Page 18 - Dec23T

Martin frequently flies throughout the Caribbean; his TBM is seen here at Sangster International Airport (MKJS) in Montego Bay, Jamaica
Jeff Martin at an auction in Houston
“You load it, and if it fits, it ships! For instance, the TBM 850 is not nearly as popular as a King Air. But dang, if it is not efficient, easy to maintain, roomy for four people, and a lot of other great things. I have friends who own King Airs, one of whom used our TBM because it was the only aircraft on the field that could leave Hattiesburg and go directly to the Cayman Islands, take on fuel and come back. His King Air couldn’t do it! You won’t get the performance from other planes that you get with this one. I love introducing new people to the TBM whenever I get the chance to”
His standard mission is roughly 600 nautical miles, with anywhere from just Martin and maybe one other passenger (most frequently) to having every seat filled.
“Our operating procedures are that we fly at 27,000 to 31,000 feet consistently. There, we see pretty impressive numbers. We just came back [to Mississippi] from Den- ver on a trip at 31,000 feet and were burning 55 gallons an hour while going 307 knots true across the ground. That’s achievable day in and day out with this airplane. It has a great range, too. We can fly non-stop from Vegas on home and take it from any of our offices back home, generally with a hefty payload. It’s also a fairly good short field performing airplane; we use 3,300 feet runways consistently, in and out.”
Martin acknowledged that performance was just one of many considerations for prospective aircraft owners. He advised that the TBM 850, considering what it can do in the air, is an economical performer.
16 • TWIN & TURBINE / December 2023