Daher TBM 980 Orderbook Extends to Mid-2027 at AirVenture

Daher Aircraft announced at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 20, 2026, that its new TBM 980 turboprop has secured an orderbook extending into mid-2027. The backlog follows the completion of more than 30 deliveries during the aircraft’s first six months on the market.

In a press release issued during the event, the manufacturer stated it is targeting a record 60-plus deliveries for the TBM 980 in 2026. The sales momentum underscores robust demand in the single-engine turboprop sector and validates Daher’s strategy of continuous incremental upgrades.

Delivery milestones and production targets

Since Daher officially unveiled the TBM 980 at its Tarbes, France, headquarters on January 15, 2026, the aircraft has maintained a rapid delivery pace. The company marked the European debut of the aircraft at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in April 2026 by handing over the 1,300th TBM family airplane, which was a TBM 980.

Daher Aircraft CEO Nicolas Chabbert attributed the strong market reception to the company’s focus on product quality and customer satisfaction.

“The TBM’s success has always been built on purposeful innovation. 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.

He added that each new version incorporates improvements while preserving the qualities that make the TBM a benchmark in its category.

Market dynamics and the TBM 980 upgrade

The TBM 980 represents the sixth iteration in the TBM 900 series since Daher acquired the product line in 2014. According to reporting by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the aircraft features the Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics suite, which includes three 14-inch edge-to-edge touchscreen displays. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6E-66XT engine and includes the HomeSafe emergency autoland system.

Reporting by Aviation International News indicates that more than half of the customers purchasing the TBM 980 are repeat buyers. This brand loyalty is supported by a tight preowned market for previous generation TBM aircraft. Just Helicopters and Aviation International News report that only three TBM 960s out of 218 built and four TBM 940s out of 124 built are currently available on the preowned market.

Alongside the TBM 980 updates at EAA AirVenture, Daher also announced an expansion of its customer support network for the Kodiak aircraft family, adding authorized service centers in California, Arizona, and Bangkok.

AirPro News analysis

We view Daher’s success with the TBM 980 as a textbook execution of the incremental upgrade model. By introducing meaningful technological advancements like the Garmin G3000 PRIME suite without altering the fundamental airframe, Daher provides a compelling reason for existing owners to trade up. The exceptionally low inventory of preowned TBM 940 and TBM 960 models indicates that these trade-ins are quickly absorbed by the secondary market, maintaining high residual values that further incentivize new purchases. If Daher achieves its target of 60 deliveries in 2026, it will cement the TBM 980 as one of the most successful product launches in the history of the single-engine turboprop segment.

Sources: Daher Aircraft