Thu, May 05, 2011
TBM Military Fleet Upgrade Program Now Moves Into Its
Industrial Phase
The first modernized TBM 700 has been delivered to the French
Ministry of Defense by Daher-Socata, marking a new milestone in its
contract with the country’s DGA procurement agency to upgrade
27 of these single-engine turboprop-powered aircraft in service
with the French armed forces.
Main elements of the modernization include Daher-Socata’s
replacement of aging avionics with an all-glass integrated flight
deck that incorporates the Garmin G1000 avionics suite with GFC 700
digital autopilot, along with civilian certification and related
enhancements for a better integration of the aircraft within the
international air traffic system.
Also included are a modern weather radar with Stormscope weather
avoidance system, an emergency locator transmitter (ELT), and the
Apibox flight data recorder system. As part of Daher-Socata’s
contract, the company is providing familiarization training on the
TBM 700’s new systems for pilots and
mechanics, along with maintenance and operating documentation and
equipment spares support.
This upgrade activity is to continue through the end of 2014,
involving fifteen French Air Force TBM 700As, five TBM 700As and
three TBM 700Bs for the French Army Aviation, and four TBM 700As of
the country’s CEV military flight test center. “We are
extremely proud of the French military’s acceptance of our
first modernized TBM 700,” stated Nicolas Chabbert, Senior
Vice President of the Daher-Socata Airplane Division. “This
recognizes the high-quality work of our teams, who are implementing
a phased modernization of the French armed forces’ TBM 700
fleet without restricting the operational activity of the units
that fly them.”
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