Hi Peter,
I just enjoyed reading your article: Very clear, easy to read, informative and to the point. I have not seen anything that I would not agree on despite the few more hours I have spent flying them. Congratulations.
I hope we will get the chance to update it with a 900 ride sometime.
About maintenance, I agree with you: Most owners just pay their bills. It takes both sides to build a smart part 91 program and there are clearly some savings there but most don’t have the time and comfort level to get into it plus there is little encouragement from maintenance facilities as it is going beyond what they typically do.
I kept and close eye and elected to work with people that have showed me their willingness to act as if the airplane was theirs which was very satisfactory but that did not happen from day one.
Have a nice weekend.
I was hangared for 10 years in a TBM/KA maintenance facility, and had been keeping 1/4 of an eye on buying a used TBM700. Plus, had I got 10% on every TBM sold from this writeup (which was also translated for a French GA magazine by a French pilot who flew with me) I would have that TBM now 
My take on the TBM stuff is that most owners
The work also needs some special tools so unless you can borrow them, it is difficult to do it in a rented hangar like I do my TB20 with an A&P/IA.
If I had the mission profile for a TBM I would try to get into one, but I would still work very hard to arrange a customised Part 91 maint programme.
I saw so much stuff done which was totally pointless e.g. the removal and clutch adjustment of all AP servos at the Annual – pointless since the pilot is supposed to do this using the yoke before every flight! That one thing alone was about 3 man-days because loads of stuff had to come out. Everybody there thought it was a waste of time.
Admittedly I am looking at this from the POV of a piston a/c owner which is probably completely the wrong thing. That whole business works on the principle that if you ask how much, you should not get into it
Hi Jason,
Yes I had checked a few months ago and I was surprised to see that number so low.
Regarding the M2 vs TBM, I suppose that since the Mustang production is so confidential now, people are looking at their options in terms of entry level twin jets vs turboprops and this might be the reason why we are seeing these planes being compared. The occurrences are mostly US based of course as the market is more active there but we even had one in the UK if I am not mistaken…It was before my time so I would have to check.
I have seen anywhere from 12K to 150K based on the maintenance history of a particular airplane. This is why purchase price is not the only matter to consider but generally on a healthy airplane, I think my number reflects the real world. I lived through 10 years of TBM maintenance for myself and am close to many owners who have experienced the same. I am sure there are bad stories I haven’t heard but there will always be a few. I would add that your choice of maintenance facility can have quite an impact as well.
You are right and prices keep going up! There is a regular 3% a year plus there was an increase when the new model came out. However, I like the idea of a fixed budget rather than having to hold on tight until your maintenance bill comes in. Since resale values on the TBM are good (although there are no used 900 for sale since it came out), I think it was the right move to transition to this formula. GA sales numbers are down but Daher’s numbers are up so it seems the market welcomed this as well.
Cheers,
David
You are Right Jason: I meant 2 since January 2015 last time I checked so it might be a couple more but clearly the production line is geared towards the M2 now.
Well if you checked at the end of Q1 2015, you would be right.
Before the 900, we did not see that much in common either but it now appears that the extra speed of the TBM has put it a regular option against the M2.
I really doubt that. But who knows.
Flying about 250 hours a year, I was budgeting 30K regular and 20K unexpected to be on the safe side and it has always worked out to be less so I was building reserves but I still think it is a safe number to work with.
I have heard of plenty of £50k annuals.
The big change with the 900 is now that not only you get a 5 year warranty (as I did on my 850) but you get 5 year (or 1000 hours) maintenance so you really see no expenses besides fuel, oil and tires.
But the price went up a lot so you are just paying for that 5 years up front no?
A Falcon 10 is a very different beast to the modern jets like the 510 or 525 series. Swept wing, fast, and out of production for over 25 years
You are Right Jason: I meant 2 since January 2015 last time I checked so it might be a couple more but clearly the production line is geared towards the M2 now.
This awful weather and summer holidays now are behind are playing tricks on me, the year is not over yet!
Before the 900, we did not see that much in common either but it now appears that the extra speed of the TBM has put it a regular option against the M2.
Regarding maintenance, I had to adjust moving up from a Bonanza! The first TBM I owned was sn 2 that was refurbished by Daher (Socata then) a B model and a brand new TBM 850 G1000. When I acquired the 850, I thought I was going to experience less cost but it was actually pretty close to what I paid on the used ones. I guess I picked them knowing the big items were taken care of but still, I thought it would be less on the new one. Flying about 250 hours a year, I was budgeting 30K regular and 20K unexpected to be on the safe side and it has always worked out to be less so I was building reserves but I still think it is a safe number to work with.
The big change with the 900 is now that not only you get a 5 year warranty (as I did on my 850) but you get 5 year (or 1000 hours) maintenance so you really see no expenses besides fuel, oil and tires. To keep maintenance low on used one, it is important to seek advise to pick the right airplane. As an example, my B model costed me only 20K over 2 years because it came with a fresh annual and had no special squawks on year 2.
By the way, on the single jet topic, I have to say that at some point I investigated a Falcon 10 SP. I was in the US then and could get one N registered (IT seems France had been a bit slow to approve Citation SP to start with) but this is long gone now. The SJ 30 could have been the nest thing at some point as well. Numbers were really impressive!
Have a good evening.
Cessna has sold only 2 Mustangs last year at heavy discounts and is pushing the M2 now so you are right the TBM is heads on with the M2 on price.
I think you will find they sold 8 in 2014 and 3-4 so far this year. They announced they are making them to order so not surprising.
I don’t see the TBM900 as competing with an M2. The M2 is an upgraded CJ1+ which has a different market entirely.
TBM700/850/900 maintenance costs seem very high in my experience of those who have owned them. What does a real world annual cost?
Peter wrote:
Depends on how old you are…
Still not there yet so no coffee anytime soon just in case!
PS: I added the company picture as suggested!
don’t think readers can be fooled that easily.
It depends on how far they need to go to discover that you are a TBM dealer:
Click on Profile
Go to Personal Website
Read the website
You are very welcome to post here but I would suggest that instead of the three airfield names in your avatar you put in your company URL.
Do you pilots go the back often?
Depends on how old you are…
Safety and going to the loo don’t go hand in hand anymore….single pilot of course but even as a crew sadly.
Now, I have flown many long legs crossing the Atlantic more than 40 times, most of them with people in the back and honestly, I can only remember one occasion when someone did go. Is it just me? I am also the guy who will drive until he is home and not stop but still…
Do you pilots go the back often?
