We hate to admit our slanted and biased perspective, but gosh darn it we just love single engine turboprops. Never mind the fact they are cheaper and easier to fly, the Breiling and NTSB data shows that they are safer too, even though there is a fair amount of debate about what real pilots prefer to fly when they are conducting charters. (See more at this old poll we ran last year about this time.) This story comes to us via the Boston Globe, who have been on a small air taxi stint of late, which is great, since it affords us the opportunity to link the world of air charter enthusiasts to big legitimate news organizations that actually care about what our fledgling industry is being transformed into. The beauty to this story is Steve Castle's adoration for the speed and grace of his TBM 700 and the sheer awe that is inspired when you realize that 280 knots ain't that much slower than a VLJ.

This story follows a nice little run we've had on stories of late. In fact, the Globe, we heard, featured a story with an nice large interior shot of a Caravan on the front page last week, which speak volumes to the practical reality and ease of selling an aircraft like a Caravan for short hops: Tools are designed for mission specific needs. In this case, the Caravan is perfect for small runways and short distances.