So, here’s a TBM for $700K with 400hrs left on engine. If you keep this on N-reg, you can run it over TBO. This engine will probably easily go 1800hrs over TBO, my guess. This could provide years and years of capable flying for the average private user for not that much capital outlay.
Peter? 
AdamFrisch wrote:
So, here’s a TBM for $700K with 400hrs left on engine. If you keep this on N-reg, you can run it over TBO. This engine will probably easily go 1800hrs over TBO, my guess. This could provide years and years of capable flying for the average private user for not that much capital outlay.
Adam, what is that guess based upon?
Well, Adam, if you lived near here, and there was hangarage and other facilities for operating a “nontrivial” plane, you and I would probably co-own something like this 
@JasonC I know of a few King Air owners and one Ag plane owner on the Beech Forum that run theirs past 3600-4000hrs. Here is the Ag plane guy:
Yes, we completely ignore TBO. Our planes currently range from 10,000-14,000 SMOH. That said, we do comply with HSI intervals and usually do them as much as twice as often as recommended by Pratt. If you have someone who will treat you right on hots, they can be a good way to save money. In addition to finding discrepancies while there is still time to repair instead of replace, frequent hot sections can be a vital tool in determining if current operating practices are allowing for the most economical outcome.
Our in house limits are currently 1000 hours on starter/generators, 5000 on CT blades, 1500 on hot sections, 5000 on FCUs, High pressure fuel pumps, and power sections. Most every thing else is done “on condition”. As far as cycle limits, we strictly observe them on all rotating components.
The results have been outstanding. Dispatch reliability is nearly perfect and operating expense is only a fraction of what Pratt quotes.
I should add that his examples are for -21 and -42 engines, so the parts will be considerably cheaper than on the -60 series that one finds in the TBM and PC12 planes etc. But the times and intervals are identical between them.
just out of interest (i am in NO position for a TP)
what are the costs of a HSI? an overhaul?
and how does it works when one read about “MORE” program and what are the costs, pro and cons?
I flew a TBM C2 for three years. Great, great aircraft. But the maintenance costs…. It seemed that every time I turned around there was a $10k minimum bill. In my three years I replaced an EFIS, gyro compass and also had to pay for 10 year or hour based inspections on gear, empennage, tail, among other things. I think I spent $50k pa on maintenance, flying about 150 hrs pa.
I could have been a lot smarter if I had known to watch out for and price in the myriad inspections that come at about 10 yrs and 1000 hrs.
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one having said all that. Just would be more careful next time.
I have never owned a TBM but was hangared for 10 years at a busy TBM service shop.
The TBM owners I had met were willing to pay any size bill. It seemed to be just normal. One of them did comment that he was not looking forward to the end of his warranty… However, to be fair, few if any run TBMs (N-reg) on Part 91 and instead get the company to always do the whole Socata MM which is longer than your arm (the TB20 one is ~100 pages), possibly because they have been told that if they don’t do that, their plane will lose all its value. They could always bring it up to date by doing the whole MM before selling, but few seem to be aware, or care. But, again to be fair, probably no maintenance company will do Part 91 for you; they want to do the whole MM or nothing. One of them told me that literally; saying they want the revenue.
There are some aspects of the maintenance which are bizzare e.g. removing the AP servos at every service and checking their slip clutch torque. That bit alone costs a few k. I doubt any “look” at a TBM IAW the MM costs less than 20k.
If I owned a TBM I would run it strictly on Part 91, but that needs a pro-active owner (a tiny % of TBM owners will be, IMHO) and a hangar where an A&P can work. I believe you also need some fixtures and tools. Otherwise, it is a well built plane which is easy to work on. As with everything in GA, the flying is the fun bit and the “real fun” starts when the wheels touch the ground, when the property/land owners call the tune, so one really needs a good facility for running one of these.
As with all planes, one needs to make sure the airframe parts are good – basically everything made in France. Those bits are very expensive and – on the TB side – I have seen massive price increases of 2x to 3x in the last few years.
@Peter_Paul You can’t enroll the -6x series Pratts on the MORE program, unfortunately. Technically, the -66 and -67 engines have a different type certificate than all the rest of the PT6’s. So you’re only option is to run them over TBO. Pretty low risk, as they’re built even more robust than the lower powered versions (I’ve been told).
As for what the HSI costs, it’s impossible to put a number on it. A PC12 acquaintance just did one for $7K, which is low, but I would suggest the norm is probably closer to $30K.
This could provide years and years of capable flying for the average private user for not that much capital outlay.
I think the focus on capital outlay is the wrong mindset to begin with. If you can swallow the running cost of a TBM the cost to bind/source the capital should be secondary. The price of an airplane is not what you paid for it but the difference between purchase, later sale and running costs. Many times this means buying a little more expensive but cheaper to run plane will work out much better.
Overhaul US$200-300k. HSI I would budget US$50k.
