Malta to host aviation conference and expo

Malta will host the 2019 edition of the Malta Aviation Conference and Expo (MACE) taking place on 30 October – 1 November at the Grand Hotel Excelsior in Floriana. The B2B and B2C aviation networking event will centre around the challenges and changes of the aviation industry in Malta and globally.

MACE aspires to create an environment of collaboration and cooperation in which aviation leaders can come together to help each other succeed, profit and thrive, according to the mission statement on the event’s official page.

With the Maltese aircraft register having exceeded 300 aircraft registrations and more than 35 airlines calling Malta home, the island nation is optimistic about becoming determining voice aviation jurisdiction of Europe.

“With a fast-growing aviation sector that is gaining momentum as we speak, Malta is well on its way to establishing itself as a hub for all things aviation. MACE is an excellent opportunity to foster healthy dialogue, collaboration and the sharing of best practices in such an important sector,” said Ian Borg, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, Government of Malta, according to the event’s website.

Minister Borg, as well as Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, will address the conference and expo, in reference to the vertical’s current sentiment in the island nation.

“Malta has been slowly but surely making a name for itself in the aviation industry; today the Maltese Aircraft Register has more than 350 aircraft listed and more airlines and leasing companies are calling this aviation-friendly jurisdiction their home,” said Charles Pace, Director-General for Civil Aviation at Transport Malta.

The list of speakers includes:

• Eamonn Brennan, Director General of Eurocontrol, will give an overview of the aviation industry,
• Captain Charles Pace, Director-General Civil Aviation Directorate at Transport Malta, will speak about the Maltese aviation cluster,
• Anita Sengupta, Chief Product Officer at Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX), will propose a possible future of urban air transport,
• James Hogan, Knighthood Capital, will focus on the financing and leasing of aircraft,
• Professor Alexei Dingli will speak about artificial intelligence (AI) and real applications of blockchain in aviation,
• Andrew Nicholson, CEO Osprey Flight Solutions, will speak about innovation in risk management,
• Diarmuid O’Conghaile, Ryanair’s Director of Public Affairs, will concentrate on the aviation industry of the future.

MACE will see the participation of Malta’s Ministry of Transport, Transport Malta’s Civil Aviation Directorate, European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and its ‘Expanding Horizon’s Campaign’, and with the support of the Malta Business Aviation Association (MBAA).