FLYING’s First Look: Daher TBM 960

Subtle changes now should reap large benefits for this turboprop’s pilots over the long term.

Monday, April 11, 2022 at 01:41 PM ET

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Editor-in-chief Julie Boatman took a satisfying first flight in the Daher TBM 960, the latest in the TBM lineage. [Photo: Julie Boatman]

Key Takeaways:

The TBM 960 introduces an automated engine start function, powered by a new Pratt & Whitney PT6E-66XT engine.
This new engine features digital data capture and extends the Time Between Overhaul (TBO) to 5,000 hours.
The TBM 960 integrates various capabilities from its predecessors into a refined package that provides a smooth and harmonious flight experience for pilots.
Initial deliveries of the TBM 960 are imminent, with aircraft ready following final FAA acceptance of its EASA approval.

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The most obvious change lies in the automated engine start—and we sequenced through that procedure first.

After that, the differences between the 960 and its predecessor, the 940, are subtle ones, integrations of various elements and capabilities that the series collected. They now come together in a package that should prove its worth to pilots and owners.