Got to see a brand new TBM up close yesterday. Very cool!
The thumbs up pictures was taken by my CFII. I sent it to my buddy who is shopping for one with the tag line: just signed off on it, bring it on.
Haven't heard back from him yet...

I do think that given bunches of training I could fly this thing. The G1000 is the same as in the Phenom and very intuitive. My CFII said the long nose took some getting used to for landing.... The power is supposedly awesome.
BTW, this is my "lottery" plane, complete with training in France and flying it back with their company pilot. I used to go to winter HALO jump school at that very same airport when I was in the military. I suppose the young ladies we entertained are all grandmothers by now.....

Awesome Luc, nice pics. With the optional pilot's door

the TBM is a dream boat. My only design suggestion would be to stretch the thing 18" and put a side facing belted potty in it.

And by the way this is no "babble talk"

The French took that Mooney 301, scrapped all but the wing, and created the TBM-700.

Interesting story, http://www.mooneyevents.com/Mooney301.html

My PC12 is easier to fly than my Bonanza. If I had a G1000 instead of Apex it would be even easier. You could handle the TBM no problem.

Here's to me hoping then!
I don't gamble or buy lottery tickets, so this probably won't happen... but it's nice to dream....

The TBM is great and easier to fly than my old Baron I had.
The long nose is no issue. The TBM is the aircraft Beechcraft should had built.

At one time, Socata had a plan to stretch the fuselage and had a few seats and potty but that was set aside.

what is Socata doing? They seem to be stalled on development.

milking the cow and not reinvesting any capital into new product development? or are they just being really quiet about it?

I woulnt say that. They are improving the aircraft every year.

Luc,

Nice Pics! Its my dream airplane as well. Don't worry about not playing the lottery - your chances of winning don't improve much when you play.

how?

I visted TBM's North America facility a while back. I love the airplane, but a couple of things struck me.

1. On a value basis, it would appears that a new TBM should sell in the high $2 million, not $3.5 million. French companies aren't known for being highly efficient.

2. They appear very proprietary in the category of maintenance. They keep track of every airframe down to a washer, and exactly what services have been completed. They sell that aspect as a benefit to the owner, but I found that a bit of a turnoff...kinda of a "big brother" watching over. They had a resale price deduction for every single step/part that didn't exactly meet their specifications. That suggested to me that they were herding you into their maintenance shop, and you'll pay dearly on depreciation if you don't.

I hear those that buy new and run with factory based maintenance are very disappointed in their true operating costs. Keeping the fleet in high compliance has it's owner benefits, but it seemed to go over the line.

That optional pilot's door costs more than my entire airplane, per the spec sheet.

Wow. My dream plane as well.......

They started shipping the A model in 1992.
1998 B model with larger door, o2 masks
1999 pilot door optional
2003 C2 model with higher gross weight
2006 850 model
2008 850 G1000
2012 Elite model with convertible interior.
2013 200 hrs maintenance interval program,

Other minor changes incorporated every year.

What as Beechcraft done since 1992?

so that's basically nothing since 08, exactly my point. small-ball, just like Beech. Beech is even worse probably, but they went bankrupt too.