The Pilatus PC-12 and the TBM are both pressurized, single-engine turboprop aircraft, but they have different characteristics and missions. The TBM 960 wins on speed with a maximum cruise of 330 KTAS, while the PC-12 NGX balances speed and range more efficiently with a 290 KTAS maximum. However, the PC-12 cabin is wider: it measures close to 17 feet long, 5 feet wide, and nearly 5 feet tall, configurable for six in an executive layout or up to nine or ten passengers, and includes an aft cargo door. The TBM 960’s cabin seats up to six in theory, has no cargo door, and carries a maximum payload near 1,446 pounds. In range terms, the PC-12 NGX delivers roughly 1,800 nm, while the TBM 960 will fly 1,730 nm at a long-range setting, though high-speed cruise drops that toward 1,440 nm.
Operating costs are close, with the TBM 960 at approximately $1,855 an hour and the PC-12 NGX at roughly $1,918, based on 450 hours and $9-per-gallon fuel. Brand new, the PC-12 is more expensive: the newest PRO model is priced at around $6.8 million, whereas a new TBM 960 comes in at around $4.5 million.
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Which is better: Pilatus PC-12 vs TBM?
The choice between the Pilatus PC-12 and TBM depends on how you plan to fly. The TBM-700 has a higher maximum cruise speed (300 vs. 270 knots) while the PC-12 has more range with more load-carrying ability (2,261nm vs. 1,678nm) and a bigger cabin.
The TBM 960 is best characterized as a fast, owner-flown personal or business aircraft optimized for speed and efficient point to point travel, while the PC 12 NGX is a larger utility leaning executive turboprop designed to carry more people and more baggage with greater cabin versatility and rugged-field practicality. Passenger capacity is where the PC 12 NGX stands out: it commonly seats up to about nine passengers in the cabin, while the TBM 960 is usually arranged for up to about six passengers. The PC-12 has a big back opening, a freight door size of 134.62 centimeters (53 inches) tall and 127 centimeters (50 inches) wide, lets a forklift put stuff inside, and allows easy pallet loading. The inside floor is flat: 16 feet 10 inches (5.13 meters) from front to back, 60 inches (1.52 meters) wide, four feet ten inches (1.47 meters) tall, and capacity is about 1.25 tons (1.13 metric tons). It can carry machinery, livestock, and stretchers. The TBM lacks a big back opening, its entryway is 7.0 by 0.9 meters (23 by 3 feet), inside space from front to back is 3.9 meters (12 feet 11 inches), side to side is narrower, height a little less than 1.2 meters (4 feet), capacity about 1,543 pounds (700 kilograms), and loading is manual through a side door with a small cargo door.
The TBM 960 has Garmin's G3000 system with three big screens, a pair of finger screen remotes, autothrottle, and autopilot with stall prevention, speed limiter, and turn limit safety. The PC12 NGX has Honeywell Apex flight system, based on Honeywell's Primus Epic, with four 12-inch screens, a touchpad for moving the pointer, but does not have autothrottle. The TBM 960’s HomeSafe safety setup uses Garmin's automatic landing system, activated by passengers and lands on its own. PC12 PRO has Garmin's automatic emergency landing system. For the buyer flying 300- to 700-nm legs solo or with one to two passengers, the TBM is quicker and rewards flying light and fast. For carrying a family of five or six with luggage, the PC-12 is the better choice.
Operators should weigh their mission requirements precisely when picking the option that is the best for them. The TBM 900 costs less to purchase, operates hourly and offers a greater long-range cruise speed. The PC-12 NG shows the highest cost per nautical mile at $2.10 compared to $1.67 for the TBM 900, a 20.5% lower cost per nautical mile in favor of the TBM 900. The PC-12 NG burns more fuel (70.2 versus 65.7 gallons per hour). The PC-12 NG’s available payload with maximum fuel at 1,009 pounds (457.7 kilograms) is more than the TBM 900’s at 584 pounds (264.9 kilograms). PC-12’s residual values are among the strongest in business aviation. If you have a budget ceiling near $5 million, get the TBM 960. If passenger-activated autoland is non-negotiable for your family, buy a TBM 960 or a new PC-12 PRO. If you are buying the airplane as much for resale strength as for the mission, the PC-12 is the better choice.
The Pilatus PC-12 wins for most small business owners. Its combination of passenger capacity, cargo flexibility, short-field performance, long range, and exceptional resale value makes it the most versatile platform in the segment. The TBM wins if you fly solo or with one to two passengers and want maximum speed with minimum fuel burn. The PC-12 NGX balances speed and range more efficiently, with roughly 1,800 nm and cruise speed closer to the high end. For the buyer who wants speed and distance at the same time, the NGX is the best choice.
How are Pilatus PC-12 and TBM used?
The PC-12 is used as a work plane, while the TBM 960 is used as a personal and business aircraft. The PC-12 has a history of special tasks and works for government offices. It helps the armed forces and has a patrol duty. The TBM 960 does not have a military customer group and does not do defense.
The PC-12 carries cargo and people. The PC-12 helps charter and has an air ambulance setup. The TBM 960 does not have a freight hatch, so it does not have a cargo job. A cargo door limits oversized things and bulky items cannot be put through the airplane door.
The PC-12 is optimized for rough terrain and uses dirt runways. It has short takeoff and landing capability and runs on isolated runways. Due to this, the PC-12 is viable for flights of half a day or more. The TBM 960 is not suited for rough fields and rides feel worse after half a workday. It is suited for missions of about three or four hours and helps quick travel for individuals and business.
