From Pioneering Turboprop to Timeless Performer: The TBM 700’s Lasting Legacy

High-tech machine evolves from unlikely Mooney prototype to fastest turboprop on the ramp.

Jonathan Welsh

Monday, August 03, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

TBM 700 in flight [Credit: Jessica Ambats]

Key Takeaways:

The TBM turboprop series, born from a Mooney prototype and a French-American partnership, debuted in 1990 as a class-leading, high-performance aircraft that helped revitalize general aviation.
Consistently boasting superior speed (30+ knots faster than competitors), the TBM demonstrates the significant value of enhanced cruise speed for turbine pilots on longer flights.
Operating a TBM demands a higher level of commitment, requiring intensive training and frequent flying (recommended 100+ hours annually) to effectively manage its advanced systems and high-speed performance.

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The open cabin door and airstair beckoned. On a cloudless July morning in 2014, with temperatures rising steadily through the 80s, this inviting sight drew me and my two sons, aged 10 and 7, from the comfortable shade of a hangar and onto the sun-drenched ramp for a closer look.

We had arrived early to a major fly-in at Plymouth Municipal Airport (KPYM) in Massachusetts with plans to check out the new aircraft on display ahead of the crowd.