As the first-certified pressurized single-turboprop (in 1990),
Socata's TBM 700 needed some freshening. Enter the TBM 700C2,
which was certificated early this year and retains the aircraft's
vaunted speed capabilities while delivering bigger payloads and
range performance.
There are lots of differences between the new Model C and earlier
versions of the TBM 700. The A models were the first to be produced.
The B models, certified in 1999, offered a larger cabin door,
optional pilot door and improved interior. In addition to the
airframe modifications, the aircraft were also equipped with an
optional gaseous oxygen system, permitting a 31,000-foot ceiling
certification.
The new TBM 700C2 is mainly characterized by a reinforced airframe
(central part of the spar box and wing attachments), which allows
a maximum ramp weight of 7,428 pounds, maximum takeoff weight
of 7,394 pounds, and a payload with full fuel of 804 pounds-thanks
to FAR 23 amendment 44 that permits a stall speed above 61 kt
if the aircraft is equipped with dynamically crash-tested seats.
In addition to seat modifications, the airframe has been reinforced,
as has the landing gear.
Also, a new environmental control system (ECS) and air conditioning
system (VCS), both from Honeywell, have been installed in the
front luggage compartment, and an additional luggage area has
been created at the rear bulkhead.
Since some countries where the TBM is delivered do allow certification
with the increased stall speed, the C1 model, which features the
same airframe modification but is not equipped with the newly
designed seats and has a lower gross weight of 6,578 pounds, is
also available.
The TBM 700C's avionics suite is built around equipment that became
available beginning with the 2002 models, It includes a full communication
and navigation suite with dual Garmin GNS 530s combining IFR GPS
receivers with large color moving-maps and a fully digital 3,040-channel
(25 kHz and 8,33 kHz spacing) communication system. Additionally,
the airplane's panel includes the Honeywell Integrated Hazard
and Awareness System 8000, an advanced interactive system that
integrates the four major airborne safety systems: position awareness
using moving map technology; traffic awareness through the KMH
880 sensor; weather information from the ART RDR 2000 weather
radar and WX 500 Stormscope; and terrain information from the
enhanced ground proximity warning system of the KMH 880.Also standard
on the TBM 700C2 is the Shadin ETM 700 trend monitoring system,
which enables the pilot to monitor the performance of the engine
in real time.
Certification of the TBM 700C model took 18 months to complete.
The entire flight envelope was tested on two airframes: the TBM
700 prototype 02 loaded to 7,600 pounds for flight controls and
performance testing, and the TBM 700C2 prototype. Together they
performed over 120 hours of intensive flight-testing.
In other news, EADS Socata and Pratt & Whitney Canada have
increased the basic time between overhaul (TBO) for the TBM 700's
PT6A-64 engine from 3,000 hours to 3,500 hours, with a corresponding
increase in the hot section inspection interval from 1,500 to
1,750 hours.
As of mid-summer, approximately 240 TBM 700s have been delivered
worldwide. Most are registered in the USA and Europe. Other aircraft
are in service in Australia, Japan and Indonesia.