What are the specifications of the Pilatus PC-12 vs TBM?
The specifications of the Pilatus PC-12 vs TBM are given in the table below.
| Specification | PC-12 | TBM |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 290 knots | 330 knots |
| Range | 1,800 nm | 1,730 nm |
| Payload | 2,200 lb | 1,446 lb |
| Seats | 9 | 6 |
| Cost | 6.8 million | 4.5 million |
| Fuel | 70.2 gal | 65.7 gal |
| Engine | 1,200 hp | 700 hp |
| Climb | 1,970 ft | 2,855 ft |
| Takeoff | 2,485ft | 2,640 ft |
| Landing | 2,470 ft | 2,640 ft |
| Ceiling | 31,000 ft | 31,000 ft |
The TBM 960 has a maximum cruise speed of 330 knots, while the PC-12 NGX has a 290-knot maximum. The PC-12 balances speed and range more efficiently, with roughly 1,800 nautical miles of range. The TBM 960 will fly 1,730 nautical miles at lower cruise, but range drops toward 1,440 nautical miles at high cruise.
The PC-12 cabin is much bigger. It measures close to 5.18 meters long, 1.52 meters wide, and nearly 1.52 meters tall, with a volume of 10.08 cubic meters (17 feet, 5 feet, 5 feet, 356 cubic feet). It can seat up to nine or ten in a high-density seating. The TBM 960’s cabin is smaller, with a volume of 143 cubic feet (4.05 cubic meters) and a length of 10 feet (3.05 meters), and seats up to six. Maximum payload for the PC-12 runs past 2,200 pounds (998 kilograms), while the TBM 960 carries a maximum payload near 1,446 pounds (656 kilograms).
Both aircraft have a single Pratt & Whitney Canada engine. The PC-12's PT6A-67P offers 1,200 shs, while the TBM's PT6A-66D offers 700 shs. The PC-12 NGX needs about 757 meters (2,485 feet) to take off and clear a 15-meter (50-foot) obstacle, and lands in about 753 meters (2,470 feet) over a 15-meter (50-foot) wall. The TBM 960 requires about half a mile to lift off over a 50-foot obstacle and about half a mile to land over a 50-foot obstacle. The TBM 960 has a climb rate of 2,855 feet per minute (870 meters per minute) and a ceiling of 31,000 feet (9,449 meters).
A new TBM 960 costs about $4.5 million, while a new PC-12 PRO costs about $6.8 million. The TBM 960 budgets about $1,855 per hour, and the PC-12 NGX budgets about $1,918 per hour. The PC-12 NG has a higher cost per nautical mile at $2.10 compared to $1.67 for the TBM 900.
How does the interior differ between the Pilatus PC-12 and the TBM?
The PC-12’s cabin is bigger than the TBM's. It measures close to 5.18 meters long, 1.52 meters wide, and nearly 1.52 meters tall. (17 feet, 5 feet, 5 feet) The TBM 960 has a cabin length of 13 feet 3.45 in (4.05 m), cabin width of 3 ft 11.64 in (1.21 m), and height of 4 ft (1.22 m). The PC-12’s cabin volume is 356 cubic feet, which is almost three times the TBM 960’s.
The PC-12 can be configured for six in an executive layout or up to nine or ten in high-density seating. The TBM 960 seats up to six in theory, but the premium seats 4-5 people. The executive interior of the PC-12 includes a WC (not available on the TBM-700). However, the TBM 960 has a special private bathroom choice. The PC-12 has a snack area with heating options, and the cooking area allows making food. The TBM 960 does not have a galley; it has a snack area with cold supplies and a drinks station, but no microwave.
The PC-12 has an aft cargo door, wide enough for skis, oversized crates and bikes. The cargo opening size on the PC12 is four foot five. The TBM has no cargo door. Due to the bigger cabin, the PC-12’s maximum payload runs past 2,200 pounds (998 kilograms). The TBM 960’s maximum payload is nearly 1,446 pounds (656 kilograms). TBM's tanks and useful load falls to roughly 888 pounds (403 kilograms).
How does the cost differ between the Pilatus PC-12 and the TBM?
Brand new, the PC-12 is more expensive than the TBM, with the newest PRO priced at around $6.8 million. A new TBM 960 comes in at around $4.5 million. Pre-owned, an NGX averages near $6.7 million and a TBM 960 near $4.1 million. Operating costs are close. The budget is around $1,855 an hour for the TBM 960 and roughly $1,918 for the PC-12 NGX at 450 annual owner-flown hours and $9-per-gallon fuel.
Pilatus PC12 NGX has a yearly cost of $377,923 at 200 hours of flying, while Daher TBM 960 has an annual operating cost range from $320,000 to $340,000 at 200 flying hours. Over 5 years, the Pilatus’ total cost of ownership ranges from $7,239,615 to $7,889,615, compared to the Daher TBM 960's $6,050,000 to $6,200,000. After resale, the Pilatus’ net 5-year cost is $3,239,615 to $3,689,615, and the Daher TBM 960’s net 5-year cost is $2,575,000 to $2,725,000 because resale value keeps 7 to 7.5 out of 10 for the PC12 and 70 to 75 out of every 100 for the TBM. So, Pilatus is priced more than Daher TBM 960 by $1,189,615 to $1,689,615 over 5 years.
Expert behind this article
Jim Goodrich
Jim Goodrich is a pilot, aviation expert and founder of Tsunami Air.
