It’s nearly that time again! The annual get-together of so many important members of the airside community, will be held in Budapest this year under the auspices of EVA International Media – publishers of Airside International – with no less than five different conferences concerning GSE Buyers’ & Ramp-Ops; Airfi eld Operations; Preventing Aircraft Damage; Aircraft De-icing; and Airport Winter Operations
This year’s big event, which accompanies and complements Airside International, will take place in the Hungarian capital’s Corinthia Hotel between 13 and 15 April.
A five-star hotel situated close to many of the city’s best-known landmarks, the Corinthia is an excellent place for any visitor to one of Central Europe’s loveliest cities to be based.Having five conferences co-located and catering to the interests of so many in the airside business is surely unique. Chairmen already confirmed include luminaries of the industry such as Peter Speck (director purchasing & fleet management at Swissport), Paul Schenk (manager of apron maintenance at the Greater Toronto Airport Authority) and Hervé Gueusquin (business development & training manager for Air France).
Speakers will offer their knowledge and expertise on a wide range of topics within each of the five conferences. The 2015 GSE Buyers’ & Ramp Ops Conference will take a fresh look at GSE global procurement strategies, analyse the benefits of outsourcing GSE and assess just how such equipment can best be financed in a market of ever-tightening margins. This conference will also consider the latest trends in airfield fuelling operations and discuss the view of some airport authorities that there may simply be too much GSE on the ramp, itself a cause for inefficiency and the occasional accident.
The Airfield Operations Conference will assess the challenges facing today’s busy airport authorities – the need for investment in new infrastructure, for example, and the increasing pressure to minimise gateways’ carbon footprint. It will also consider the latest trends in airside technology, how to access the very best in airport fire and emergency training and the latest developments in aircraft recovery options and equipment. Also forming part of this conference will be expert presentations on airport bird control systems and technologies, as well as a consideration of the changing world of airport pavement maintenance.
Preventing Aircraft Damage, or PAD, is all about preventing ramp rash. This conference will bring together all those with an interest in ensuring that collisions on the ramp are kept to an absolute minimum. It will examine the issues from the point of view of airports, airlines and handlers, the vexed question of insurance against accidents on the ramp and who pays for them, and how training is a vital tool in the battle against on-airport accidents. It will also assess how new technology is be-
ing brought to bear to prevent collisions and discuss the varied and complex health and safety environment facing GSE operators.
The 2015 Aircraft De-icing Conference is of interest to anyone involved in this vital aspect of on-airport winter operations, be they airport operators, carriers, handlers or the manufacturers of the high-tech aircraft de-icers that are so essential to the aviation business once bitter weather begins to bite. The conference will include presentations on the effect of extreme weather
on aircraft and the dangers of icing, how various agencies have gone about measuring and counteracting the dangers and the various de-icing system options available worldwide.
Complementing the Aircraft De-icing Conference is the one-day Airport Winter Operations Conference. This event offers the expert view of a number of airports as to their take on snow removal on runways, taxiways and stands – the equipment needed, and the best de-icing chemicals and procedures. The essential role of runway friction testing is also re-evaluated.
Whether they work for airlines, airports, handlers or other third-party service providers, GSE manufacturers or lessors, speakers will bring to the table their own unique experiences of the business.
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
As important as the scheduled conference programmes is the opportunity for those attending the event to meet new faces and catch up with old friends from the airside sector. The networking potential is one of the most important aspects of the gathering, and it is one not to be missed. Supporting this opportunity will be the prescheduled one-to-one meetings arranged between GSE
suppliers and potential buyers. EVA International can arrange those meetings for you.
Hosted by Budapest Airport and Malév Ground Handling, sponsors for the event include leading GSE suppliers JBT AeroTech, Denge, Global Ground Support, Mallaghan and TCR. Alongside the very busy conference schedules is an exhibition area for manufacturers to display their wares and to talk to all the event’s visitors about what they offer the airside market. As well as the
sponsors described above, confirmed exhibitors already include 247GT, TREPEL and Cobus Industries, Schopf/Goldhofer, SARSYS, Eaton Crouse Hinds, TAM Durabus, TLD and Aviogei.
A full programme of the five conferences can be found on the EVA International Media website at:
www.evaint.com/our-events/airside-international-event, which also offers more details on the soon to be upon us event.
You can register to attend, book your exhibition stand space or look into sponsoring the conferences via this site, or by contacting Harley Khan at harley@evaint.com or +44 (0)208 253 4006. And don’t forget to contact EVA to arrange those one-to-one meetings too.
A big success in Dublin last year, the Airside Event is getting better every time. Make sure you don’t miss out.
