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Charlotte Bailey

Daher Aircraft has delivered a TBM 980 to longstanding customer Ian Fries, representing the sixth consecutive TBM family acquired by the owner in the last two decades. The aircraft also marks the 10th TBM 980 to arrive in the U.S.
Fries, an orthopedic surgeon and FAA-qualified aviation medical examiner, uses his aircraft to travel between offices in Florida and New Jersey, as well as for patient consultations. His loyalty to the Daher product line is, in part, attributed to the “high level of service and the expert maintenance” he has “experienced throughout [his] TBM ownership.”
As well as a distinctive red carnation motif on the nose, mirroring the flower Fries wears in honor of his patients, the aircraft also features a red, white, and black stripe atop a gold background. The livery was designed by Scheme Designers CEO Craig Barnett.
The six-seat TBM 980—<a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-01-13/daher-refreshes-turboprop-family-tbm-980-model">unveiled</a> in January—features Garmin’s third-generation G3000 Prime avionics suite. According to Daher, the touchscreen-controlled flight deck “revolutionizes the interface with pilots, delivering enhanced processing power and improved system integration.”
“Having owned TBMs with the previous-generation Garmin 1000 and Garmin 3000 avionics, I’m excited about the Garmin G3000 Prime as the next significant step in further enhancing a single pilot’s ability to fly the aircraft,” said Fries.

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Daher Delivers Sixth Aircraft, a TBM 980, to Longtime Customer

U.S.-based medical doctor Ian Fries has used the TBM family professionally for more than two decades

Daher Aircraft has delivered the latest aircraft—a TBM 980—to a longstanding customer, representing the sixth consecutive TBM unit acquired by the owner.

Daher Delivers Sixth Aircraft to Longtime Customer

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