Tarbes, France, February 7, 2013 – DAHER-SOCATA today announced
that the worldwide TBM 700 and TBM 850 fleet has surpassed the milestone
of 1 million flight hours.
With more than 620 TBM very fast turboprop business aircraft produced to
date, the overall fleet usage now averages in excess of 120,000 flight hours
annually.
Surpassing this milestone confirms the TBM 850 as the keystone of DAHER-SOCATA’s strategy,” said Stephane Mayer, Chairman and CEO of DAHER-SOCATA, the aerospace and defense activity of the DAHER Group. “This highlights the synergy between manufacturing and services that offers our customers high dispatch reliability, while also underscoring our excellent partnership with Pratt & Whitney Canada – which manufactures the TBM’s PT6A engine. With the first million flight hours now a reality, I look forward to the next million-hour achievement.
Nicolas Chabbert, Senior Vice President of the DAHER-SOCATA Airplane
Division, added the 1 million flight hour achievement demonstrates that a
manufacturer’s aircraft product line has come of age.
The extensive experience accumulated during 20 years of operations has proven the TBM’s airframe design and validated its reliability,” he explained. “Reaching this flight-hour achievement also highlights the efficiency of our service network, which can maintain TBM aircraft from the busiest airports in the U.S. to the Australian Outback.
Chabbert said the TBM in-service experience provided the confidence for DAHER-SOCATA to offer extended warranties and its Exclusive Maintenance Program – which lowers scheduled maintenance costs for five years or 1,000 hours. “The tremendous track record accumulated by TBM customers and operators helped us improve the product, and we offer one of the most reliable airplanes in its category today,” he added.
To mark the 1 million flight hour milestone, Pratt & Whitney Canada presented DAHER-SOCATA CEO Stéphane Mayer with a commemorative plaque.
DAHER-SOCATA’s TBM 850 is the world’s fastest single turboprop aircraft, with a maximum cruising speed of 320 KTAS at Flight Level 260 (in ISA conditions).
As an 850-shp. version of DAHER-SOCATA’s TBM 700, the TBM 850 combines cruise speeds and trip times of a light jet with the economical direct operating costs, range and eco-friendly environmental signature of a turboprop-powered aircraft. The TBM 850’s maximum range and useful load – which are enhanced on the current version – and the ability to land at small airports are some of its customers’ favorite features.
About DAHER
DAHER is a tier-1 equipment supplier to high-technology industries. An independent intermediate-sized company, DAHER deploys its integrated equipment and services supplier model across the Aerospace & Defence, Nuclear & Energy and Capital Goods Industries sectors, and its growth is centred on complementary sets of expertise (design and manufacturing & integrated industrial support), combined into a comprehensive global offering.
With a robust engineering-based approach, DAHER is able to deliver innovative and differentiating solutions to its industrial customers.
Created in 1863, DAHER is an international group, employing 7,500 men and women in 14 countries across the world. DAHER generates a turnover of 900 million euros (1.1 billion dollars), with an order book which stood at 2,580 millions euros at 31/12/2011, corresponding to around 3 years of turnover.
For more information, visit www.daher.com
