Wed, Jan 25, 2006
In only 6 weeks since
the EASA certification of the TBM 850, Socata officials have
confirmed to ANN that the FAA has issued a TC for their new
turboprop. Socata's Andrew Knott confirmed that they received the
coveted paperwork on Monday, the same day as the first flight of
the first production airframe.
Knott was particularly positive about the cooperation Socata
received from the FAA's Certification branch, even noting that FAA
staffers worked the occasional weekend to bring this certification
to fruition and calling their efforts, "superb."
EADS Socata unveiled the newest member of its TBM family –
the six-seat TBM 850 pressurized single-engined turboprop last
month. The TBM 850 builds on the success of the TBM 700 business
aircraft and offers owners and pilots a maximum cruise speed of 320
KTAS at FL260 in ISA conditions. Socata claims that this will give
TBM 850 operators the advantage of the cruising speeds typical of
light jets, with the economical direct operating costs of a
single-engined turboprop.
Base price of the TBM 850 is set at $2,576,930 in 2006. A
version with typical customer options and equipped for RVSM
(Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum) operation will list at
$2,799,850.
The powerplant of the TBM 850 is Pratt & Whitney
Canada’s PT6A-66D. The PT6A-66D delivers 1,825 eshp
flat-rated to 850 shp for the TBM 850. Its single-crystal
compressor turbine blades enable higher operating temperatures and,
coupled with a new first-stage compressor design, gives the TBM 850
its enhanced high-altitude performance.
ANN will be flying and reporting on the new aircraft late next
month... keep an eye out for the report.
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