TBM 850 owners Steve Walenz and his wife Judy are visiting the 2009 Paris air show after completing a 20,350km (11,600nm) tour of South America and the Caribbean in their Daher-Socata single-engined TBM 850 turboprop - their second TBM 850.

Their 40-day trip started in West Palm Beach, Florida and included stopovers in Grand Cayman, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, the West Indies and the Dominican Republic, followed by the return to West Palm Beach.

"The most spectacular stopovers were in the old Inca capital of Cuzco, Peru and the famous Cape Horn in Chile," Steve Walenz says. "This was truly an adventure of a lifetime and an accomplishment for any pilot. "

He adds: "Cuzco, especially, is an airport that at 10,800ft [3,300m] has a difficult approach and departure. I just realise I have an aircraft whose performance allows us to do it."

Walenz will return to the USA by joining a Daher-Socata pilot for a ferry flight with a new TBM 850 that is being delivered to an American customer.

Source: Flight Daily News