Socata TBM

infobox Aircraft
name = TBM 700 / TBM 850



caption = Socata TBM 700 of the French Army Light Aviation
type = Single-engined utilty
logo =
manufacturer = EADS Socata
designer =
first flight = 14 July 1988
introduction = 1990
retired =
status =
primary user = French Army
more users = French Air Force
produced =
number built =
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The EADS Socata TBM 700 and TBM 850 are French high performance single engine turboprop light business and utility aircraft manufactured by EADS Socata. The TBM 700 was offered until 2006, when the TBM 850 was introduced.

Design and development

The TBM 700 is a single turboprop engined, six to seven seat low-wing monoplane of aluminium and steel construction. The TBM 700 first flew on 14 July 1988 and French certification followed in 1990. The TBM 700 was designed together with Mooney, but Mooney withdrew from the project shortly after certification. In the designation TBM, "TB" stands for Tarbes, the city in France in which Socata is located, the "M" stands for Mooney (the initial was kept in the model designation even though Mooney was never involved in the production of the airplane). The TBM 700 also comes in a cargo variant. The TBM 700 uses a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-64 engine delivering 700 shp (522 kW).

The TBM 850 is the production name for the TBM 700N, an improved version with the more powerful Pratt & Whitney PT6A-66D engine flat rated at 850 shp (634 kW). The TBM 850 is limited to 700 shp (522 kW) for takeoff and landing, but in cruise flight the engine power can be increased to 850 shp (634 kW). This extra power gives it a higher cruising speed than the TBM 700 models, especially at high elevations (due to the flat-rating). The maxiumum cruise speed of 320 KTAS now comes close to that of light business jets which are more expensive to operate than a single engined turboprop. The price of a "typically equipped" TBM 850 in 2006 is listed as 2.8 million US dollars.Fact|date=December 2007 The outside appearance of the TBM 850 has remained the same as that of the TBM 700. The 850 has a typical range of 1520 nm.

As of the spring of 2007, over 370 TBMs have been produced. The manufacturer expects to produce 450 units in the 2007-2016 time period. [Aviation Week & Space Technology, 29 October 2007 issue, p. 66]

Beginning with the 2008 model, the TBM-850 is equipped with the Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck as standard equipment. [ [http://www.tbm850.com/news/pr/2008/EADSSOCATAunveils2008TBM850.pdf News Release ] ]

Variants

;TBM 700A:Initial production version with one Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-64 turboprop engine.;TBM 700B:Variant with wide entrance door, increased maximum zero fuel weight and other improvements. ;TBM 700C1:Improved version with rear unpressurised cargo compartment, reinforced structure, new air conditioning system and other improvements.;TBM 700C2:C1 with increased maximum take off weight.;TBM 700N:Variant with increased maximum cruise/climb power, one Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66D turboprop engine, produced as the "TBM850";TBM 850:Production name for the TBM 700N.

Operators

* French Army
* French Air Force

;usaGeneral Aviation

;mexGeneral Aviation

pecifications (TBM 850)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop

ref={name of first source}

crew= 1 or 2 pilots
capacity=4 to 6 (including one passenger in the cockpit if there is no co-pilot)
length main= 10.65m
length alt= 34 ft 11 in
span main= 12.68m
span alt= 41 ft 7 in
height main= 4.36m
height alt= 14 ft 3 in
area main= 18m²
area alt= 193.7ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,132 kg
empty weight alt= 4,699 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 3,354 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 7,394 lb
more general=

engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66D
type of prop= turboprop
number of props=1
power main= 634 kW
power alt= 850 hp
power original=

max speed main= 593 km/h
max speed alt= 320 knots, 368 mph
cruise speed main= 467 km/h
cruise speed alt= 252 kts, 290 mph
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=2,813 km
range alt= 1,519 nm, 1,784 mi
ceiling main= 9,450 m
ceiling alt= 31,000 ft
climb rate main= 12.09 m/s
climb rate alt= 2,380 ft/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Time to climb to 26,000 ft: 15 min
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=
* Extra 500
* Pilatus PC-12
* Piper Meridian

sequence=

lists=

see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.socata.eads.net EADS Socata official website]
* [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=370 Airlines.net Socata TBM 700 data]
* [http://easa.europa.eu/doc/Certification/Design_Appro/Aircrafts/TC_A_010_Socata_TBM700.pdf EASA Type Certificate]
* [http://www.socata.eads.net/xml/content/OF00000031800002/6/70/40931706.pdf TBM700 pilot handbook] (in .pdf format)
* [http://www.socata.eads.net/xml/content/OF00000031800002/9/31/41340319.pdf TBM850 pilot handbook] (in .pdf format)
* [http://www.tbmowners.org TBM Owners and Pilots Association]
* [http://www.tbmaustralia.com TBM Australia]
* [http://www.TBM850.com TBM850]