French manufacturer Daher announced yesterday that it had delivered the 100th example of the TBM 960 single-engine turbo-prop.
The aircraft was delivered to California businessman Kevin Kassef, who is upgrading from a piston-engined aircraft used in business.
The 960 version of the TBM, launched in April 2022, features a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6E-66XT turbine spinning a five-blade Hartzell propeller, Garmin G3000 avionics and a dual-channel digital Engine and Propeller Electronic Control System (EPECS).
"We are particularly proud that the 100th TBM 960 has been received by a newcomer to the TBM community,” said Nicolas Chabbert, the Senior Vice President of Daher’s Aircraft Division.
“It confirms that the TBM 960 is the quintessential TBM – meeting the expectations of entrepreneurs like Kevin Kaseff, who require a safe and efficient individual transportation tool.”
“My home base is near Santa Maria on California’s Central Coast, which has very limited commercial airline service, so having a personal airplane is extremely valuable as I continue to develop my business,” Kaseff explained.
“When I decided to upgrade from a piston-engine airplane to a high-performance aircraft, I searched the market and found that the TBM 960 was the best choice for me.
"The TBM 960 offers the efficiency I was looking for in terms of speed, range and airport access. And its turbo-prop engine generates less carbon emissions than a jet.”
The TBM 960 is the fifth evolution of the TBM 900 series, with the TBM 910 the only other model still on the market. There are over 1000 of the TBM 900 series operating world-wide.