Daher targeting record year as TBM 980 deliveries ramp up

Blue small propeller airplane on display at an outdoor show with open side door and an informational board in front

Stephen Pope

Daher Aircraft has delivered more than 30 TBM 980s since introducing the single-engine turboprop in January 2026 and expects its orderbook to raise production to record levels at least into mid-2027.

The French manufacturer said at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh that it aims to deliver more than 60 TBM 980s during 2026. Reaching that target would make this the strongest delivery year in the TBM program’s history, said Daher Aircraft CEO Nicolas Chabbert.

Daher began deliveries after unveiling the TBM 980 at its Tarbes production facility on January 15, 2026. By late April, the company had delivered 13 aircraft. That figure has now more than doubled.

More than half of the customers taking delivery of TBM 980s this year previously owned another TBM, according to Daher.

“The exceptional response to the TBM 980, including the confidence shown by existing TBM owners, demonstrates how our strategy continues to resonate with customers around the world,” Chabbert said.

Daher introduced the TBM 980 as the latest evolution of its pressurized, six-seat TBM family. The aircraft replaces the TBM 960 at the top of the company’s lineup and retains its Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6E-66XT engine, five-blade Hartzell composite propeller and full-authority digital engine control system.

Garmin’s G3000 Prime flight deck replaces the previous avionics system with three 14-inch, edge-to-edge touchscreen displays. Pilots can customize the displays and use presets to reduce the number of steps needed to manage aircraft systems and flight functions.

Daher also carried over its e-copilot safety systems to the TBM 980, including flight-envelope monitoring, emergency descent mode, icing protection and Garmin HomeSafe emergency autoland.

The latest delivery figures also point to tight supply across the newer TBM fleet. Daher said only three of the 218 TBM 960s produced are currently available for sale worldwide. Four of the 124 TBM 940s built are also listed for sale.

That limited supply has helped late-model aircraft retain values close to their original purchase prices, the company said.

One of the newest TBM 980s went to Savage Aviation, which already operates a TBM 960. Daher has also highlighted repeat customers including Dr. Ian Fries, who took delivery of his sixth TBM-family aircraft in March.

Daher delivered the 1,300th TBM-family aircraft in April. The milestone airplane was a TBM 980 bound for a customer in the United States.

The global TBM fleet has accumulated more than 2.6 million flight hours in private, business and special-mission operations.

Daher is displaying the TBM 980 alongside the Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900 at AirVenture, which runs through July 26 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

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