8 March 2013

Conference week this year is about the benefits brought to you from “One Industry One Voice”. It is true that “Aviation is in our DNA” but talking with multiple voices has in the past dissipated wealth creation and the sharing of those benefits to participants.
 
Aviation’s story is a fantastic one but we don’t tell it often enough.  As we said last week that’s about to change and our Governance Board click here has set that as one of our key missions.  It has become very clear to “the Boots” that for our industry to prosper and grow, we must do two things: deliver value to you, and create and communicate opportunities for you to consider as you grow and develop your businesses.   
 
As an Association we provide connectedness in the form of networking, the sharing of information and intelligence with you and we constantly scan the environment for the opportunities and threats that are present or emerging in the government and regulatory space. What is changing is that instead of being inwardly looking at New Zealand, we are saying what’s out there in world, asking questions about how we can make our industry more competitive, and enabling your businesses to run harder, faster, smarter and safer.
 
As a first step, a number of years ago, your then Council said we would like to explore global growth opportunities; and establish stronger linkages with the RNZAF, the government and its officials to align strategy that is focused on both growth and safety in the context of global economic opportunities.
 
It takes a while for the planets to align – at our conference week this year we firmly believe this will be achieved.  So what does this mean for your business?

• Without a firm safety platform you don’t have a business. Risk profiling is the new way of “less but better regulation” Ag operators will have an opportunity to understand and participate in conference workshops but other sectors, such as flight trainers, adventure operators and helicopter operators could also join those sessions to update on what good risk profiling practice looks like.
• Cultivating that learning culture will be high on our agenda through an intensive morning of sessions run by our safety advisory committee.  They will traverse issues from resilience to reliability; openness and transparency to the legal systems and Court proceedings against “silent” partners.
• The business opportunities where are they and how are they materializing.  We’ve got two key case studies plus an interactive workshop translating these principles into your business.  This is the what’s in it for me part of the conference. 
• Invitations are being extended to key off shore market participants in the Asia Pacific region and were hoping for an intensive brief on maximizing the “trickle down” from the recently signed aviation agreement with India.
• A new innovation is the Industry leader’s forum.  We can confirm Martin Matthews Secretary of Transport; Graeme Harris Director DCA; Peter Smyth NZTE Aviation Sector Manager; David Morgan Chief Pilot Air NZ will be in the line up and we have two or three others to confirm.  

 
We’ve been talking to you for some time about the concept of becoming a trusted partner of government.  This takes time to achieve and different models of how we can work together.  But the mood in Wellington has definitely changed – we could do with some more “trickle down,” the boots freely acknowledges that, but from our perspective were seeing a material shift in the way we interact.  The planets are aligning and this means opportunity.
 
An example of this is the attached letter which focuses on the issues that will make a real difference to the cost of pilots obtaining medical certificates.click here What we are looking for are solutions that are “globally aligned” but deliver that unique attitude of cheaper, faster, smarter.  This will be the winning formula for aviation.
 
We’re doing more work in this area in terms of pilots and engineering license; health and safety in employment and building the right people (click here for a copy of our recent board briefing).
 
On this theme were really looking for either a business or someone with extensive airport competencies who would be prepared to work with Aviation New Zealand on a bid to run and operate some airports in Indonesia.  The bid would leverage brand New Zealand to gain the access but delivery would be by the company or consortium.  These are the types of new and interesting opportunities coming our way, but we will only make them available if you are a member.   
 
Troy Forsyth, who some of you will know, is joining us to provide some one off project assistance in organising the conference.  Troy has extensive contacts throughout New Zealand, Asia/Pacific and Europe and we’re very excited about him joining us.
 
Just over 45% of you have already paid your subscriptions.  Thanks so much for that.  The discount continues until 20 April.  Quite a lot of you over paid and if you want a refund please contact us. Alternatively we will use the money against conference or next year’s subscription.
 
Discounts continue if you purchase you trade booth now – 15% if paid for by 31 March and 10% by mid May.
 
People ask me how we get energized year after year to deliver our conference.  There is no secret – it is about passion for aviation, its people and our members.  
 
Each one of you contributes; whether its telling us your story about CAA audit times reducing from a planned two days to three hours because you’re AIRCARE accredited, or a new product under development that needs acceptance in Australia and the US, or expressing disappointment that the trickle down effect of change is not running as quickly as you would like.  We share those frustrations but we will work with you to develop good solutions.        

Aviation is in our DNA Red boots

The Conference programme is starting to take shape read more

Conference is already on the count down.  The programmes for NZAAA, NZHA, and our joint sessions are designed. Flight Training, AEANZ and the SAC are nearing completion.  
Trades - remember the big discounts only go for another month so get in and make your bookings while the discounts last read more
 
Sponsorship read more
 
Delegates registration read more – conference rates have been held static for those who attended Rotorua. To attend a comparable conference of quality costs between $1500 and $2000. You pay no more than $630 plus meals.

Expressions of Interest – Executive Leadership programme, RNZAF Base Woodbourne 17-19 May  click here  
 

Halldale Group, the publishers of CAT: Civil Aviation Training Magazine (online and hard copy) have offered free subscriptions to New Zealand trainers, provided they are given full address details of those companies that would like it. More information here

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