EADS Socata announces today the delivery of the first TBM 850 VFT (Very Fast Turboprop) to a French customer. The owner will use the aircraft for both business and private purposes. It replaces his previous aircraft, a TBM 700C2, which will remain in France with a new owner.
The TBM 850 VFT is the world’s fastest single engine turboprop, with a maximum cruising speed of 320 KTAS at flight level 260 (in ISA conditions). A 850-shp version of the six-seat business turboprop TBM 700, the TBM 850 combines the cruising speed and journey times typical of light jets with economical direct operating costs, while offering the range and excellent weight carriage capacity of turboprop aircraft.
Launched in December 2005, there are already 80 orders for TBM 850s on the books. The first aircraft were delivered in February this year, with a total of 42 delivered to date. The majority of these aircraft have been purchased by US customers, but around a dozen orders came from operators in Europe, Africa and the Asia-Pacific. “This is the highest production rate since the beginning of the TBM programme,” stated Stéphane Mayer, Chairman and CEO of EADS Socata.
“After the USA, Canada, UK and Switzerland, this first delivery in France of a TBM 850 demonstrates that our aircraft is particularly suited to the transportation requirements of European companies and their needs of transportation. Thanks to its outstanding performance levels, its ability to fly in densely populated European airspace and its low operating costs, the TBM 850 allows its operator to zip to any small airport in Europe or the Mediterranean region without any intermediate stopover,” said Nicolas Chabbert, EADS Socata’s VP Sales and Marketing.
EADS Socata is one of the world’s leading general aviation manufacturers, with more than 17,000 aircraft built since its creation as Morane-Saulnier in 1911.
Current products include the TBM family of high-speed turboprops, TB GT piston aircraft, aerostructures for Airbus civil airliners, the A400M military transporter, Dassault Falcon jets, Eurocopter helicopters and Embraer regional jets.
Heaquartered in Tarbes, France, with North American operations in Pembroke Pines, Florida, EADS Socata is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS – a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services.
In 2005, EADS generated revenues of €34.2 billion and employed a workforce of about 113,000.
Media contacts:
Karelle Michel
EADS Socata Americas
Tel.: +1 954 893 1412
Philippe de Segovia
EADS Socata International
Tel.: +33 (0)670 21 70 47
Socata TBM 850 Key Development Milestones
Project start: August 2004
First flight of the TBM 850 prototype: February 2005
Flight test campaign duration: 8 months including
103 flights totalling 162 flight hours
600 performance measurement points
40 in-flight relights
Negative G manoeuvers
Flight quality investigations with 100 full power stalls, stability, manoeuverability, Dutch rolls, etc.
EASA certification: 28 November 2006
FAA certification: 23 January 2006
First flight of the first production TBM 850: 23 January 2006
First deliveries: 23 February 2006
Socata TBM 850 in figures
Powerplant
PWC PT6A-66D turboprop
Thermodynamic power
1825 eshp
Nominal power:
850 shp
Usable fuel capacity:
281.6 gal
1,066 liters
Dimensions
Overall length
34.92 ft
10.645 m
Wingspan
41.60 ft
12.680 m
Internal
Maximum freight volume in cabin
123.6 cu. ft.
3.5 cu.m
Loading
Basic empty weight
4,699 lb
2,132 kg
Maximum ramp weight (MRW)
7, 430 lb
3,373 kg
Basic maximum payload
1,333 lb
605 kg
Maximum payload with maximum fuel
849 lb
385 kg
Maximum luggage in storage areas
297 lb
135 kg
Performance (ISA conditions, MTOW, No wind,)
Maximum cruising speed At long-range settings
252 KTAS
467 Km/h
Maximum cruise speed At 26,000 ft
320 KTAS
593 km/h
Time to climb to 26,000 ft
15 min
Time to climb to
20 min
Certified ceiling
31,000 ft
9,449 m
Distances (ISA conditions, MTOW, No wind, 50 ft obstacle clearance)
Take-off
2,840 ft
866 m
Landing
2,430 ft
741 m
Maximum range (ISA conditions, MTOW, No wind, 45 min fuel reserve)
At long-range settings
With maximum payload
1,100 Nm
2,037 km
With maximum fuel
1,520Nm
2,815 km
At maximum cruise speed
With maximum payload
1,005 Nm
1,861 km
With maximum fuel
1,365 Nm
2,528 km
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. Le Carré · Beechavenue 130-132 · 1119 PR Schiphol Rijk · The Netherlands
EADS Deutschland GmbH · 81663 Munich · Germany EADS France S.A.S. · 37, boulevard de Montmorency · 75781 Paris Cedex 16 · France EADS CASA · Ava. de Aragón, 404, 28022 Madrid · Spain
