There are so many great aviation conferences happening throughout year. However, for most of us, attending them all just isn’t in the cards, and quite frankly, it would be exhausting to try! So if you had to prioritize, which should you choose? IMHO, it really comes down to what you are trying to accomplish and how far you are willing to travel. To help you out, I’m going to give you a rundown of some of the biggest and best conferences for business aviation that should be on your radar for 2019. I’ll also list out some smaller, more focused events that may be of interest to you. Top Picks 1. 2019 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Las Vegas, NV, U.S.A.; October 22-24 Hands down, NBAA-BACE (or often just called “NBAA”) is the #1 international conference for business aviation. It’s ranked as a top-10 tradeshow in the U.S. based on its massive square footage—taking up two halls in the Las Vegas Convention Center and consuming Henderson Executive Airport with its impressive static display. Format includes educational sessions, exhibitor convention, static display, and a strong media presence. If you can make this one, I strongly suggest you do. Reported attendance: 23,000+ Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2019-business-aviation-convention-exhibition/ Social Media hashtag: #NBAA19 You can also read my tips for attending NBAA-BACE. 2. The NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference (SDC) San Antonio, TX, U.S.A.; January 29 – February 2, 2019 OK. The bad news is that this event has already passed for this year. But the good news is it’ll be back March 10-13, 2020 in Charlotte, NC. If you’re an aircraft scheduler or dispatcher—or essentially perform scheduling duties—this is your show, and I highly encourage you to attend. This show includes educational tracks, all-day informational sessions, and an exhibitor convention. Reported attendance: 2,900+ Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2019-schedulers-dispatchers-conference/ Social Media hashtag: #SDC19 You can also read my tips for attending SDC. 3. The NBAA International Operators Conference (IOC) San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.; February 25-29 If you frequently operate internationally to various, non-routine destinations, then this educational conference should be high on your list. It’s uses a plenary session format, with talks focusing on all aspects of international business aircraft operations—such as tips for planning operations to various regions and recent regulatory changes. There isn’t a convention, but there are some official exhibitor suites within the hotel hosting the conference. Reported attendance: 500+ Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2019-international-operators-conference-ioc2019/ Social Media hashtag: #IOC19 4. 2019 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) Geneva, Switzerland; May 21-23 EBACE is Europe’s counterpart to NBAA-BACE, and the format is essentially the same as NBAA-BACE…just smaller in scale. EBACE clocks in as the second-largest business aviation conference, and because the show is always in Geneva, it’s a pretty short flight to get there from most places in Europe—which also results in many attendees making EBACE just a single day trip in and out. If you are based in Europe or frequently operate into Europe, I strongly recommend you attend. Reported attendance: 13,000+ Website: https://ebace.aero/2019 Social Media hashtag: #EBACE19 5. 2019 Asian Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (ABACE) Shanghai, China; April 16-18 Like EBACE, ABACE is Asia’s regional analog to NBAA-BACE. If you are based in Asia or operate to Asia, this show is a must. Reported attendance: 8,000+ Website: https://abace.aero/2019/ Social Media hashtag: #ABACE19 Notable Mentions 6. The NBAA Leadership Conference Austin, TX, U.S.A.; February 12-14 This is a great two-day educational conference focused on helping business aviation leaders and aspiring leaders take their teams to success. Top decision-makers from across the industry are in attendance. Reported attendance: 200+ Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2019-leadership-conference/ Social Media hashtag: n/a 7. The Satcom Direct CwC Conference Orlando, FL, U.S.A.; February 18-21 Connecting with Customers (CwC), is Satcom Direct’s (SD) annual technical training and customer appreciation event, hosted exclusively for its customers. It’s packed with industry updates, continuing education, product training, and peaks into SD’s latest innovations. If you’ve ever been to a tech conference, this show follows that you’ll be familiar with. Reported attendance: not published Website: https://cwc.satcomdirect.com/ Social Media hashtag: #CwC19 8. CBAA Annual Convention & Exhibition Calgary, AB, Canada; July 9-11 The annual CBAA is the premier event for Canada’s business aviation community. Format is similar to an EBACE or ABACE, but smaller in scale. Reported attendance: 700+ Website: Too long to post – click here. Social Media hashtag: #CBAA19 9. 2019 Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE 2019) Sao Paulo, Brazil; August 13-15 While LABACE claims to be the business aviation show for Latin America, it’s really more like the business aviation show for Sao Paulo, with a majority of attendees commuting in from the local area. For this reason, I’m not putting it in my top tier list internationally. That said, it’s a great (and fun) show to attend if you can. Format includes an exhibitor floor and static display. There are no real educational sessions going on. The show hours go late, and many attendees just head over after they leave work for the day. The last day of the show opens to the public. Reported attendance: unclear – they report 145,000+ total visitors over a 15 year span Website: https://labace.com.br/en/ Social Media hashtag: #LABACE19 10. Revolution.Aero 2019 San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.; October This new two-day conference was just launched in 2018 and is worth checking out if you can. It’s focused on the digital transformation of our industry, and you’re going to hear talks from speakers and startups ready to make change happen. Format is a mixture of 15-minute (TED-style) presentations and in-depth panels. Reported attendance: 300+ Website: https://www.revolution.aero/san-francisco/ Social Media hashtag: n/a Additional Considerations 11. Local/Regional Aviation Associations If you had time to count, there are probably hundreds of associations all over the globe with business aviation representation, and many host some sort of annual event. You’ll see these at the city, state, country, and regional levels. You should definitely look into your local chapters. It’s always worth networking with other business aviation professionals. 12. OEM Operator Conferences Most OEMs hold some annual or biennial operator conference. Based on your equipment type, you should check out what’s available to you. 13. Owner/Operator Associations There are quite a bit of these, and they offer a great opportunity to network with fellow aircraft-type operators and discuss challenges. Here are some: Citation Jet Pilots (CJP) Owner Pilot Association Embraer Jet Operators Association Malibu/M-Class Owners and Pilots Association TBM Owners and Pilots Association 14. NBAA Regional Forums NBAA hosts 3-4 of these per year across the United States. You can check out upcoming forums here. 15. International Women in Aviation (WAI) Annual Conference Long Beach, CA, U.S.A.; March 14-16 This year marks the 30th year for this event. Although not focused specifically on business aviation, a good number of people from within our community attend. It’s definitely worth looking in to. Website: https://www.wai.org/events/2019-international-women-aviation-conference 16. Corporate Jet Investor Conferences Corporate Jet Investor hosts a series of events at various locations around the world. These conferences are focused on the business of business aviation. If there is one near you that you can attend, it’s worth checking out. Website: https://corporatejetinvestor.com/upcoming-events/ 17. NBAA Flight Attendants/Flight Technicians Conference Fort Worth, TX, U.S.A.; May 7-9 If you’re a flight attendant, this event is simply a MUST for you. It’s a mix of educational sessions, networking, and exhibitor conference. Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2019-flight-attendants-flight-technicians-conference/ Wrap Up Hope this helps you with your 2019 planning. And if you find another event that you think should be on this list, send me a note at anabelmonson@univ-wea.com. The post The Best Business Aviation Conferences for 2019 appeared first on Universal® Operational Insight Blog. Continue reading...