US-based private pilot Bruce McCollum has taken delivery of Daher's 1,100th TBM, a TBM 960. McCollum is owner and chairman of Tingley Rubber Corporation, a manufacturer of protective footwear and clothing headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, and has previously owned a TBM 850 and a TBM 900. He met up with his TBM 960 at the Tarbes, France headquarters of Daher's aircraft division, the site for the TBM's production and final assembly, before boarding the aircraft for its trans-Atlantic ferry flight to the US where the formal handover occurred at Daher's operation in Pompano Beach, Florida.

“I had a great tour of the factory in Tarbes, which was very impressive: you can feel the dedication of the Daher teams who design, build and constantly fine tune the TBM,” says McCollum. “Additionally, the breadth of aerostructures that Daher makes for such leading aircraft producers as Airbus, Dassault and Gulfstream also is impressive. Having this diversity contributes to Daher's strength as a company and its ability for future development of the TBM.”

Delivery of this 1,100th TBM, which comes just two years after the handover of the 1,000th unit, underscores the success of the highly efficient very fast turboprop aircraft family and highlights the popularity of the TBM900 series, which has evolved through the company's strategy of continuous operational improvements and commitment to enhanced sustainability.

This milestone TBM 960 benefits from Daher's application of digital power for enhanced operating economics, along with a superior piloting experience and increased cabin comfort.

TBM's production versions, the TBM 960 and TBM 910, evolved from the initial TBM 700 configuration, which was introduced in 1990 as the first civilian pressurised single engine turboprop aircraft. It was followed in 2006 by the more powerful TBM 850. The TBM 900 series' launch in 2014 accelerated the aircraft family's success, culminating with the TBM 960, which is the ultimate evolution of the brand today.

With the TBM's market position and Daher's 2019 acquisition of the Kodiak product line, the company now ranks among the top 10 general aviation aircraft manufacturers. It offers a range of complementary aircraft: the TBM 910 and TBM 960, which meet the performance and efficiency requirements of private pilots, owners and governments; and the Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900, which are tailored for diverse applications that range from humanitarian airlift and medical evacuation to the utility, governmental and special mission sectors.

Daher aircraft division SVP Nicolas Chabbert says the TBM aircraft family has distinguished itself through constant improvements in environmental efficiency and operational safety, delivering speed at much lower fuel consumption than competing jets and incorporating enhancements in flight envelope protection and situational awareness.

“The 1,100th delivery is an achievement that we owe to our faithful customers for their continued confidence and which is built on the dedication of our Daher teams in engineering, flight test, production and support,” he says.