As 2024 draws to a close, Transoft Solutions has had the privilege of participating in several influential aviation events worldwide. From fostering industry connections to exploring emerging trends, these gatherings provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping aviation’s future. Here’s a roundup of the key takeaways from this year’s conferences and expos.
46th ACC Annual Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
Held between October 21–23 in Scottsdale, Arizona, the 46th ACC Annual Conference offered an excellent platform for representing Transoft and engaging with industry stakeholders, gaining invaluable insights and staying informed about emerging trends.
With the theme Evolving Beyond a State of Good Repair, Transoft’s Account Manager, Aviation, Vignesh Dhiwaghar, attended sessions covering diverse topics such as the state of the industry, inclusive leadership, and AI in aviation. These discussions shed light on both challenges and opportunities shaping the future of aviation, providing practical ideas to incorporate into Transoft’s strategies.
A key takeaway was the emphasis on inclusivity and technology-driven innovation, aligning seamlessly with Transoft’s vision for progress and excellence. The event also showcased the perspectives of the next generation of aviation leaders during the Young Professionals meetings, where their enthusiasm and fresh ideas stood out.
Transoft leveraged the event to present AirTOP and AeroCENTRAL’s innovative capabilities, which sparked significant interest, particularly in AeroCENTRAL’s flexible licensing options. This feedback reinforced the growing demand for adaptable solutions, positioning Transoft as a leader in addressing industry needs. Vignesh also enjoyed meaningful conversations with customers from the consulting world, which helped strengthen relationships and open avenues for potential collaborations.
Arizona, Scottsdale
ACTA Connect 2024, Washington, DC, USA
The annual ACTA conference (formerly ATCA Global), was rebranded to create a more dynamic and interactive event to better share insights, explore new opportunities, and interact with key decision makers.
Held between November 5–7 in Washington, DC, ACTA Connect brought together key players specializing in real-time simulator development, ATC consoles and systems, and defense technologies.
Representing Transoft, Senior Product Manager Gustavo Mercado noted several important discussions, including a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presentation on its approach to AI usage. The FAA outlined its decision to limit AI solely to training applications and exclude it from integration into air traffic management systems, citing inconsistency of AI-generated responses which causes safety and reliability concerns.
Forward-looking conversations explored several significant challenges the aviation and eVTOL sectors will face over the next five years. These include managing airspace capacity to accommodate increasing traffic and new technologies, addressing geopolitical tensions that could disrupt global collaboration, and ensuring the safe integration of mixed traffic, such as traditional aircraft and eVTOLs, within shared airspace. Maintaining robust and resilient supply chains will be essential as demand for aircraft and components grows amidst uncertainty. These topics underscored the complex and dynamic challenges shaping the future of aviation.
Senior Product Manager, Gustavo Mercado at ACTA Connect
AAA National Conference and Industry Expo, 2024, Brisbane, Australia
From November 19–21, Brisbane welcomed aviation leaders, innovators, and stakeholders to the AAA National Conference and Industry Expo. Themed Airports of Tomorrow: Innovation and Excellence, the event focused on sustainability, passenger-centric operations, and technological innovation.
Over three days, participants tackled key topics, including sustainability, customer experience, regional airport challenges, aviation security, capacity development, staffing issues, and disability access.
Representing Transoft, Wes Stevens, Regional Sales Manager for APAC, described the conference as both insightful and thought-provoking. Among the highlights were Lisa Dwyer’s presentation from PwC Australia on the challenges of developing frameworks to measure sustainability initiatives like Net Zero, and Brisbane Airport’s collaborative approach, which serves as a strong model for fostering regional partnerships that benefit the wider aviation network.
Wes also took the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues from Perth, Melbourne, and Brisbane Airports and introduce Transoft to Simon Westaway, the new CEO of the Australian Airports Association.
Adding a celebratory note to a conference brimming with future-focused ideas and initiatives, the conference concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing excellence in Australia’s airport industry—congratulations to all the winners!