In All, 26 Airplanes To Be Updated

The French Ministry of Defense has picked Daher-Socata for an avionics renovation and associated upgrade services on a majority of the TBM 700s in service in the French Armed Forces, the company announced Monday.

File Photo

This contract, awarded by the country’s DGA military procurement agency, covers the modernization of 14 French Air Force TBM 700As, seven TBM 700As and three TBM 700Bs of the French Army Aviation, along with two TBM 700As of the country’s CEV Flight Test Center. The work involves the supply and installation of a full Garmin G1000 avionics suite, including a GFC 700 fully digital autopilot.

The transformation will upgrade all 26 TBM 700s – of which certain older aircraft are still equipped with electro-mechanical instruments – to the  avionics standard of Daher-Socata’s current-production TBM 850. This modernization will meet civilian airworthiness standards, and is to be  certified by the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) – easing the integration of these aircraft in the international air traffic system.

The contract also includes the following services linked to the modification:

• Installation of the Iaero-supplied Apibox Flight Data Recorder system on all aircraft.
• Replacement of the Emergency Locator Transmitter by a compact Artex ME406.
• Weather radar replacement and stormscope installation.
• Upgrade of passenger cabin outfitting.
• Training of pilots and engineers training on the new avionics systems.

The work will start with the modification of a civilian prototype in April, followed by transformation of the first military TBM 700 in August. The final aircraft is expected to be completed in June 2014. “Our selection for this work represents another commercial success for Daher-Socata’s growing customer services offering,” commented Nicolas Chabbert, Senior Vice-President of the Daher-Socata Airplane Division. “It confirms the excellent price-to-quality ratio of our maintenance and avionics retrofit solutions that can be provided for government, corporate and private operators.

Chabbert added that the new avionics systems will enhance the French military TBM 700 fleet’s operational capability, while also improving flight safety by easing the crew’s workload.

FMI: www.daher.com