TBM 700 Cost of Ownership: Single-Engine Turboprop Budget, PT6 Reserves and Turbine Financing
This is the annual budget for a Daher (Socata) TBM 700, the pressurized six-seat single-engine turboprop that many high-performance piston owners consider as their next step. It shows the cost lines a turbine adds and how turbine financing differs from a piston loan.
How much does a TBM 700 cost per year?
The worked example is a TBM 700 at an illustrative $1,300,000 with 20% down ($260,000) and $1,040,000 financed at 7.75% over 15 years. The price is not a valuation: TBM 700 values vary widely with version, engine time and program status, avionics and damage history. Check any specific airplane against Vref or Aircraft Bluebook and a turbine-experienced pre-buy shop.
| Cost line | 50 h/yr | 100 h/yr | 200 h/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hangar (assumption: $1,500/mo) | $18,000 | $18,000 | $18,000 |
| Insurance, hull + liability, trained owner-pilot (assumption) | $16,000 | $16,000 | $16,000 |
| Annual and scheduled inspections (assumption) | $22,000 | $22,000 | $22,000 |
| Recurrent training (assumption) | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Databases, subscriptions, supplies (assumption) | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Jet-A: 55 gph × $6.50/gal (assumption) ($357.50/h) | $17,875 | $35,750 | $71,500 |
| PT6A-64 overhaul reserve ($450,000 ÷ 3,000 h) ($150.00/h) | $7,500 | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Hot section reserve ($60,000 every 1,500 h) ($40.00/h) | $2,000 | $4,000 | $8,000 |
| Airframe, prop, avionics and unscheduled (assumption) ($130.00/h) | $6,500 | $13,000 | $26,000 |
| Fees, consumables, misc. (assumption) ($15.00/h) | $750 | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Operating cost before financing | $105,625 | $140,250 | $209,500 |
| Per flight hour, before financing | $2,113 | $1,403 | $1,048 |
| Loan payments ($9,789/mo × 12) | $117,471 | $117,471 | $117,471 |
| Total with loan | $223,096 | $257,721 | $326,971 |
| Per flight hour, with loan | $4,462 | $2,577 | $1,635 |
Fixed costs are $71,000 a year and hourly costs about $693 per hour. Compared with the SR22T budget on our SR22T cost page, the TBM 700 costs about $95,992 more a year to operate at 100 hours, before the difference in purchase price and loan.
What do the PT6 reserves look like?
The PT6A-64 is maintained on a manufacturer-recommended time between overhauls, a mid-life hot section inspection and calendar limits. The exact figures depend on service bulletins and any engine program, so confirm them with Pratt & Whitney Canada and the engine records. This page plans on a $450,000 overhaul at 3,000 hours ($150 per hour) and a $60,000 hot section every 1,500 hours ($40 per hour); both are planning assumptions.
Engine time is the biggest single price factor on a used TBM. On our figures, an engine with 2,200 hours since overhaul has used about $330,000 of its overhaul value, which belongs in the purchase price. Also check calendar limits, since low-use airplanes can reach them before the hours. See SMOH and TBO explained.
How much does Jet-A move the budget?
Jet-A isn't in our verified fuel data, and retail prices vary widely by airport, FBO and fuel-discount program. At 55 gallons per hour (a block-average assumption), here is how the fuel line moves:
| Jet-A price | Fuel per hour | Fuel at 100 h/yr |
|---|---|---|
| $5.50/gal | $303 | $30,250 |
| $6.50/gal | $358 | $35,750 |
| $7.50/gal | $413 | $41,250 |
What do training and insurance cost?
The TBM 700 doesn't require a type rating, since it is a turboprop under 12,500 pounds. You will need complex and high-performance endorsements and, because it is pressurized with a ceiling above 25,000 feet, the high-altitude endorsement in 14 CFR 61.31(g). Insurers usually require formal initial training in type and annual recurrent training, budgeted here at $10,000 a year. Our $16,000 insurance figure is a placeholder; pilots moving up from pistons with little turbine time should expect higher quotes and possibly a mentor-pilot requirement for an initial period. Get a quote before you make an offer.
