ISTAT UPdate

The 2018 installment of ISTAT EMEA, held 23–25 September, found the event returning to Prague for the third time — first in 2008 and again in 2015 — for several days of networking, meetings, education, discussion, presentations and fun, as delegates congregated at the event's official host property, the Hilton Prague.

Before the panel discussions began, ISTAT President Doug Runte, managing director and head of aviation research, Deutsche Bank, welcomed delegates to the Congress Hall in the Hilton Prague's lower level, noting that attendance at ISTAT EMEA (1,600 plus) now roughly equals ISTAT's total membership in 2007, and that ISTAT membership continues to climb, with the society boasting more than 5,130 members at present.

Overall, the sentiment from panelists throughout the event was that the industry remains healthy and growing but there are signs of caution. During his keynote address, Conor McCarthy, managing director and project oversight, PlaneConsult, detailed the myriad changes in the industry during his 40-year career. "We have come through a dramatic revolution in our industry," he observed. "But, we've already grabbed a lot of the low-hanging fruit. The next steps for growth and evolution are going to be more of a challenge. I've given up trying to forecast what's going to happen, though. Instead, I'd advise anyone to position yourself in the best possible place to weather any potential downturn. It's a broad piece of advice, but there's simply no way to predict what's around the bend."

Panel discussions covered a wide range of big-picture topics, including Brexit, a potential pilot shortage, fleet planning strategies, and a host of other areas. And delegates were offered numerous networking opportunities in any one of the designated meeting spaces and events. The event closed out in style with the Cocktail Reception & Networking Dinner at the Prague Municipal House, followed by the After Party at the Hilton's Cloud9 Sky Bar.

ISTAT extends a sincere and heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended or participated in ISTAT EMEA —especially the sponsors for their generous contributions, which help keep member costs low and value high.

Look for more ISTAT EMEA coverage in the winter edition of Jetrader.

Presentations and photos from ISTAT EMEA are now available via the ISTAT mobile app (for all event attendees) and the ISTAT website. Please make plans to join us next year for ISTAT EMEA in Berlin.

The 2018 ISTAT Holiday Receptions are coming up soon! On 5 December, ISTAT members will convene in one of seven locations: Dublin, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Tokyo and brand new location Shanghai. Members will meet at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, The Banking Hall in London, Ocean & Vine in the Loews Santa Monica in Los Angeles, the Portico at the Diplomat Hotel in Miami, St. Bartholomew's Church in New York, and the Fish Bank Tokyo in Tokyo. The Shanghai venue will be announced soon. Please join us as we close out another successful year and look ahead to new opportunities. Click here to register.

The agenda for the upcoming ISTAT Latin America Forum, held 14–15 November in Lima, features key players in the Latin American aviation industry, including representatives from legacy and low-cost carriers, lessors, financiers and manufacturers. A number of airline attendees will be in attendance, including representatives from Avianca, Avior Airlines, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Copa Airlines, SKY Airline, and VIVA Airlines Peru S.A.C.

Register before 7 November for a discount of up to $400.

Click here to view the full schedule of events and for more information on keynote speakers, session topics and networking events. We hope to see you in Lima, Peru, next month.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/ist-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=526045&issueID=56179 to view the full article online.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/ist-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=526046&issueID=56179 to view the full article online.