Daher Delivers 20th TBM 960

Daher has delivered its 20th TBM 960 turboprop single, a model that received FAA type certification in late June. South Florida businessman Johnie Weems—who has owned three earlier TBM variants—took delivery of the milestone airplane at Daher’s aircraft division in Tarbes, France, and along with ferry pilot Margrit Waltz, made the transatlantic flight to Florida.

Seventeen of the 20 TBM 960s have been delivered to U.S. customers, with the remaining three going to Europeans. Daher aircraft division senior vice president Nicolas Chabbert said demand is strong for the $4.57 million airplane. “We’re nearly fully booked for 2023, with a significant percentage of these orders coming from customers in North America and Europe,” he noted.

Key features of the TBM 960 include the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6E-66XT engine and Hartzell’s five-blade Raptor propeller, which are linked to the type’s dual-channel digital engine and propeller electronic control system. Other improvements include LED ambiance strip lighting on both sides of the overhead cabin ceiling panel and electronically dimmable windows.