Aim: 'Managing the Competing Demands within the National Airspace System'

The FAA has announced an event focused on providers, suppliers, regulators and users of the NAS. Scheduled for September 29 – October 2, 2008, at the Mirage (3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109), the FAA states that the "2008 Competition for the Sky Conference, 'Managing the Competing Demands within the National Airspace System (NAS)' is an integrated educational, networking and social event focusing on competing operational demands in the NAS. Delegates attending the conference will gain insight and guidance from system regulators and users regarding NAS operations and requirements."

The FAA adds that, 'Protecting the safety and improving the efficiency of the NAS are absolute priorities for users, operators, and regulators, " and invites interested parties to 'Join us in Las Vegas from September 29th to October 2nd, 2008 as we identify objectives and strategies to satisfy competing demands for airspace while maintaining and enhancing the safety and efficiency of the NAS.'

For the first time, this conference will bring together federal, state and local authorities, alongside military, commercial and private NAS users. The event will provide a clear understanding on relevant issues concerning shared utilization of the NAS in order to provide policymakers with a common understanding of related issues. Some of the topics include, but are not limited to, Marking and Lighting, Wind Turbines, Crane Operations, Airport Encroachment/Zoning, and Radar Interference. Protecting the airspace is a common factor and the conference is designed to voice future strategies to ensure the NAS is protected now and in the future.

The conference will cover the following areas:

Transparency: How the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is utilizing electronic means to share aeronautical data and encourage a common operating system for users both on the ground and in the air.

Collaboration: How FAA is working with the competing demands on the diminishing natural resource that is the NAS, to ensure that: (1) the NAS is not diminished in capacity and efficiency; (2) efforts are continued to build partnerships with Stakeholders in order to ensure that all interests are recognized, understood and considered in an aeronautical study; (3) all Stakeholders come together at the same table to develop favorable determinations that allow for proposed construction and will not diminish the NAS; (4) partnerships with Industry Groups are ongoing to address growing trends and creating new processes to preserve and protect the NAS, today and in the future.

Preservation: The NAS is not infinite; however the NAS is neither well defined nor transparent. Learn how FAA is preserving the NAS, while still defining the components that compete with the interests on the ground.

Protection: This is FAA's number one priority, to protect the National Airspace System.

The conference brings NAS stakeholders together to identify individual objectives and strategies to satisfy competing user demands while maintaining and enhancing safety and efficiency of the NAS:

• How different groups use or compete with NAS elements.
• How that usage contributes to aviation congestion.
• How obstruction encroachment in the airport airspace diminishes capacity and efficiency.
• How local airspace zoning and third party products help preserve and protect the NAS.
• How vendors contribute in protecting the nation's airports and airspace.

Who Should Attend

More than 450 delegates are expected, including:

• Aviation, Corporate and Government Consultants and Advisors
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
• Airlines
• Airport Managers / Directors
• CEOs, COOs, CFOs and other members of the corporate world
• Government Advocacy Groups
• Government Officials, Policy Influencers and Decision Makers
• National Association of State Aviation Officials
• Wind Resource & Project Energy Assessment Officials

FMI: http://www.faa.gov/news/conferences_events/competition_sky_2008/