Press Release
Issued by Daher Aerospace.
June 27, 2012
Daher-Socata today announced the delivery of a model year 2012 TBM 850 Elite to Anutin Charnvirakul – a leading figure in Thai business and politics.
As a passionate and active private pilot, the 46-year-old Charnvirakul owned several aircraft prior to his decision acquire the TBM 850 very fast turboprop. After taking the delivery from Daher-Socata, he entered the company's TBM training course at Tarbes, France to become rated on his new aircraft, and will fly it back to Thailand in late June.
"After having owned single-engine piston aircraft, a turboprop-powered airplane was the most obvious choice to step up for me – as it is more versatile than a jet and offers great flexibility in airports where it can be operated," Charnvirakul explained. "After a search process, my advisors said the TBM 850 was best suited for me because of its performance and its quality of construction. I'm now really looking forward to going back home in my new TBM 850 – which will be the flight of a lifetime."
Charnvirakul is a well-known personality in Thailand, having been a former deputy minister of Public Health and Commerce. Today, he is chairman of Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction PLC, and the developer of Rancho Charnvee – the first golf course in Thailand's Khao Yai mountain region, which opened in 2010 with a landing strip.
"Delivering Thailand's first TBM 850 to a leading personality such as Anutin Charnvirakul is an important step as Daher-Socata expands its Asia-Pacific activities in a region where we foresee increased activity and growth for our aviation business," explained Stéphane Mayer, the president and ceo of Daher-Socata.
"We are extremely proud that Anutin Charnvirakul selected the TBM 850 Elite, as his new means of air transportation," said Nicolas Chabbert, the senior vice-president of Daher-Socata's Airplane Division. "We're particularly honored by his acknowledgement of the very fast turboprop's quality and performance."
The TBM 850 is the world's fastest single-engine turboprop, with a maximum cruise speed of 320 KTAS at 26,000 ft. (in ISA conditions). As an 850-shp. version of Daher-Socata's proven six-seat TBM 700 turboprop business aircraft, the TBM 850 combines cruise speeds and travel times typical of light jets with the economical direct operating costs of a turboprop, along with excellent range and payload capacity.
Charnvirakul's aircraft is the latest TBM 850 version, and includes the pilot door option. His aircraft also will be outfitted with the new middle seats that can be oriented in a forward-facing position – allowing the cabin to be reconfigured in a four-seat arrangement; thereby increasing the luggage volume capacity by three and doubling the maximum luggage weight.
Additionally selected by Charnvirakul for the TBM 850 is Garmin's GSR 56 Iridium satellite transceiver option – giving worldwide access to quality on-demand weather information and text/voice communications.
Charnvirakul will benefit as well from Daher-Socata's Exclusive Maintenance Program that covers scheduled maintenance costs for the original retail customer through the aircraft's fifth annual inspection, or up to 1,000 total flight hours – whichever comes first.
Since its 2005 launch, the TBM 850 has become an international success – with more 271 aircraft delivered as of May 31, 2012. The combined TBM 700 and TBM 850 fleet now stands at 595 units worldwide.
