Conventions

Apr. 29 – May 2, 2012. AAAE is the American Association of Airport Executives.  The AAAE annual conference again attracted thousands of airport and aviation professionals, including airport executives, airport and aviation suppliers and vendors, airline personnel, and representatives from the FAA, TSA and DHS. Four days of discussions revolved around the current state of play in the airport industry, and was supplemented by an exhibit hall with over 200 vendors, there to assist the industry in meeting its “mile-high” challenges with their products and services.  Delegates heard from top government officials, industry and business leaders, and were able to interact with leading decision-makers from some 200 airports and hundreds of the industry’s leading companies, both airside and landside.  Hey, they just called my flight and my baggage cart has a wobbly wheel….

Apr. 25 – May 5, 2012. NPTC would be the National Private Truck Council, the only trade association in the United States devoted exclusively to the interests of the private corporate trucking fleet industry and its professional practitioners.  The National Private Truck Council’s history reaches as far back as 1939. Founded as the National Council of Private Motor Truck Owners, the group strictly focused on in-house private truck fleets separate and apart from for-hire trucking firms. Over the years, NPTC adapted to changing market conditions. NPTC represents a cross-section of American manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and public service organizations ranging in size from family-owned small businesses and town utility fleets to Fortune 500 global conglomerates. Membership from these and hundreds of other companies is made up of leading middle and upper-middle management professionals. So you want to pull 18 wheels…?

Apr. 3-5, 2012. You would not believe the things that plane-makers have to worry about these days.  For instance, the use of composites in aircraft design can save fuel through weight savings and improve service life by eliminating fatigue and corrosion problems associated with metal airframe structures, but this creates the need to reevaluate existing repair and maintenance practices and to bone up on the composite repair procedures and life limit issues that composites/plastics present. As there are no agreed standards for these new materials, there are questions on regulations and training qualifications.  If the technology isn’t adopted and integrated into the maintenance process effectively, then it becomes just another piece of hardware and just another project to add to the already over-tasked workforce.  Up, up and… back to school?

Feb. 12-15, 2012. AMSA is the American Moving and Storage Association.  These are the freight haulers who move people’s goods from home to home.  In the midst of life-changing transitions, they are responsible for transporting the possessions of millions of families, including those who serve the nation’s military, along with fine art and the high-value collections of public institutions, and the high technology equipment that keeps the economy running.  AMSA represents more than 3,200 members, including interstate moving and storage companies, local movers, international movers plus industry suppliers and state association members.  Hey, tell me again, lady, where do I put the fish-tank thing with the mermaid in it…?

Jan. 22-28, 2012. This was the Transportation Research Board’s 91st TRB annual meeting.  The program covered all transportation modes, with more than 4,000 presentations in nearly 650 sessions, and workshops addressing topics of interest to all attendees—policymakers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. A number of sessions and workshops addressed the spotlight theme for 2012: Transportation — Putting Innovation and People to Work.  Over 4500 technical papers, slides and posters from more than 7,000 program presentations, and videos of more than 80 high-profile seminars, were available by the close.  Quite a lot to “transport”, if you wanted them all…