Daher Aircraft has delivered the first TBM 980 to a customer in Brazil, introducing the latest version of its turboprop-powered single to a market where the TBM family is expanding among business aviation operators.
The aircraft was received by a Brazilian customer who upgraded from a TBM 900, selecting the TBM 980 for its third-generation Garmin G3000 Prime avionics and the type’s combination of speed, efficiency and operational flexibility. The customer operates cattle ranches and farms across Brazil and will use the aircraft to travel between sites, including from semi-prepared runways.
Daher Aircraft positions Brazil as an important market for both airframe families in its portfolio: the pressurised six-seat TBM 980 and TBM 960, and the utility-category 10-seat Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900. The manufacturer says the country’s size and sectors such as agribusiness, construction and mining create demand for efficient regional transport for which the TBM and Kodiak are suited.
The company established its São Paulo-based Daher Aircraft Brasil entity last October to strengthen its local presence for customer relationships and technical support. Five TBM 980s and one TBM 960 have been sold in the country since then. Around 60 TBMs of various versions currently operate in Brazil, alongside seven Kodiak 100s.
Daher Aircraft unveiled the TBM 980 in January and has delivered more than 30 aircraft worldwide. The Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics uses three 14in edge-to-edge touchscreen displays, with customisable presets intended to improve cockpit ergonomics and reduce pilot workload.
The TBM 980 carries Daher Aircraft’s e-copilot suite of automated systems, proven across the TBM 900-series, including weather detection, icing protection, flight envelope monitoring, emergency descent mode and the HomeSafe emergency autoland function. The aircraft adopts features from the TBM 960, including Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PT6E-66XT turboprop engine and a five-blade Hartzell composite propeller, both governed by a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system.
Image: Daher Aircraft
