Swiss Pilot Takes the Next TBM 960

Serial owners find efficiency paired with speed in making the upgrade to the latest Daher model.

Julie Boatman

Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 12:39 PM ET

Verified

New owner Paolo Buzzi prepares to taxi away in the 12th TBM to go onto Switzerland’s registry. [Courtesy: Daher]

Key Takeaways:

The 2022 general aviation market is characterized by both new buyers and existing pilots upgrading to new aircraft models, with manufacturers valuing these loyal customers.
Paolo Buzzi exemplified this trend by upgrading from his pre-owned TBM 930 to a new TBM 960, citing benefits like a five-year warranty and HomeSafe Autoland, and planning future long-duration trips.
Despite broader economic concerns and interest rate hikes, demand for turboprops and jets remains robust, with owners increasingly seeking to leverage their aircraft assets more fully.

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While 2022 has been marked by still more new buyers entering the market, manufacturers that FLYING has interviewed will share that some of the most rewarding transactions go to those pilots who have found utility in owning several models within a company’s lineup—and those who have moved from a used aircraft to a new one.

Case in point? A recent December delivery at Daher Aircraft in Tarbes, France, for TBM owner Paolo Buzzi, who took possession of a TBM 960 that upgrades him from the pre-owned TBM 930 he flew around the world in 2018. The 960 represents new territory for Buzzi, who noted the five-year warranty granted with a new model, as well as the HomeSafe Autoland capability of interest to his spouse.