The Socata TB series ran from 0001 to approximately 2230, with a gap of about 70 (1928-2000) while they changed over to the GT. So that is roughly 2160 airframes.
Various estimates suggest that something like 1500 are still airworthy, 16 years after the last were made. Yes there have been some “2003” and even later, discussed e.g. here, but they were really “fakes” where Socata issued a fresh number for an older airframe. Anyway, after 40 years since the first and after 16 years since the last, a loss of maybe 700 airframes. It does sound quite a lot, but many TB9s and TB10s have been scrapped (largely due to corrosion) because their value was so much lower whereas TB20s and 21s tended to be kept going. Also all the early TBs were 9s and 10s.
I recently heard from one Robin enthusiast that the total fleet size is around 1000. That seems small given their common use in the French aeroclub sphere. It came up in the context of the repeated failed attempts to produce EASA STCs for Robins, due to a general lack of interest in avionics refits.
What about other GA types? Apart from Cessna and Piper, the Bonanza must be one of the biggest?
I’ve got three McCauley propellers sitting here in the hangar and I’m weighing up my options. I can overhaul the McCauley D3A34C402/90DFA-10 with a new hub to fit the aircraft. That will cost me 4800stg if my blades are good. The other option I have is overhaul the threaded/obsolete design McCauley which is the D3A32C90/82NC-2. Prop shops immediately back away when you mention these props. We got one quote for 7800stg – which priced in 3 No. Ferrules at 1200stg each. Has anyone here overhauled a threaded prop? Is anyone here operating one and can comment on the more frequent oil leaks I read about?
http://cessnaowner.org/propeller-leaks/
I can break down these three props, and sell them as cores as Plan B and buy a Hartzell kit either in that event.
I’ve become aware of Commission Regulation 2018/1065 (…) as regards the automatic validation of Union flight crew licences (…) [ local copy ]
It adds the requirement, when we fly an EU registered plane from another member state than the one of our licence outside of the Union, to carry “the latest issue of the ICAO attachment, which includes a reference to the ICAO registration number of the agreement that recognises the automatic validation of licences, as well as the list of States which are party to this agreement”. Basically a document from EASA [ local copy ] telling a foreign ramp-checker that all EU states automatically validate all other EU state licences.
What struck me is that the non-EU EASA states (Norway, Switzerland, …) are not listed!
