Thierry Dubois is a freelance writer specializing in helicopters, business aviation and aerospace technology. He earned a degree in fluid dynamics from an engineering school in Toulouse, France in the mid-1990s. At an unexpected crossroads, he found his first job in journalism. In 1997, he started working for French aerospace weekly Air &amp; Cosmos in Paris. This lasted until 2000, when he moved south to Lyons. He then became a freelancer, working for various aerospace publications and has been part of the AIN team since late 2000. In addition to writing about business aviation, Thierry shares responsibility for the rotorcraft section. He also is a regular on-site writer for AIN’s daily editions at international airshows such as the Paris, Farnborough, Dubai and Singapore shows, as well as at EBACE in Geneva.
In 2007, he won the Honeywell award for “Best systems or technology submission” at the Aerospace journalist of the year awards. In 2013, he won an Aerospace Media Award for the "Best Safety, Training &amp; Simulation Submission."
In other activities, Thierry moderates international conferences on aviation technology topics. Thierry is married and has three children, who seem to begin enjoying the mountains–as their parents do.

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Thierry Dubois

Daher-Socata (Booth 6540) has already delivered 12 examples of the new TBM 900 turboprop single and is planning on handing over another 39 this year. Four production slots are still available in 2014 for the $3.711 million per aircraft, CEO Stéphane Mayer said at an EBACE press conference on Monday.


As of May 16, 11 aircraft had been delivered in North America and one in Europe. A handful are to enter into service in 2014 in other regions. North America maintains a dominant position in Daher-Socata’s order book, while the Asian market remains very slow.


China, which large-cabin business jet manufacturers see as a booming market, is not ready yet for turboprop singles, Mayer claimed. He cited a lack of infrastructure as well as strict rules governing airspace and airport access. Moreover, China still lacks potential owner-pilots, which would have been grown in an aviation culture, he explained.


Nicolas Chabbert, the senior vice president of the company’s airplane business unit, gave an insight into the design of the newest evolution in the TBM product. As the early TBM 700 was designed with little help from computers 25 years ego, a digital model had to be created, he explained, and it was validated with test flights. Such a model allowed thorough aerodynamic analysis. For example, it helped engineers streamline the exhaust airflow with redesigned stacks and improve the design for the air inlet, as well as to add a small aerodynamic strake to the forward lower fuselage that aids in stability at high angles of attack.


A full TBM 900 pilot report will appear in AIN’s July edition, following AIN senior editor Matt Thurber’s flight in the aircraft just before EBACE. o

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