Okay, there are differences between Vegas and Orlando, but change is good. In fact, change has proven to be better than good for this year's Aviation Industry Expo. In speaking with AIE Show Director Jill Ryan, all of the numbers for the show have increased from the 2006 numbers. 454 was the total number of exhibitors signed up at this time last year, compared to 495 as this column is being written. This includes a significant increase in the number of GSE companies; 225 compared to 203 in 2006. We are also looking at nearly a 10-percent increase in floor space.
According to Ryan, "Aviation Industry Expo 2007 is destined to be a record-breaker. If you want to see what's happening in aviation … Aviation Industry Expo in March is the place to be. In the ground support world you will see the leaders in the industry—with more equipment and bigger booths than ever before. The seminar programming is timely … the Ground Support Leader of the Year Award is building to a climactic announcement and the show will welcome important delegations from the Coast Guard and the Joint Panel of Aviation Ground Support Equipment. We are delighted to see the Orlando location prove to be so popular with our exhibitors and potential attendees."
Anyway, don't you get tired of the same "hot spots" every year? Instead of the Smith and Wollenskys', Voodoo Lounge and Ghost Bars of the desert, some of us will be chasing gators in the swamps, swimming with Flipper at Sea World and eating fried gator for dinner (I am dead serious) … now when was the last time you got to do that!
We know that the GSExpo is the gathering of everybody that's anybody in ground support, but more important, it's the one time of the year that we have a chance to come together as an entire community and exchange the past year's business dealings, future industry developments and of course, catch up on how the family is doing. I can't wait to see all of you next month!
Correction
In our December 2006/January 2007 issue please note that Sales Director Frederic Seidner and Key Account Assistant Andrea Goeppert work for Hydro and Oliver S. R. Kesy is Mulag's head of marketing.
