SOCATA TB family

Socata TB series
TB20 Academia Aeronautica de Evora
Role Light single-engine piston aircraft
Manufacturer Socata
Introduction 1975
Status Out of production, in active service
Produced 1975-2012
Number built 2,150 (2007)[1]

The Socata TB is a series of light single-engine piston aircraft developed and manufactured by French aircraft company SOCATA. The letters TB within the designation stand for Tarbes, the French city where the aircraft series is manufactured. The TB series planes have come to be known as the "Caribbean Planes" due to the island naming convention adopted for the various models, though they are not often seen flown in that region.

All aircraft (with the exception of the TB9) have a constant-speed propeller. The TB series have become widely used in training and touring aircraft and are often used for instrument training. They are defined by their contemporary fit and finish as well as their interior size;[citation needed] compared to other four-seat single-engine aircraft, they are relatively roomy at roughly 49 inches (124 cm) at the shoulder. In part, this is due to the fuselage having a pronounced "round out" above the wing. Adding to the actual spaciousness, the side windows extend up well into the roof line, giving the Socata an airy feeling.[2] Due to the larger fuselage and relatively heavy weights, TB series aircraft have lower performance figures than a similarly sized and powered but narrower aircraft, and the trade-off of speed for comfort is often cited by TB owners.[3]

During the 2000s, sales of the TB family suffered as a consequence of a worldwide aviation recession, leading Socata to seek to restructure the marketing and production aspects of the program. Leading on from several cost-cutting measures, such as reorganisations of staff, negotiations with suppliers, and outsourcing, between 2004 and 2008, the company sought to transfer all production of the TB series out of France, selecting Romania to produce the type. However, sales of the type failed to recover, resulting in the end of series production in favor of built-to-order manufacturing instead and, eventually, the termination of all marketing and production activities by 2012. Support remains for existing customers, and new upgrades had been introduced for these aircraft, such as the option to retrofit glass cockpits.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference tb20 rom 2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Socata TB-10." Aviation Consumer, December 2006.
  3. ^ "Socata TB9". www.aopa.org. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2023-04-18.