World's Fastest Turboprop Will Grace Its Home Country's
Skies
EADS Socata told Aero-News Friday the company has delivered the
first TBM 850 VFT -- for Very Fast Turboprop -- to a French
customer.
Representatives will EADS Socata state 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-carrying 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
2006, 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 program," 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,
structures for Airbus civil airliners, the A400M military
transporter, Dassault Falcon jets, Eurocopter helicopters and
Embraer regional jets.
Headquartered in Tarbes, France -- with North American
operations in Pembroke Pines, FL -- EADS Socata is a wholly owned
subsidiary of EADS.