Daher revisits aviation heritage, debuts TBM 910 in US

A flightworthy replica of the World War I-era Morane-Saulnier Type L Parasol airplane – an ancestor to Daher’s TBM fast turboprop aircraft – is being showcased for the first time during EAA’s AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in, July 24-30, 2017 at Wittman Regional Airport, Wisconsin.

This historic airplane is the result of a six-year adventure that started in 2011 with the 100th anniversary of Daher’s roots as an aircraft manufacturer. The Type L replica project has been supported from the start by Daher, which provides workspace, tooling, and expertise.

“We decided to exhibit the Type L at Oshkosh in 2017 because this year marks the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I – which had an enormous influence in the development of aviation,” explained Nicolas Chabbert, the senior vice president of Daher’s airplane business unit, and president of SOCATA North America, its U.S subsidiary.

The replica’s construction project is managed by the Association Héritage Avions Morane-Saulnier, whose volunteers – both retired and current workers of Daher and its predecessor companies – have brought their energy and passion to this effort. Some of them are Morane-Saulnier veterans in their mid-80s. This replica retains the Type L’s Parasol’s original wooden structure, along with the wing-warping system and the aircraft’s all-moving-surface rudder and stabilizer.

To date, more than 15,000 man-hours have been invested by the volunteers in tasks ranging from woodworking to computer-assisted design. As the Morane-Saulnier aircraft is being built to fly, modern upgrades have been incorporated, including the substitution of a 110hp Rotec radial engine in place of the original Le Rhone rotary 80hp engine.

“Giving a ‘rebirth’ to the Type L represents the excellence in manufacturing and ingenuity that is reflected today in our TBM 910 and TBM 930 aircraft – which are recognized for their performance and quality,” Chabbert added.

TBM 910 makes its U.S. public debut
Daher also is showcasing the latest member of its fast turboprop aircraft family for the first time publicly in the U.S. with the TBM 910’s appearance during AirVenture.

It is equipped with the Garmin G1000 NXi all-glass integrated flight deck that replaces the previous G1000 configuration used on Daher TBM 900 versions. The high-resolution display and state-of-the-art processors provide a faster boot-up and software loading, while enabling the system to manage more aviation data and maps, such as visual approach plates.

“Since the TBM 910’s formal announcement only three months ago, this aircraft has captured attention of the owner/pilot market, and a dozen already have been delivered to enthusiastic customers on both sides of the Atlantic,” Chabbert said.

The TBM 910 benefits from the same range and performance that have contributed to the success of Daher’s TBM 900-series six-passenger pressurized single-engine turboprop aircraft, and this latest version also includes technical features such as the TBM e-copilot for lower pilot workload.

The TBM 910 enhanced interior includes the optional AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag in the torso section of 4-point seatbelts at the two cockpit seats. When triggered, the airbag deploys up and away from the seated occupant, providing protection to the head, neck and torso. The TBM 910’s AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag meets FAR 23.562 26g requirements for pilot/co-pilot seats, and provides additional safety for survivable impacts.