The TBM Owners and Pilot Association (TBMOPA), an independent users group of DAHER-SOCATA’s TBM 700 and TBM 850 very fast 
turboprop aircraft, held their 8th annual convention, August 31 through September 5, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
This year’s gathering welcomed more than 300 attendees taking part in the event, with a presence on the ramp of over 85 TBM aircraft, representing an increase of 12 percent compared to last year.
Held at the highly-rated Broadmoor Resort near Colorado’s Cheyenne Mountain, the
TBMOPA presented three days of academic sessions that were customized for the TBM 700 and TBM 850 aircraft, along with social events.
As in the past, participation in the convention’s academic portion qualified attendees for insurance renewal bonuses or credits. These seminars enabled TBM pilots to improve their skills and knowledge, and included a session on the TMB 700/TBM 850’s PT6A engine with Pratt & Whitney Canada experts, and a presentation Dr. David Strahle on thunderstorm avoidance using NexRad radar images.
Also highlighting the convention were keynote speakers such as Craig L. Fuller,
president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), and SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul.
