The differences between the TBM 850 and 900 aren’t hard N900VF S/N 1007 - $3,711,848 to spot, and the most apparent The TBM 900 flown for this report is equipped with Daher-Socata’s Premi- are the five-blade Hartzell com- um Edition Fittings, Enhanced Operational Package and 2014 Elite Package. posite propeller, which replaces Premium includes leather cabin seats in club-four or all-forward-fac- a four-blade all-metal Hartzell ing configuration or a four-seat (total) layout allowing space for more bag- (some TBMs have been modi- gage. Other Premium features include adjustable rudder pedals, three-axis fied with a five-blade wood-core pilot/copilot seats, ship-powered headset jacks at each seat, baggage com- MT propeller) and the new two- partment with straps and net and engine-driven air-conditioning. foot-high winglets, also compos- Enhanced Package ite. While the cowl doesn’t look The includes RVSM, second mode-S transpon- much different on the 900, it is der, radar altimeter, Taws-B, GTS 820 traffic advisory system, electric pitch now made of carbon composites and rudder trim on copilot’s yoke, WX 500 Stormscope and Garmin’s digi- and features a slightly twisted, tal GWX 70 radar. banana-shaped air-intake ple- The Elite Package includes Garmin’s GDL 69A Sirius XM WX datalink, num and new exhaust stacks said synthetic vision, GSR 56 Iridium satcom and the pilot access door. –M.T. to improve intake and exhaust DAHER-SOCATA flow efficiency greatly. of the left wing during a stall were made with computational Nearly 700 of Daher-Socata’s TBM series have been delivered, and orders for the new and improved TBM 900 continue to grow. More subtle is the new com- caused by vortices that flow fluid dynamics (CFD) tools that posite dorsal fin, which blends over the left wing root, accord- didn’t exist when the TBM 700 of new business development for Stormscope clear buttons. The the fuselage to the vertical ing to Dono. The strake’s posi- was designed in the mid-1980s. Astronics Advanced Electronic center of each yoke is designed fin more smoothly than the tion was decided initially in the The new dorsal fin and a Systems. “Those were some of to accommodate an iPad sim- sharply angled transition on lab and then refined in flight- new torque limiter on the PT6A the driving factors for its develop- ply, and to power portable devic- the TBM 850. Even more sub- testing during more than 2,200 allow takeoffs at the engine’s ment.” EPS makes management es the panel is equipped with two tle is a six-inch strake mounted stall tests. A sharp-eyed TBM fully flat-rated 850 shp instead of the electrical system much USB ports and a 12-volt charger on the left lower forward fuse- fan might also notice the inner of the 700 shp limitation in simpler for the pilot and it low- socket. Adjustable rudder pedals lage about two feet in front door covering almost 90 percent the earlier TBMs. All of these ers maintenance costs. For exam- and three-axis adjustable seats of the wing leading edge. The of the landing-gear leg, which improvements and the five-blade ple, if the starter-generator fails, simplify the process of fitting the strake helps prevent what was reduces drag as much as would Hartzell propeller reduce stan- the EPS automatically reconfig- airplane to the pilot. a common characteristic of a door covering the entire land- dard-day sea-level takeoff dis- ures itself to use the backup gen- The biggest change that the TBM series, a slight drop ing gear. All of these changes tance by more than 20 percent, erator, and if that fails it taps the TBM 850/700 pilots will notice improve climb rates (18 minutes main ship battery. is the single-lever power control, to the 31,000-foot certified ceil- which replaces the throttle and Daher-Socata TBM 900 ing) and boost range to 1,730 Cockpit Upgrades propeller controls and the con- Specifications and Performance nm (with 45-minute reserve). Climbing into the cockpit– dition lever. “It takes about five All external lights are now this airplane had the Elite pack- minutes to get used to,” Dono Price (with Premium Edition and Elite Package) $3.71 million LEDs, but that isn’t the only age, which includes the optional said. While it might look com- change to the electrical system. pilot door–reveals more improve- plicated at first, the only time DAHER-SOCATAby Matt Thurber TBM 900 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66D, Engine A new 300-amp starter-genera- ments: a redesigned landing-gear pilots have to worry about what 1,825 shp flat-rated to 850 shp tor accelerates the start sequence, control panel, slimmer