30 January 2007
Socata’s end of year report is a healthy one, according to the chairman and CEO of EADS Socata, Stephane Mayer. He announced in Paris yesterday that the company had posted a 21 percent increase in revenue last year, up to €228m, and had delivered 43 TBM aircraft (an increase of 35 percent). The company has a backlog of €562m.
Of the 43 TBM aircraft mentioned by Mayer 42 were TBM 850s, the company’s answer to the VLJ phenomenon. Although a single engine turboprop, the company claims jet-like performance (maximum cruise of 320 ktas at FL 260) with the lower costs of a turboprop. In 2007 it hopes to deliver 50 TBM 850s.
The other aircraft was a TBM 700C2.
EADS has its finger in a number of other pies, including manufacturing parts for the Airbus programme and outfitting a number of other types, both civilian and military.
