Daher’s TBM 980, the latest evolution in the French company’s long-running family of TBM high-performance turboprop singles, made its U.S debut during the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida.
The aircraft, first shown in January at the company’s headquarters in Tarbes, France, incorporates new features aimed at improving the overall experience of pilot and passengers while maintaining the segment-leading performance that has made the TBM line of pressurized, six-seaters desirable for decades.
New Avionics
Among the changes made to the 980 is the Garmin third-generation G3000 Prime flight deck, which brings more processing power and improved ergonomics to the cockpit. The avionics package features 14-inch edge-to-edge touchscreens with improved image quality. Daher said a streamlined interface, which includes presets that can be customized, reduces the pilot’s workload.
Daher rival Pilatus caused a stir in 2025 when it unveiled the PC-12 Pro, which was the first aircraft to feature the G3000 Prime suite, which is also slated for use in the Pilatus PC-7 MKX military trainer, which is expected to enter service with several countries in 2027.
Cabin Comfort
Known for roomy, well-appointed cabins, the TBM family has always appealed to passengers, and the 980, which is the sixth aircraft in the TBM 900-series, maintains the theme with several upgrades. These include 100-watt USB-C charging ports for mobile devices, an improved display of flight data for cabin occupants, and a factory-installed interface for Starlink Mini satellite-based internet.
Daher said it has delivered 10 of the aircraft to customers in the U.S. so far and is taking orders for production in 2027. The aircraft’s list price is $5.8 million.