TBM 850: A Jet With a Prop

Isabel Goyer

Monday, May 16, 2011 at 07:06 PM ET

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TBM 850

Key Takeaways:

The TBM 850 is a high-performance single-engine turboprop, celebrated for its impressive speed (up to 320 knots) and range, as highlighted by the author's experience with a special 100th-anniversary edition.
Key advancements, particularly the Garmin G1000 avionics suite, have significantly enhanced the aircraft's reliability, reduced weight, and improved cockpit ergonomics and ease of use.
Despite misconceptions, the TBM 850 offers a comfortable cabin with dual-zone climate control, boasts competitive operating costs (around $450 per hour), and serves as an ideal step-up aircraft for pilots transitioning from smaller planes, often replacing airline travel for its owners.

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__Flight level 280 in a TBM 850 was just perfect for us coming out of Peachtree in Georgia, headed down to cozy North Perry Airport near Fort Lauderdale in south Florida. On a really long trip we could have climbed up to FL 310, lost a few knots, saved a few gallons per hour and been perfectly happy. But the airplane we were flying, while RVSM-ready, wasn’t yet RVSM-approved. On that trip, it didn’t matter. We were happy with the few extra knots we got down at 280.

The airplane we were flying was a very special TBM 850 built to commemorate a milestone the likes of which none of us has seen before, the 100th anniversary of an airplane manufacturer.