This year's edition of the TBM Owners and Pilots Association’s (TBMOPA) annual convention broke an attendance record, with 323 attendees descending on the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs earlier this month. Also, the ramp at TBM-authorized dealer Cutter Aviation at Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (KCOS) was packed with nearly 90 TBMs, representing the full line of the turboprop single, from the original TBM 700 to the latest TBM 960 model.
Four days of educational sessions focused on flight operations, best practices, expert briefings, and refresher courses, as well as many networking opportunities for hangar flying.
Airframer Daher continued its support for the event, sending a team led by Nicolas Chabbert, senior v-p of its aircraft division, and Raphael Maitre, v-p of customer support.
“TBMOPA’s annual convention is one of the priority gatherings for Daher each year, providing a unique opportunity to bring together customers, suppliers, and our network of authorized service centers,” said Chabbert. “TBMOPA has always put the emphasis on flight safety, and I want to particularly recognize the association’s emphasis on this important topic during the past 12 months through an even more comprehensive program under the leadership of chairman Andrew Cragg.”
Cragg, who completed his year-long service as the group's chair, added, "With the steadfast support of Daher as the TBM manufacturer, along with the vital contributions of many volunteers, TBMOPA has evolved a comprehensive safety program that can be of significant benefit to members in maintaining their aircraft and aviator skills at the highest level, while also serving as a model for other general aviation owner/operator associations."
The convention’s live auction of donated TBM equipment and accessories, along with travel experiences, raised a new high of $260,000. It supports the TBMOPA Foundation, which offers aviation scholarships that support the Able Flight program—enabling flight training for pilots with physical disabilities—as well as an annual Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University scholarship for a student from an underrepresented community.