Press Release

Issued by Daher Aerospace.

January 5, 2011

DAHER-SOCATA today announced that 38 TBM 850s were delivered in 2010, bringing the total number of the very fast turboprop aircraft received by customers to 222 since its introduction in 2006.

This is the fourth best year for the TBM program since 1990, putting the overall TBM fleet number at 545. In 2010, the combined flight time of these aircraft exceeded 800,000 flight hours.

Most of the TBM 850s purchased in 2010 were acquired by U.S. customers (76 percent), with Europe representing 13 percent of the year's sales. Latin America was next with five percent, followed by Asia-Pacific and Africa with three percent each. Included in last year's activity were DAHER-SOCATA's first deliveries of new TBM 850s in Nigeria and Poland – demonstrating the aircraft's expanding market penetration.

"The TBM 850's continued success is due to its low operating costs and the loyalty of our customers – some of whom purchased their fifth TBM family aircraft in 2010," said Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice-president of DAHER-SOCATA Airplane Division. "We're now looking forward to the introduction of the DAHER-SOCATA 100th Anniversary Special Edition TBM 850 in 2011, which will offer a host of benefits – including an Exclusive Maintenance Program that lowers the scheduled maintenance costs for 5 years or 1,000 hours."

DAHER-SOCATA's TBM 850 is the world's fastest single turboprop aircraft, with a maximum cruising speed of 320 KTAS at Flight Level 260 (in ISA conditions). It combines cruising speed and trip times of a light jet with the economic direct operating costs, range and moderate environmental signature of a turboprop engine. The maximum range and useful load – which are enhanced on the current version – and the ability to land at small airports are some of its customers' favorite features.