CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2019: A reflection

PNG Air Services Ltd has been a member of the CANSO Asia Pacific region since 2011. Our recent attendance at the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2019 in Fukuoka, Japan, prompted us to reflect on the eight years of our membership and more significantly, what the important takeaways were to ensure that as next year’s host, we deliver an equally exceptional environment for this important forum.

In reflecting on the conference, the one notable sentiment which I understand is shared amongst ANSPs within the region is the uniqueness of each ANSP, making it one of the most diverse groups in CANSO. With this diversity we appreciate that the operational and safety challenges remain unique to the region. However, I have recognized that this diversity also prompts the need for collaboration within the region and this is what is important to also appreciate.

The theme for the Conference, ‘Navigating the Future of ATM in the Asia Pacific’ illustrated the strategic focus on the direction of the ATM industry in the region and this resonates well with our CNS/ATM Modernization Program. The commissioning and operational use of space-based ADS-B is an exciting development for us given our current challenges with terrestrial based ADS-B. I was honored to be a part of the panel discussions where the focus was on the concept of operations for PNG Air Services Ltd (PNGASL).

The presentation on drone services in Japan was interesting and demonstrated its usefulness which I could relate to noting the difficult geography of Papua New Guinea and the challenges posed for service delivery to remote communities in the country. The session on investing in the next generation of ATM professionals and understanding the need to enhance human performance as critical enablers of ATM were also highly relevant and consistent with the focus of our Human Capital Development and Sustainability approach which we have undertaken as a part of our holistic modernization program. Overall, the panel sessions as well as the other presentations were insightful and offered different perspectives that in my view supported the theme’s objective.

We learnt a lot from our experience in Fukuoka as well as through our membership over the years and we now look forward to hosting you for the first time in our tropical paradise next year. We welcome you in advance and are keen to provide an environment that will allow for enriching discussions and also a chance to experience our unique and diverse cultures. We will be hosting the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2020 in Port Moresby from the 12-15 May 2020.