Celebrating 75 Years of Aviation Excellence

Surrounded by industry delegates from across the sector, we enjoyed the perfect blend of making new connections and reconnecting with long-standing partners who continue to shape New Zealand's aviation landscape.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Simon and the entire AIANZ team for hosting an exceptional conference that facilitated meaningful opportunities to learn, discuss, and connect across the industry.

Welcome Reception: Aspeq's Commitment to Industry Excellence

The conference began with a welcome reception proudly sponsored by Aspeq, setting the tone for meaningful industry connections and dialogue. During the reception, Aspeq Chief Executive Hamish Findlay addressed attendees, speaking about Aspeq's longstanding support of AIANZ and our pride in sponsoring such a significant milestone event.

In his address, Hamish emphasised the critical role independent assessment plays in today's rapidly evolving aviation landscape: "In an era of rapid change, we face both great opportunity, and serious responsibility. At Aspeq, we believe that independent assessment is not optional; it is essential, especially when the stakes are high."

Hamish reinforced that independent assessment provides the fairness, transparency, and defensibility that builds trust among regulators, the public, and within our industry.

Day One: Setting the Stage for Innovation

The conference opened with a stellar lineup that immediately captured the attention of all attendees. After warm welcomes from the AIANZ team, Brad Olsen, Principal Economist from Infometrics, provided invaluable insights into global and local economic trends, painting a picture of what we can expect in the near future. This was followed by Katherine Rich from BusinessNZ, who delivered an excellent overview of New Zealand's current business environment, emphasizing BusinessNZ's commitment to partnering with and amplifying impact and change for businesses across the country, regardless of scale or scope.

A particularly significant moment came when Jehan Casinader took the stage. Not only did he serve as a fantastic MC throughout the entire conference, but he also delivered an open and honest presentation on mental health, a subject that has historically been avoided in the aviation industry. This groundbreaking discussion aligned perfectly with AIANZ's recent work in this critical area, including the facilitation of mental health workshops across different sectors of the aviation industry.

The afternoon sessions proved equally valuable as delegates broke into divisional groups for more in-depth discussions on emerging technologies, risk assessment, and the key issues currently facing our sector.

Day Two: Leadership, Innovation, and Future Focus

Tuesday morning brought a fresh wave of engaging discussions. Hon James Meager, Associate Minister of Transport, delivered a compelling presentation promoting industry focus on safety and efficiency, while also launching the Aviation Action Plan, a significant milestone for New Zealand aviation.

Airways' James Young provided fascinating insights into trends within the air traffic controller sector, revealing that while New Zealand currently maintains a good number of traffic controllers, they're not necessarily positioned in the right regions. This strategic insight highlighted Airways' upcoming focus on regional redistribution to optimise coverage.

The introduction of Kane Patena, the new Chief Executive of CAA NZ, was welcomed by the aviation community. His clear intentions to focus on culture, efficiencies, and change resonated strongly with attendees, backed by his proven track record of success in previous leadership roles.

Aviation enthusiasts were treated to a technical session featuring Dr. Michael Winter from Pratt & Whitney, who presented online from the USA. His presentation on new aviation technologies and the improved efficiencies they deliver provided a glimpse into the exciting future of our industry.

Celebrating Excellence and Looking Forward

Following another productive afternoon of divisional group discussions, the conference reconvened for a memorable celebration dinner honouring 75 years of commercial aviation in New Zealand. The evening also celebrated the winners of various industry awards, recognising outstanding achievements across the sector.

The Aspeq team thoroughly enjoyed the evening, gaining deeper insights into New Zealand's rich aviation history while celebrating our industry colleagues as they received well-deserved recognition for their accomplishments.

A Foundation for Continued Growth

The AIANZ 75th anniversary conference successfully delivered on its promise of creating a thought-provoking discussion platform while providing invaluable time for cross-sector engagement. For Aspeq, it reinforced the importance of industry collaboration and the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for New Zealand aviation.

We extend our gratitude once again to the AIANZ team for orchestrating such a comprehensive and engaging event. The conference not only celebrated our industry's remarkable 75-year journey but also positioned us perfectly for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Reflecting on the event, Hamish Findlay, Chief Executive of Aspeq, said:
“The AIANZ conference was an outstanding opportunity to come together as an industry to learn, share and celebrate. The conversations we had reinforced just how important collaboration is for building a safe, sustainable, and forward-looking aviation sector in New Zealand.”

We're already looking forward to next year's conference and the continued evolution of New Zealand's aviation industry.