Welcome to Airspace World Day 2

A message from Alex Bristol, CEO of Skyguide, and Chairman of CANSO

I hope you are all enjoying Airspace World. An industry-leading event like this gives us all the chance to make new contacts and gain fresh insights into industry challenges and opportunities.

Walking the halls, I sensed a real buzz. On the stands, in the theatres and throughout the floor, people are talking about drones, carbon reduction, new technologies, innovative procedures and much more. This is the beginning of collaboration. We talk a lot about how to work more closely with each other. At Airspace World, it seems to be happening naturally!

Most importantly, the discussions are about modernisation, digitisation and solutions. Air traffic management is a complex area that is often accused of being overly cautious and acting too slowly. But the innovation on display and the ideas being presented in the theatres and on the stands makes you realise that this is a thriving, progressive industry.

Big projects do take time. But this industry does not lack the desire or expertise for change. In many respects the future is already happening. Drones are flying regularly and in large numbers, digital towers are safely managing flights. I urge you all to explore the exhibitors and visit the theatres because some of the ground-breaking solutions may be closer to implementation than you think.

On a personal note, it was a great honour to moderate the Women in Aviation panel yesterday – International Women’s Day. Our key speakers, Shaesta, Waiz, Huy Kim Tran and Mildred Troegeler, are perfect role models and I am sure they are inspiring the next generation of female leaders. Diversity enables better business outcomes and our sector is no different. More must be done in this critical area.