Jeff Martin

Jeff Martin’s 2008 TBM 850G and 2007 Citation CJ1+; a “force multiplier”

Jeff Martin, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, expressed that flying has provided him an edge in business that he otherwise would not have. Without aviation, he could not easily access his auctioneering business’ locations across nine states – from Texas to New Hampshire to Minnesota.

“Without question, owning aircraft is a competitive advantage for us. We could not do what we do without one or both of the airframes. It’s by far one of my most competitive advantages. Our aircraft allow us to go in and out of places where others can’t and get there much quicker than other methods. Our business would look a lot different without them.”

Martin, an instrument and multi-engine-rated pilot, has been flying for more than thirty years, during the time in which he has owned more than a half dozen airplanes. TBMs and a single-pilot Citation headline Martin’s collection of aircraft. Presently, he owns a TBM 850, which he flies himself, and a Citation CJ1+, flown by a staff pilot—the auctioneering business tallies roughly 900 hours a year between the airframes.

“I am not typed in the Citation; we have a full-time corporate pilot. His job is to get our team to sites as quickly as possible. Often, we chase each other around the country – ironically, going between different auctions. We try to conduct three auctions weekly, loading everybody up and going. He flies the CJ, and I fly the TBM. We race to see who gets there first. If I get off the ground first, I beat him; if he gets off the ground first, he naturally beats me!”

Much like his foray into the auction business (an industry his dad joined in 1973), Martin’s family inspired his aviation journey. He explained that his grandfather had a Cessna 150, and flying it “from the backyard on Sundays after church when the weather was good” ignited his interest in aviation.

“Then, in the early 90s, I decided that I wanted to follow my passion for aviation and learned to fly. I realized I could use it for business and bought my first airplane, a 1997 Mooney M20J. After a while, I sold it and bought a Beechcraft Baron 58TC. I flew it for a couple of years and started to use general aviation to spread our business. And in 2009, I formed my own auction company, starting with one location in central Mississippi. Mississippi is not an airline-friendly part of the country, so we bought a Cessna 414.”

Following that aircraft, Martin moved between half a dozen pistons and turbines until he bought his first TBM, a 2003 700C2. He noted that the TBM replaced a Cirrus SR22T, which had an engine failure and subsequent chute pull. Fortunately, Martin was already considering moving to another aircraft before the incident. “We were spending an enormous time in the Cirrus, and I wanted to find something to go faster, but I wasn’t interested in multi-engine aircraft. My biggest considerations were speed, range, and service ceiling. I wanted all the speed that I could get and didn’t look at anything but the TBM, just based on the research I had done and what they are truly capable of doing.”

The 700C2 was not in the fleet long after an off-field incident. “The landing gear broke off the 700C2 in that incident, totaling the aircraft. So, we bought our 850 as a replacement in 2022. It has a little bit more speed and a little bit more fuel burn. We have the G1000 cockpit in it, which we upgraded to NXi – which is such a situational tool. We don’t have Wi-Fi in the aircraft, but we have a satellite phone, so we can always stay in touch with the office. It’s so much more capable of an aircraft than our former TBM.”

Martin has a lot of good things to say about his fast single-engine turboprop. He summarized his feelings: “The TBM is just absolutely a phenomenal airplane. And I could be a very good spokesperson for them, as much as we fly the airplane!”

Elaborating, he provided further details about why he enjoys flying the TBM and how it compares to another turboprop option.

“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 Denver 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.

“TBMs are expensive to maintain if you do so to standards. But so is everything else! For hourly operating costs, all in with maintenance, insurance, training, avionics upgrades, parts, and engine reserves, we are in for about $500 an hour – not counting fuel. You can add a few hundred bucks every other year for a very extensive annual.”

In September of 2022, Martin created the Facebook group called ‘TBM 700/850/900 Pilots & Owners’ to foster dialogue among current and prospective caretakers of these aircraft. The nearly 1,000 members share their experiences on various topics, from maintenance to costs to training requirements.

Martin also connects with other owner pilots through TBMOPA, which he has been a member of for several years. He noted that he was proud to have managed the organization’s recent charity auction, combining his passion for aviation and his lifelong career. All proceeds from the fundraiser went towards the TBMOPA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that aims to improve safety within the TBM owner-pilot community.

That day, those on the other side of the gavel heard one of Martin’s benefit auctioneers’ rhythmic auction chant – highlighting vacation rental homes, training packages, and other member-donated prizes. Her entrancing mix of monologue hummed with a distinct chant, resulted in over $150,000 of proceeds. Martin was also present throughout the convention, talking shop with other TBM operators – relishing in the joys of owning a very fast single-engine turboprop.
Sold! Sold! Sold!