Stepping up to a turboprop?
Jaken Aviation also arranges turboprop and jet financing. Share the aircraft and timeline, and a specialist will come back with options.
How does TBM 700 financing work?
Turbine aircraft are financed by lenders that specialize in them, and terms are set deal by deal. Expect underwriters to look at the airplane's value, engine time and program status, your liquidity and income, and your insurability. The table below is illustrative only, using this page's 20% down assumption. As of September 2026, the prime rate is 7.00% and the 10-year Treasury about 5.2%, the benchmarks many lenders price from.
| Term | 7.00% APR | 7.75% APR | 8.50% APR | 9.50% APR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years (120 mo) | $12,075/mo $409,034 interest | $12,481/mo $457,733 interest | $12,895/mo $507,341 interest | $13,457/mo $574,882 interest |
| 15 years (180 mo) | $9,348/mo $642,607 interest | $9,789/mo $722,068 interest | $10,241/mo $803,432 interest | $10,860/mo $914,789 interest |
| 20 years (240 mo) | $8,063/mo $895,146 interest | $8,538/mo $1,009,088 interest | $9,025/mo $1,126,087 interest | $9,694/mo $1,286,599 interest |
Loan amount $1,040,000. Principal and interest only; excludes insurance, taxes and fees. Illustrative, not a quote.
The PT6A-64 is rated above Cape Town's 550-horsepower threshold for turbine engines, so your closing will likely include an International Registry filing for the engine; confirm with the title company. If the airplane will be used for business more than 50% of the time, 100% bonus depreciation is permanent for aircraft acquired after January 19, 2025. Confirm with a CPA, and see aircraft depreciation and taxes and LLC ownership structures.
How this page differs from related guides
This page is the annual budget for a TBM 700. We don't have a TBM model page or TBM 700 buyer's guide. The SR22T-to-TBM upgrade guide covers the transition to a later TBM, including training, insurance and financing the step-up, and the Baron-to-King Air guide covers the twin-turboprop path. For a pressurized piston alternative, see the Piper Malibu Mirage cost page; for a single-engine jet, the Vision Jet cost page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to own a TBM 700 per year?
Under this page's assumptions, a TBM 700 flown 100 hours a year costs about $140,250 to operate, or $1,403 per hour, before financing. An illustrative $1,040,000 loan at 7.75% over 15 years adds $9,789 a month. Jet-A, the PT6 reserves and insurance are the lines to get quoted first.
Is the TBM 700 a piston aircraft?
No. The TBM 700 is a single-engine turboprop powered by a 700 shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-64, and it first flew in 1988. It is a turbine step-up from high-performance pistons, and it is financed, insured and maintained as a turbine. Jaken Aviation also arranges turboprop and jet financing.
Do I need a type rating to fly a TBM 700?
No. Type ratings are required for turbojet-powered airplanes and those over 12,500 pounds, and the TBM 700 is neither. You will need complex, high-performance and high-altitude endorsements, the last because it is pressurized with a ceiling above 25,000 feet. Insurers require formal initial and recurrent training, budgeted here as a fixed cost.
When does the TBM 700’s PT6 need an overhaul?
The PT6A-64 runs on a manufacturer-recommended time between overhauls plus a mid-life hot section inspection, with calendar limits as well. Figures vary with service bulletins and engine programs, so confirm them with Pratt & Whitney Canada and the engine records. This page plans on 3,000 hours and a hot section every 1,500 hours.
Can I finance a TBM 700?
Yes, through lenders that finance turbine aircraft. Terms are set case by case based on the airplane’s value and maintenance status, your liquidity and income, and your insurability, rather than the piston guidelines used elsewhere on this site. This page’s 20% down, 15-year example is illustrative. Jaken Aviation also arranges turboprop financing.
Does the Cape Town Convention apply to a TBM 700?
For the engine, likely yes. Cape Town covers turbine engines with at least 550 rated takeoff horsepower, and the PT6A-64 is rated at 700 shp. The six-seat airframe is below the eight-person airframe threshold. Expect your closing to include an International Registry filing for the engine, and confirm the details with your title company.