SE turboprop vs. VLJ?

[[email protected]]

I read the press release from EADS Socata for the new TBM 850. They're
pitching it as a direct competitor to Very Light Jets with a 320kt
cruise at FL260 and 2.5-2.8M price. My question is does it really
compete with the new jets when it's a good 50kts slower? (typical
advertised VLJ cruise speeds are around 370kt +/-) Or is the speed
disparity a non-issue for those buyers? Compared to the Eclipse the
TBM's base price is $1M higher with a typically optioned plane about
1.3M more. Is short field capability a big seller in this segment?

Then again I read Beech is pitching its King Air C90GT as a VLJ
competitor with a 270kt cruise. At 3M it's 2x the price and 100kt
slower but has a larger cabin than the Eclipse. Maybe the marketing
spin is just lost on me?

Wooly

[Victor J. Osborne, Jr.]

Some can get insurance for the Turbo but not a VLJ. Perhaps a good but
expensive stop over on the way to a VLJ.

Thx, {|;-)

Victor J. (Jim) Osborne, Jr.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I read the press release from EADS Socata for the new TBM 850. They're
> pitching it as a direct competitor to Very Light Jets with a 320kt
> cruise at FL260 and 2.5-2.8M price. My question is does it really
> compete with the new jets when it's a good 50kts slower? (typical
> advertised VLJ cruise speeds are around 370kt +/-) Or is the speed
> disparity a non-issue for those buyers? Compared to the Eclipse the
> TBM's base price is $1M higher with a typically optioned plane about
> 1.3M more. Is short field capability a big seller in this segment?
>
> Then again I read Beech is pitching its King Air C90GT as a VLJ
> competitor with a 270kt cruise. At 3M it's 2x the price and 100kt
> slower but has a larger cabin than the Eclipse. Maybe the marketing
> spin is just lost on me?
>
> Wooly
>

[Jim Macklin]

The fact is that jets are easier to fly than turboprops, but
insurance companies base their rates on potential loss from
a group. The King Air is wonderful airplane, but If I had
the money to buy either, I'd buy am Eclipse 500 and have a
few years of operating expenses left over.
Hell, a new Bonanza is over $1.24 million dollars, nearly
the cost of the Eclipse. A new Baron G58 will probably cost
more than the Eclipse and be just as hard if not harder to
insure.


--
Merry Christmas
Have a Safe and Happy New Year
Live Long and Prosper
Jim Macklin
"Victor J. Osborne, Jr." > wrote in
message ...
| Some can get insurance for the Turbo but not a VLJ.
Perhaps a good but
| expensive stop over on the way to a VLJ.
|
| Thx, {|;-)
|
| Victor J. (Jim) Osborne, Jr.
|
| > wrote in message
|
oups.com...
| >I read the press release from EADS Socata for the new TBM
850. They're
| > pitching it as a direct competitor to Very Light Jets
with a 320kt
| > cruise at FL260 and 2.5-2.8M price. My question is does
it really
| > compete with the new jets when it's a good 50kts slower?
(typical
| > advertised VLJ cruise speeds are around 370kt +/-) Or is
the speed
| > disparity a non-issue for those buyers? Compared to the
Eclipse the
| > TBM's base price is $1M higher with a typically optioned
plane about
| > 1.3M more. Is short field capability a big seller in
this segment?
| >
| > Then again I read Beech is pitching its King Air C90GT
as a VLJ
| > competitor with a 270kt cruise. At 3M it's 2x the price
and 100kt
| > slower but has a larger cabin than the Eclipse. Maybe
the marketing
| > spin is just lost on me?
| >
| > Wooly
| >
|
|

[Peter R.]

Jim Macklin > wrote:

> Hell, a new Bonanza is over $1.24 million dollars, nearly
> the cost of the Eclipse.

Huh? Do you mean Baron? The prices I have seen for a new Garmin
equipped A36 Bonanza were in the neighborhood of US $600,000.


--
Peter

[Jim Macklin]

AS my son would say, "My bad" you're are correct about my
mixing plane. But in my defense I do make silly errors on
occasion.
Still, when I began flying a new Baron was only about
$40,000.00


--
Merry Christmas
Have a Safe and Happy New Year
Live Long and Prosper
Jim Macklin

"Peter R." > wrote in message
...
| Jim Macklin > wrote:
|
| > Hell, a new Bonanza is over $1.24 million dollars,
nearly
| > the cost of the Eclipse.
|
| Huh? Do you mean Baron? The prices I have seen for a
new Garmin
| equipped A36 Bonanza were in the neighborhood of US
$600,000.
|
|
| --
| Peter

[Newps]

Jim Macklin wrote:

> Hell, a new Bonanza is over $1.24 million dollars, nearly
> the cost of the Eclipse. A new Baron G58 will probably cost
> more than the Eclipse and be just as hard if not harder to
> insure.

The Bonanza and Baron will cost a tiny fraction to operate compared to
the jet, or the King Air for that matter.