Indian Wells, California. 01 October 2024 . Daher Aircraft had a high-level participation in the 2024 Convention of the TBM Owners and Pilots Association (TBMOPA), underscoring the company’s continued support for this organization as it celebrates the 20th year of existence.
Held at the city of Indian Wells, in the Palm Springs area, the TBMOPA Convention brought together 285 attendees, composed of TBM pilots/owners and their spouses or companions; representatives from the Network of TBM distributors and service centers; personnel from industry suppliers; and a nine-member Daher team led by Raphael Maitre, Daher Aircraft’s Vice President of Customer Support.
A total of 81 TBMs – representing the full product line from the cornerstone TBM 700 to the TBM 850, TBM 900, TBM 930, TBM 940 and Daher’s latest TBM 960 version – were flown to the Convention’s host airport at Thermal (KTRM) in Riverside County.
“As the TBMOPA celebrates two decades of activity, the association maintains its very important role in bringing together the growing number of TBM aviators with the focus on flight safety and operational efficiency,” Maitre said. “As the manufacturer of the TBM aircraft family, Daher’s support for the TBMOPA remains a top priority based on three jointly-supported pillars: Operating Best Practices; Proper Maintenance; and Communications and Networking.”
TBMOPA is recognized as one of the most proactive owner and pilot associations in the general aviation/business aviation sectors. This was underscored during the 2024 Convention’s four days of in-depth sessions, which covered such topics as: training standardization across the pilot and instructor communities, backed by Daher’s Safe Horizons initiative; along with briefings on cockpit technology; experts’ tips on flying the TBM; and guidance aviation taxes. An update on the airplane marketplace underscored the continued value of TBM aircraft – spanning from the current-production TBM 960 to earlier versions, benefitting from Daher’s dedication to product support and system/technology upgrades.
Among the Convention’s highlights was Daher’s two-hour panel presentation, entitled: “A Day in the Life of TBM Care.” With the participation of TBM Care managers from both the U.S. and France, this discussion provided a detailed review of the company’s commitment to customer support, and enabled an open dialogue on a full range of ongoing subjects – which was highly appreciated by attendees.
“The Daher-TBMOPA partnership continues to grow stronger and stronger, and the success of this year’s annual Convention is a vivid example of the win-win relationship,” said JJ Suarez, the Chairman of TBMOPA. “In the name of all TBMOPA members, I want to thank Daher for its continuous support – from the annual Convention to the various TBMOPA programs and initiatives throughout the year.”
A traditional feature of the TBMOPA’s annual Convention is a live auction of donated TBM equipment, systems, and accessories – as well as travel experiences and adventures – to raise money for the TBMOPA Foundation. At the 2024 meeting, this auction logged a new record total of $272,500 – which included the $35,000 winning bid for Daher Aircraft’s donation of an aviation adventure to France for next June, involving business-class airline travel and high-end hotel stay in Paris, VIP treatment at the 2025 Paris Air Show, plus a visit to the Daher Aircraft headquarters and TBM production facility in Tarbes, France – capped off with a flight from Tarbes over southwestern France.
The TBMOPA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity that promotes the future of aviation through contributions that include the Able Flight nonprofit aviation organization, which enables flight training and aviation career scholarships for pilots with a variety of physical disabilities – including wounded or disabled veterans. Also covered by the Foundation is an annual scholarship at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, awarded to a student from an underrepresented community who wants to work as a pilot in aviation; and a new annual scholarship at the Texas Woman’s University to support a student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Science, covering tuition, fees and flight training costs.
Additionally, the Foundation supports the Air Care Alliance and Angel Flight West, which rely on volunteer pilots and their aircraft to provide free air transportation for patients and veterans in need of medical treatment, as well as for conservation-related initiatives.Another source of the Foundation’s backing is for the TBMOPA’s own series of TBM safety seminars.
