While they represent only 20 percent of total airplanes delivered, the turboprop market segment offers an enticing blend of speed, utility, and approachability for the pilot wanting to fly their own aircraft—and those who can invest between $2.5 and $6 million (for a new aircraft) to accomplish their goals.
The selections within the pool for buyers offer well-targeted capability and niche design—and the segment continues to attract new entrants from the original equipment manufacturers specializing in these mounts. Daher has led the way in 2022, with the introduction of two new models to its portfolio, the autoland-capable TBM 960 (successor to the 940) and the Kodiak 900, a serious reimagining of the backcountry hauler into a much faster baby. The 900 provides a different flavor of competition for the Cessna Grand Caravan EX—though the classic from Textron Aviation still comes in lower on price point, and you can’t put a 900 on floats—yet. Stay tuned.
