SOCATA

SOCATA
Company type	Subsidiary (formerly)
Industry	Aerospace, General aviation
Predecessor	Morane-Saulnier
Founded	1966
Defunct	2015 (brand discontinued)
Fate	Rebranded as Daher
Successor	Daher
Headquarters	Tarbes, France
Area served	Worldwide
Products	General aviation aircraft (piston and turboprop), business jets, training aircraft, structural aerospace components
Owner	Daher (since 2014)
Parent	Daher (since 2014)

SOCATA—which later operated under the names EADS Socata and DAHER-SOCATA—was a French enterprise specializing in the manufacture of general aviation aircraft powered by piston engines and turboprops. Its portfolio included business jets, small personal planes, training aircraft, as well as structural components supplied to leading aerospace companies such as Airbus, Dassault, Embraer, Eurocopter, and Lockheed Martin. The company’s main offices and production facilities were located in Tarbes, France.

Originally known as Morane-Saulnier, the French aircraft manufacturer was rebranded as SOCATA (Société de Construction d'Avions de Tourisme et d'Affaires) in 1966 following its acquisition by Sud Aviation. In 2000, SOCATA became a fully owned subsidiary of the aerospace giant EADS and adopted the name EADS SOCATA. On 3 November 2008, EADS agreed to transfer a 70% ownership stake in EADS SOCATA to the French technology firm DAHER, with the transaction finalizing in January 2009. DAHER then purchased the remaining 30% from Airbus Group in June 2014, making SOCATA a wholly owned subsidiary. In March 2015, the SOCATA brand was discontinued as the division was rebranded simply as Daher to align with its parent company’s identity.

History

The roots of SOCATA extend back to the establishment of Morane-Saulnier in 1911. After being acquired by the state-owned Sud Aviation in 1966, SOCATA concentrated on general aviation and produced thousands of light aircraft throughout the latter half of the 20th century.

Among its significant product lines was the Rallye series of general aviation airplanes. By 1979, SOCATA had renamed the Rallye models with unique French designations. During the 1980s, production of the Rallye series ceased domestically in France, replaced by the more modern Socata TB series. Before ending production in December 1984, roughly 3,300 Rallye aircraft were manufactured. Nevertheless, licensed production continued internationally; for example, Poland’s PZL produced a variant called the PZL Koliber starting in 1979 based on the Rallye 100ST.

In response to evolving market demands during the mid-1970s, SOCATA developed the TB series to succeed the Rallye line. The initial variants included the TB-9 Tampico and TB-10 Tobago. The enhanced TB20 model received French type certification in December 1980 and began deliveries in Germany by March 1981. Manufacturing at Tarbes followed a build-to-order approach whereby basic airframes were completed only after orders were placed, allowing customers to specify configurations. By early 1993, monthly output of TB aircraft averaged between eight and twelve units.

During the 1980s, SOCATA recognized a niche for a high-performance single-engine turboprop designed for rapid personal transportation and light cargo missions. Initially collaborating with Mooney Airplane Company on a turboprop version of Mooney’s Model 301, SOCATA developed what became known as the TBM 700, with "TB" representing Tarbes and "M" denoting Mooney. This aircraft was among the earliest high-speed single-engine turboprop passenger/cargo planes introduced into production, emphasizing speed, operational ceiling, and dependability.

In June 1987, a joint venture named TBM International was established between Mooney and SOCATA’s then-parent company Aérospatiale to finalize development and manage manufacturing. Production facilities were planned both in Texas for North American markets and at Tarbes for other regions. However, Mooney withdrew from the partnership in May 1991 due to financial difficulties, leaving SOCATA as sole proprietor.

The prototype TBM 700 took flight for the first time on 14 July 1988. It obtained French certification in January 1990 followed by FAA approval in August of that year. Initial orders were quickly fulfilled; operators initially praised its performance but highlighted shortcomings in after-sales support. In response, SOCATA made substantial investments to expand its global support network through dedicated service centers and distributor partnerships, significantly increasing sales across North America by the late 1990s.

At the end of 2009, EADS SOCATA divested rights and assets related to the Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris business jet to JetSet International Ltd., which intended to refurbish these aircraft for resale.

After DAHER secured full ownership by mid-2014, it fully absorbed SOCATA’s operations under its own brand identity by March 2015.

Products

Models that were never mass-produced

Bibliography

Donald, David (editor). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz, 1997. .
Moxon, Julian. "Private Preparations." Flight International, 20 July 1993. pp. 32–35.
Taylor, John W. R. (editor). Jane's All the Worlds Aircraft 1988–89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group, 1988. .

External links