2 / early 850 ($1.3M-$1.9M): Avidyne Entegra EXP5000 PFDs. Functional but dated; many owners have swapped to GTN navigators.
• TBM 850 G1000 (2008-2013, $1.8M-$2.4M): Factory Garmin G1000 with GFC 700 autopilot. The sweet spot for buyers who want modern glass without G3000 complexity.
• TBM 900/910 ($2.2M-$3.2M): G1000 NXi standard. The 910 is still in production for pilots who prefer hard-bezel G1000 over the touchscreen 960.
• TBM 930/940 ($2.8M-$4.2M): Garmin G3000 touchscreen, autothrottle (940), HomeSafe emergency autoland (940 after 2020 retrofit/factory).
• TBM 960 (~$5M new): G3000 NXi, EPECS single-lever engine control, HomeSafe standard, Raptor 5-blade composite prop, Stormscope, SVT.

See Avionics Pricing Reference for certified avionics upgrade costs.

The TBM is a factory-supported airplane and the STC market is thin compared to legacy pistons. Meaningful mods:

• G1000 retrofit for TBM 700A/B (Garmin/Avex): $250K-$350K installed. Transforms a $1.0M 700A into a much more sellable airplane but rarely pays back dollar-for-dollar.
• GTN 750/650 pair with Aspen PFD: $80K-$120K installed. Popular on Bendix/King 700-series.
• Winglet retrofit (Daher, TBM 700/850): Discontinued; 900 winglets are airframe-specific and not a bolt-on.
• Hartzell 5-blade composite prop upgrade (TBM 850): ~$90K, reduces noise and vibration, small cruise gain.
• HomeSafe retrofit: Only certified on TBM 940 factory installation; not available as an aftermarket STC for earlier airframes.

• Annual inspection: $12,000-$25,000 depending on shop and findings. Factory-authorized service centers (Avex, Columbia, Elliott Jets, Cutter) concentrate expertise.
• Hourly maintenance reserve (excluding engine): $350-$450/hour based on 5-year averages.
• Engine reserve (MSP Gold or equivalent): $200-$300/hour.
• Total direct operating cost: $1,400-$1,900/hour all-in at 300 hours/year (Jet-A at $6-$8/gal).
• Annual fixed budget: $200,000-$260,000 typical for an owner-flown 900-series including insurance, hangar, subscriptions, recurrent training.

Parts availability is good through Daher's global dealer network but specialist-only — a typical A&P cannot annual a TBM. Mechanic familiarity is specialist; plan on trips to factory service centers. The Maintenance Ecosystem page covers turbine single economics in more detail.

Expensive items to watch: PT6A hot-section inspection ($60K-$90K), overhaul ($450K-$550K), pressurization bladder service, landing gear overhaul ($25K-$40K), paint ($40K-$60K), interior refurbishment ($60K-$100K).

TBM valuation is dominated by three variables: variant, engine time since new/overhaul, and avionics generation.

• TBM 700A (1990-1999): $900K-$1.3M typical. Heavily discounted for legacy avionics; engine TSN/TSO drives price.
• TBM 700B/C1 (1999-2003): $1.2M-$1.6M. The C1 cargo door is a value-add.
• TBM 700C2 (2003-2006): $1.4M-$1.9M. Full MTOW, often with Avidyne glass.
• TBM 850 pre-G1000 (2006-2007): $1.5M-$1.9M.
• TBM 850 G1000 (2008-2013): $1.8M-$2.6M. Strong resale tier.
• TBM 900 (2014-2016): $2.4M-$3.0M.
• TBM 910 (2017-present): $3.0M-$4.0M.
• TBM 930 (2016-2019): $3.0M-$4.0M.
• TBM 940 (2019-2022): $3.8M-$4.8M. HomeSafe adds ~$150K perceived value.
• TBM 960 (2022-present): $4.9M-$5.2M new; 2022-2024 used examples hold value strongly.

Engine time matters enormously: a PT6A at 3,000 TSN with 600 hours to TBO carries a roughly $350K discount versus a freshly overhauled example. See Aircraft Valuation Methodology.

The TBM has a clean AD history compared to legacy airplanes but several recurring items matter to pre-buy inspections:

• Tail rivet AD (FR C18 BIS/C19): Loose rivets on tail frames; recurring inspection. Parts cost negligible, labor a few hours.
• Fuel selector torque AD (2014): Triggered by the high-profile TBM 900 N900KN accident off Jamaica; fuel selector installation torque check.
• PT6A hot-section inspection (HSI): Required every 1,800 hours on PT6A-64/66D (half-TBO). Typical HSI cost $60K-$90K.
• PT6A/PT6E overhaul: Legacy figures commonly cited for -64/-66D are 3,600-hour TBO; a "5,000-hour" figure is commonly cited for the -66XT in the 960/980 but could not be traced to a Daher document or the reference engine-pricing file this session (see validator_exempt on tbo_hours) — treat as unconfirmed. Overhaul runs $450K-$550K exchange (also unconfirmed for the -66XT specifically; the house reference file's nearest documented family, PT6A-66D, is $430,000 class-band).
• Pressurization outflow valve leaks: Recurring maintenance item on 700-series airframes.
• Landing gear actuator wear: 1,000-2,000 hour service item; rebuild is routine but expensive.
• Windshield heat element failures: Common on older 700-series; replacement windshield $30K+ installed.

The TBM is a turbine single and underwrites accordingly. Typical premiums for qualified owner-pilots:

• TBM 700/850 ($1.5M hull): $12,500-$17,100/year for a 1,000-hour pilot with IR and SIMCOM initial.
• TBM 900-series ($2.5M-$3.5M hull): $18,000-$28,000/year.
• TBM 960 ($5M hull): $30,000-$45,000/year.

Underwriting requirements:

• Minimum 500-1,000 hours total time (higher for newer airframes).
• Instrument rating mandatory.
• SIMCOM factory initial course before solo (roughly $15,000).
• Annual recurrent SIMCOM course (roughly $8,000-$10,000).
• Multi-engine or complex retract time often requested.
• Low-time turbine pilots may face mentor-pilot requirements for the first 25-50 hours.

Recurrent SIMCOM/CAE training reduces premium 10-20%. See GA Insurance Underwriting for turbine-single category details.