Here's a very informative article on the TBM 850. Worth a look.

http://www.peter2000.co.uk/aviation/tbm850/index.html

Great Article Tony. thanks for sharing. I'm about ready to buy a G1000 850. on this forum, i'm sad it is not a beechcraft. but will give my feedback since it is atleast a SETP.

Tony,

That was an excellent review. The photos were also very well done.

My favorite line from the review was:

"Interest on capital can be accounted for in many ways, and it can be argued that if a private owner fully accounted for it on everything he buys, he would die extremely rich, with every penny invested in financial instruments, and without ever achieving anything worthwhile in his entire life."

It sort of makes me feel better about looking at Tim's spreadsheet...

Great reading, thanks!

There is a reason I ignore capital cost except in broad strokes!

Tim

I'll call BS on that. Even if you accept the premise that there are higher/other ends than profit maximization, most of us have a finite amount of capital to deploy achieving worthwhile things. A TBM 850 is a great plane. I can also trade it for a 700C2, a 185, a T6 and an R44. Or the C2 for a Meridian and a lake house. No reason not to be smart about how you blow your money on toys.

Problem number 1 is you think it's a "toy".

Problem number 1 is you think it's a "toy".

If everything you own is not a toy, you are on the wrong track!

I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing in my business if it weren't for my airplane. I need to be in too many places.

The life my airplane gives me is way beyond having the money invested in something else. It's not like a boat or a Ferrari. The utility I get from my airplane is immense.

I think half the reason I may never leave the U.S. is I would not be able to give up flying and live in a country where it's restricted or too difficult to maintain.

AMEN brother! God Bless the United States. Lets fight to keep our freedom.

That's great. For you. Not everyone else is the same. Capital cost is a legitimate concern even if the comparison is not financial. And the question is not necessarily plane vs. no plane but plane A vs. plane B.

I agree. Everyone's situation is different. I'm just responding to people who always say "you must count cost of capital"... I answer "no you don't". Like you said, everyone's situation is different.

Gas costs money. New tires and parts and labor all cost money and we can all agree on that. But "cost of capital" is different for everyone.

I believe "opportunity cost" is having a bunch of money in your checking account so you can capitalize on an opportunity immediately if it comes along. Happens all the time. Early bird gets the worm.

+1000 Jason! I love to fly and the freedom it gives me but I also know I could have never have achieved the degree of success and income in life if it were not for having my Bonanza and Baron and the ability to cover sooo much of North America and service sooo many major customers during the height of my career. I'm still in business but don't handle the work load I once did and its by choice. Once you reach 70, the insurance companies think your a fossil and a plane like the TBM 850 or 900 would cost more to insurance then all the other annual operational costs.

+1000 Jason! I love to fly and the freedom it gives me but I also know I could have never have achieved the degree of success and income in life if it were not for having my Bonanza and Baron and the ability to cover sooo much of North America and service sooo many major customers during the height of my career. I'm still in business but don't handle the work load I once did and its by choice. Once you reach 70, the insurance companies think your a fossil and a plane like the TBM 850 or 900 would cost more to insurance then all the other annual operational costs.