TBMOPA Convention Focuses on Flight Safety in Phoenix

The three-day 2026 Annual Convention drew more than 300 attendees and featured aircraft flown in from several countries.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Air Travel

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of three turboprop aircraft lined up on a desert airfield beneath a clear sky. — Industry operators of TBM turboprop aircraft gathered in Phoenix for a three-day 2026 convention focused on flight safety and pilot decision-making. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The TBMOPA held its 2026 Annual Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, dedicating three days to flight safety and aeronautical decision-making. More than 300 attendees participated, and 78 TBMs were flown to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Why it matters

The convention gives TBM owners and operators a structured forum for sharing practical experience on sound decision-making in the cockpit. Its focus on safety and training reflects ongoing emphasis in general aviation on pilot judgment as a core factor in accident prevention.

The convention drew more than 300 attendees and 78 TBMs flown to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, including nine TBM 980s. Total TBM deliveries stand at more than 1,330, but the source does not report whether safety outcomes were measured.

The players

TBMOPA

The TBM Owners and Pilots Association is an organization serving owners and operators of Daher's TBM turboprop single-engine aircraft.

Daher Aircraft

Daher Aircraft is the French manufacturer of the TBM line of turboprop single-engine airplanes.

The details

Attendees joined interactive "Passport to Safety" roundtables where owners and operators shared experiences on applying sound decision-making. The program opened with a review of the 2003 Columbia space shuttle accident investigation, presented by Nigel Packham, and an 11-member Daher Aircraft delegation attended.

January: Daher Aircraft began delivering the TBM 980 to international customers.
November 3, 2026: TBMOPA 2026 Annual Convention held in Phoenix, Arizona.

Roadmap

The convention opened with a review of the 2003 Columbia space shuttle accident investigation, extending lessons on organizational decision-making into private aircraft operation. Its emphasis on aeronautical decision-making continues a longstanding general aviation focus on pilot judgment as a safety factor.

Owners and operators planning TBM flights can use the convention's safety sessions as a reference for applying aeronautical decision-making in routine operations. Pilots flying into busy general aviation hubs like Phoenix Sky Harbor should plan for heavy traffic during major events.

The takeaway

Structured safety discussion among owners and operators is one practical way aircraft operators keep sound decision-making at the center of routine flying. The convention's focus suggests that peer sharing of real operating experience remains a core tool in general aviation.