Socata weighs jump into air taxi class
EADS Socata, in a bid to enter the growing small corporate flight department and air taxi market, is evaluating the case for developing a new turboprop or

EADS Socata, in a bid to enter the growing small corporate flight department and air taxi market, is evaluating the case for developing a new turboprop or business jet that would be bigger than its six-seat TBM 850 but would not replace it. The French company is seeking financial and/or industrial partnerships for the $390 million project. It expects to make a decision on the new aircraft by early 2009 and fly it within five years.

So far this year, Socata (Booth No. 314) has achieved a record 63 sales of the TBM 850. The so-called “very fast turboprop” features an updated cockpit (see below) and is certain to take all of the manufacturer’s allocated production capacity for this year. According to Socata, the TBM 850 is the world’s fastest single-engine turboprop, with a 320-ktas maximum cruise speed at Flight Level 260 (in ISA conditions).

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