curved to do with the throttle is dur- From the standpoint of aerody- In the case of the newest edi- hours of research and develop- however. While buyers have wel- is a Daher-Socata TBM and Seats (typical) 1 crew + 5 pax and the starter now switches off console between the seats and an ing the start sequence and when namics, there aren’t many ways to Range tion–the TBM 900–the team did ment and 200 flight-test hours comed all the improvements, the Piper distributor for the North- 1,730 nm automatically at 50 percent Ng. uptilted subpanel, including the shutting down the engine. Oth- (economy cruise, 45-minute reserve) make a modern airplane a lot better the redesign without a hint to went into the TBM 900 program. new TBM climbs more quickly, east U.S. (and TBM in eastern This feature is a benefit of Garmin GCU 475 FMS control erwise, it’s simple and allows the aviation world, revealing the The results are more per- flies faster and moves the air- Canada). The Air Services side High-speed cruise 326 ktas the new consolidated electronic panel, to make more room for the the pilot to pay more attention in a single bound, but as computers result only when it was ready to formance, comfort and util- craft further into the light-jet of the business at Groton is a Long-range cruise speed 252 ktas power system (EPS) designed by pilot’s legs. Dono said that it was to flying. “It’s a lot easier than gain power smart designers can accept orders from eager buyers ity, derived from aerodynamic performance arena. The main TBM, Piaggio and Piper autho- Astronics. Located on the ceil- easy for legs to hit the throttle in it looks,” he said. Fuel capacity 1,950 lbs for nearly immediate delivery of changes to the nose and cowl- difference between the TBM 900 rized service center and has ing of the unpressurized for- the earlier TBMs. The yokes are The throttle, as Daher-Socata eke out subtle gains and combine a certified airplane. The TBM ing airflow, landing-gear doors, and light jets is the number of extensive experience maintain- Max payload w/full fuel 891 lbs ward baggage compartment, the new and include seven switch- calls the power control, operates them to extract more performance, 900 program, launched more wings and empennage, a new engines and maximum altitude. ing the Pratt & Whitney Can- Ceiling (certified) 31,000 ft EPS in one unit provides control es instead of four. In addition to in what looks like a manual gear- which is what the engineering team than three years ago, culminated Hartzell propeller with five dra- Otherwise, in many respects– ada PT6 that powers the TBM, Cabin altitude at ceiling 9,350 ft of the starter-generator, backup the TBM 850’s rudder and eleva- shift lever pattern, an “h” where in not only the announcement of matically shaped composite price, fuel efficiency and pay- Avanti and Meridian. generator and primary power tor trim, control-wheel steering the left side is the thrust mode at Daher-Socata has done with the Empty weight as tested 4,750 lbs the new model on March 12 but blades, a simplified single-lever load–the TBM outperforms bus. “It combines the functions and autopilot/trim disconnect for taxi and flight and the right already successful TBM single- also the news that the upgrades power control, systems upgrades many of its competitors. Subtle Differences Max takeoff weight 7,394 lbs of at least three separate boxes switches, the new yokes add tran- side is condition mode for start Takeoff distance over 50-foot obstacle engine turboprop line. it introduced were already and improvements in the cabin. TBM distributor Columbia Although a gusty wind 2,380 ft and is smaller, lighter and costs sponder ident, frequency change and cutoff. In condition mode, approved. More than 160,000 Performance is everything, Aircraft Sales, based in Groton, churned the air down low, demo (sea level, standard) less,” said Christine Ellis, director on Com 1, timer control and including during engine start, Conn., made a new TBM 900 pilot and TBM sales manager Landing distance without reverse 2,430 ft the propeller is always feathered. available for AIN to fly in mid- Ken Dono and I lucked out oth- Length 35.22 ft Most of the TBM 900’s sys- May. Columbia Aircraft Sales is erwise and were able to put the tems are the same as the 850’s, Wingspan 42.1 ft part of Columbia Air Services, speedy single through its paces except that the pressurization www.ainonline.com itself a member of the Columbia without having to deal with www.ainonline.com Height 14.29 ft system is now fully automatic, Aviation Companies network of weather.