Daher’s final touch on 300th TBM 900-series
Recently Daher has announced the delivery of its 300th TBM 900-series very fast turboprop aircraft, which incorporates a personalised paint scheme for its owners; Dr Ian Blair Fries and his wife Susan Fries, who received this TBM 940 version as the fourth TBM-family airplane they have acquired over the past 20 years.
Having been launched in 2014 and available today in the TBM 910 and TBM 940 configurations, Daher’s TBM 900 series is the company’s in-production TBM product line. Featuring an increased level of automation that reduces the pilot’s workload and optimises performance and safety, the TBM 940 incorporates an automated throttle and an automated icing detection system, both of which are installed for the first time on a standard production turboprop aircraft weighing less than 12,500 lbs. (5.7 metric tons). Their integration further builds on Daher’s TBM e-copilot strategy of introducing functionality for improved operational safety on the TBM product line.
Some of the TBM 940’s enhancements, such as cabin upgrades for style, ergonomics and comfort are applied as well to Daher’s entry-level TBM 910 version, along with the automated icing detection system. Both aircraft also benefit from the latest Garmin cockpit features: Surface Watch, which gives pilots better situational awareness in the airport environment; BARO VNAV, allowing approaches with vertical guidance when the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is not available and visual approach assistance in the execution of visual approaches at uncontrolled airports with vertical guidance.