With NBAA coming up the month after next I am always reminded of the benefits of attending business trade shows/expos. A list of these benefits might include the following:
1) Seminars and OEM presentations.
2) Vendor exhibits for all kinds of products related to industry, one or two of which could be of real plus to an operation.
3) Network — the opportunity to meet and share information with peers.
4) Breakfast, lunch and dinner gatherings where product information is related.
5) Award ceremonies honoring those who have contributed to the betterment of the profession.
6) Social occasions such as a golf outing or an after dinner party where participants can continue to meet and share information with others.
The bottom line is that most trade shows provide an excellent opportunity for those in an industry to be up-to-date and knowledgeable on current and future operations, systems, and technologies. This is especially true in aviation.
This takes me to another, tangential subject. For the first five or six years of this decade PAMA, in partnership with NATA as AS3, operated a trade show in Vegas intended for NATA and PAMA members. Early on, the show was sold to Cygnus Expos and ground support equipment industry members were brought in to expand the base. This show is now called Aviation Industry Expo, AIE, and, while PAMA has withdrawn from participation, NATA still takes part along with GSE companies. The AMTSociety supports the maintenance side by arranging IA renewals and other seminars, a golf outing supporting maintenance scholarships, social events, and an exciting maintenance skills competition involving more than a dozen teams from various parts of our industry. With regard to the latter I would be remiss if I did not compliment the excellent work the Society has done creating and running the skills competition, with special accolades to Ken MacTiernan for orchestrating this highly successful one-of-a-kind event.
Wouldn’t you like to be part of this activity? I am sure many of you would. And I am also confident that this would not be a boondoggle, so to speak, but rather a time used wisely and profitably for you and your organization’s gain. So why wouldn’t you attend? No, I am not naive. I know Vegas is not a demographically ideal place to hold a maintenance conference. But, on the other hand, this terrible economy does have some silver linings. Getting to Vegas is now inexpensive and hotel rooms are downright cheap. Meals too, if you don’t go overboard. Plus gambling is not required; after all you will be busy with the many activities of the show. Vegas is hurting and it is doing whatever it can to increase business.
So maybe you can let me know if this is something that might be of interest. If not, why not? If it is of interest but needs to do something further to elicit your participation what might that be? Any suggestions and ideas are welcome. I sincerely believe technicians should have an annual meeting that does many of the things that I mentioned in the first paragraph.
