Daher TBM 700/850/900/910/930/940/960/980 vs Pilatus PC-12
Head-to-head — specs, at a glance.
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iDaher 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.
- +Fastest single-engine turboprop; 290 KTAS cruise on 57 gph
- +Pressurized cabin, known-ice, single-pilot IFR—true business-travel capability
- +Established 1,100+ global fleet; factory support through Daher dealer network
- !Annual inspection $12K–$25K; requires factory-authorized service center (not local A&P)
- !PT6A hot-section inspection (900-series) costs $60K–$90K every 1,800 hours
- !Engine overhaul $450K–$550K; TBO figures unconfirmed for PT6E-66XT (966/980)
Pilatus PC-12
The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine pressurized turboprop built in Stans, Switzerland, and is the benchmark owner-flown turbine in general aviation. Announced at NBAA 1989, it received Swiss certification on March 30, 1994, and FAA certification on July 15, 1994. With more than 2,000 airframes delivered (the 1,000th in June 2010), it is the best-selling pressurized single-engine turboprop in history. It combines a 330-cubic-foot King Air-class cabin, a signature aft cargo door, a 10,450 lb MTOW, single-pilot certification, and a PT6A up front. Owner-flown business operators, Part 135 charters (PlaneSense, Surf Air, Tradewind), fractionals, cargo feeders, EMS, skydiving operators, and military ISR users (U-28A) all fly it. It is frequently called "the Suburban of the sky" for its combination of payload, range, unimproved-field capability, and cabin versatility. Cross-reference Daher TBM 700/850/900/910/930/940/960 for the speed-focused alternative, Cessna 208 Caravan and Daher Kodiak 100 for unpressurized utility turbines, and Beechcraft King Air B200 for the twin-engine peer.
- +King Air–class cabin with aft cargo door; single-pilot certified turboprop
- +1,765 nm range (4 pax); 290 KTAS cruise at FL220; pressurized to 30,000 ft
- +Factory-authorized service network (30+ centers in North America); 24–48 hr parts availability
- !PT6A hot-section inspection mandatory at 1,750 hr ($85K–150K); TBO cycle compliance non-negotiable
- !$900–1,300/hr direct operating cost; $750K–$1.1M annual budget for typical 350–400 hr owner
- !Requires Pilatus-authorized service center for major work; independent A&Ps limited to line maintenance
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