Advisory 

Circular

Subject: Recommended Alternative 

Inspection Schedule for Socata TBM-700 

Aircraft

Date: 8/9/06

Initiated by: AFS-306 

AC No: 43-211 

1. PURPOSE. This advisory circular (AC) provides a recommended inspection schedule for 

all owners of Socata TBM-700 aircraft who operate their aircraft 100 hours a year or less. While 

this AC provides one way of addressing the annual or progressive inspection on TBM-700 

aircraft, it may not be the only way. 

2. BACKGROUND. The Socata TBM-700 is a type-certificated, standard category, 300-knot 

pressurized, single-engine turboprop. It is capable of carrying six people over 1,500 nautical 

miles. The manufacturer has developed the following inspections that apply to this aircraft: first 

100-hour inspection, and inspections every 100 hours thereafter. The 300-hour inspection, and 

600-hour inspections are more comprehensive. All of the manufacturer’s inspection programs 

are based on hours. 

3. DISCUSSION. Because the manufacturer’s inspection program is based only on hours, it is 

possible that a TBM-700 aircraft that is operated an average of 60 hours a year, would receive 

the more intensive 600-hour inspection once every 10 years. In addition, some U.S. operators 

with low utilization rates are using the shorter French inspection program to comply with the 

Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 91, section 91.409(a)(1) annual 

inspection requirement. The shorter French inspection program applies only to Frenchcertificated aircraft, not U.S.-certificated aircraft. The following statement in the Socata 

Maintenance Manual 

TBM-700 makes this clear; “Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment Scientific Advisory Group on 

behalf of the ministers responsible for civil aviation has admitted that the contents of chapter 5, 

modified by revision 27 satisfy, for French User, the requirements of the accepted maintenance 

civil aircraft operating general conditions in general aviation.” 

4. RECOMMENDATIONS.

a. In the interest of continued airworthiness, the Federal Aviation Administration 

recommends that owners of TBM-700 aircraft that operate a hundred hours or less a year 

consider a calendar time for either their required annual or progressive inspection. This 

recommended two year inspection schedule for low-utilization aircraft would eliminate the 

TBM-700, 300-hour inspection interval and incorporate the manufacturers 100 hour inspection 

program for the first 12 calender months. The following year, the manufacturers 600 hour 

inspection will be performed. This schedule will satisfy the annual or progressive requirements 

in 
AC 43-211 8/9/06 

Page 2 Par 4 

§ 91.409 for each year. These inspections will be repeated every two years as desribed below as 

long as the aircraft operates 100 hours or less: 

• 100-hour inspection------------12 calendar-months (first year) 

• 600-hour inspection------------24 calendar-months (second year) 

b. Structural inspections for fatigue and corrosion must be performed at 15 years and/or 

6000 hours and thereafter at every 10 years and/or 3000 hours. The manufacturer’s special 

inspections will be complied with in accordance with (IAW) the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Inspections required by Airworthiness Directives (AD) will be accomplished IAW the AD 

instructions. 

c. Owners/operators of low-utilization aircraft who wish to use these recommended 

inspection times for their aircraft’s annual or progressive inspection, are required to make an 

entries in the aircraft’s airframe logbook/maintenance record declaring that beginning with the 

next 100-hour inspection, the published 100-hour, 600-hour inspections and structural (special) 

inspections will be performed IAW the Socata Maintenance Manual TBM-700, chapter 5-10-00 

at the hours and calendar, times as published in this AC. 

d. When the aircraft is operated in excess of 100 hours, the owner/operator can transfer from 

this recommended inspection schedule to the manufacturers inspection program by making a log 

book entry referencing the change at the next 100 or 600 hour inspection. 

5. TO OBTAIN COPIES OF THIS AC. Order additional copies of AC 43-211 from: 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Property Use and Storage 

Section M-45-3 

Washington, DC 20590 

Original Signed by Carol Giles for 

James J. Ballough 

Director, Flight Standards Service