I was on a road trip earlier this month, accompanied by Cade Clark, recently named as VAI executive vice president, to visit member operators and manufacturers. The reason for the trip was simple: There’s simply no substitute for meeting people face-to-face. Very soon, our industry will be doing just that: VERTICON 2026 in Atlanta begins Mon., Mar. 9, with exhibits open Tue., Mar. 10, through Thu., Mar. 12. Every year, this is where our industry comes together to connect, tackle shared challenges, and do business. I encourage you to attend—there’s still time to register. In Atlanta, I’ll be welcoming FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet to our VERTICON Liftoff event on Tue., Mar. 10, beginning at 7:45 am. Join us for breakfast and a fireside chat, where I’ll discuss industry challenges and opportunities with these key leaders in aviation. Watch this edition of Francois’s Aviation Reflections to learn more about what Cade and I learned on our road trip and how it will shape VAI’s course.
