CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024
Our CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 will be held in Chengdu, China on 8-11 July, kindly hosted by Air Traffic Management Bureau, CAAC (ATMB).
Taking bold actions for regional ATM through digital solutions.
Following the successful discussions held last year in Bali, Indonesia, the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 will focus on the recommendations published in the Asia Pacific ATM White Paper earlier this year.
This paper was produced by CANSO and Think Research to help Asia Pacific Full Members quicken the pace of ATM modernisation by leveraging digital solutions and new opportunities for collaboration.
Supported further by Think Research Ltd, our conference will include two key focus areas, namely The Asia Pacific ATM White Paper from both the technology and the operations’ perspectives.
Among the range of subjects we’ll discuss will be:
- The benefits of digital solutions such as managed services;
- Examples of industry facilitating sharing
- The potential for greater use of virtualisation
- The readiness of regional ANSPs to meet requirements of the Asia Pacific Seamless ANS Plan and advanced requirements like SWIM, FF-ICE, TBO
- The implications of gaps between air traffic demands and capacity, and the possibility of widening gaps between regions
- The readiness of ANSPs to accept new procurement methods such as that conducted for the Common Aeronautical VPN
Our conversations over the past few years have grown more decisive, productive and inspiring. Join us in Chengdu to make this year’s Asia Pacific Conference the best yet.
Our programme
Monday 8 July
08:00-09:30 | CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 Early Registration | JinJiang Hall Foyer, Second Floor |
09:00-12:00 | CANSO Asia Pacific Operations Workgroup Meeting (by invitation only) | Brocade City Hall, Second Floor |
12:00-17:00 | CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 Early Registration | JinJiang Hall Foyer |
Tuesday 9 July
Wednesday 10 July
Thursday 11 July
Meet our speakers
Conor Mullan, Managing Director, Think Research |
Mr Conor Mullan is Managing Director of Think Research, the independent ATM and Airport consultancy. Born in Ireland, Conor graduated from the University of Edinburgh in Computer Science and gained a Masters in Operational Research from the University of Strathclyde. Following an early career as a consultant at both NATS (UK) and EUROCONTROL (FR), Conor co-founded Think in 2004 and has since grown it to be a truly global consultancy advising ANSP and airport clients around the world on operational performance, modernisation and digitalisation. He is a recognised expert in the field of Remote and Digital Towers and has been elected three times by industry peers to serve on the CANSO Executive Committee as their Associate Member Representative.
Chris Allan, Director Accounts & Partnerships – Asia Pacific, NATS
As a former Air Traffic Controller with over 25 years of Air Traffic Management experience, Mr Chris Allan has directed, developed and deployed a broad spectrum of innovative solutions for international airports, Air Navigation Service Providers and airlines.
Throughout his career, Chris has held a number of senior roles whilst based in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and currently holds the position of Head of Accounts and Partnerships for Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. He is responsible for NATS’ International business interests throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Benjamin Binet, Vice President and Managing Director Navigation and Surveillance, Thales
As the Vice President of Thales for Navigation & Surveillance, Mr Benjamin Binet leads a global business focused on helping civil aviation authorities, airports and military forces to navigate the skies, land safely and get the most accurate surveillance data.
Previously he was Vice President Strategy for the global Thales Airspace Mobility Solutions activity.
Benjamin has always been passionate about aviation and is a member of the CANSO Exec Committee as Associate Member representative.
He joined Thales in 2019 through the acquisition of Gemalto where he held various executive roles in the wireless and secure transactions businesses from 2003 to 2019 in Marketing, Sales, Product Management and General Management at HQ in France but also in Brazil and in South Africa. Benjamin holds a Master of Business Administration at ESCP-Europe Business School, Paris. Half French and half Belgian, he speaks 4 languages and has built strong multi-cultural skills through his time abroad and his trips.
Markus Klopf, Director Product Strategy and International Affairs for the Air Traffic Management (ATM), FREQUENTIS AG
Mr Markus Klopf is Director Product Strategy and International Affairs for the Air Traffic Management (ATM) Civil division at Frequentis and has over 20 years of global experience in the telecommunications and IT sector. He is involved in international organizations such as CANSO and ATCA and is co-founder of the ATCA Young Aviation Professionals (YAP). In CANSO he’s part of the SISC Steering Group and Chair of the Strategic Technology Working Group.
Markus has played a key role in growing the Frequentis portfolio in ATM, for example, he championed the creation of Frequentis’ drone strategy, worked on the transition from research to products for SWIM as well as growing the remote digital tower business. His credo is that he wants to make the world a better place, which is why he’s been very active in pushing green ATM solutions for many years. Prior to Frequentis, Markus held various commercial and technical positions at the Swedish telecoms company Ericsson. He has an engineering degree and earned his Master’s degree in Marketing and Sales at the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna, Austria. He is a passionate runner, cyclist, tennis player and certified chair umpire and referee.
Enrique Castillo, Business Development Director Air Traffic Management, INDRA
Mr Enrique Castillo is a recognized professional in the air traffic management sector with more than 30 years’ experience in the industry.
As the Global BD & Sales Director for Air Traffic Management at Indra, Enrique oversees the strategic direction and execution of business development and sales activities for the ATM & CNS business at Indra, conformed by several specialized companies and units in different countries and regions.
With a deep technical knowledge of air traffic systems, Enrique is an active participant in international forums and working groups, with a special interest in the achievement of regional harmonization of ATM systems.
Peter Cabooter, Vice President Customer Affairs, Aireon LLC
Mr Peter Cabooter is Aireon’s Vice President of Customer Affairs, leading Aireon’s Sales, Marketing, Products and Strategy Division to serve Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) and Aireon’s commercial data customers.
Cabooter joins Aireon with an extensive background of over 20 years in managing and directing sales within the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, with a strong knowledge-base and awareness of key issues that affect the aviation industry globally.
Before joining Aireon, Cabooter was the Vice President of Customer Affairs for NavBlue (formerly Airbus ProSky), where he managed the customer affairs teams in Toulouse, Dubai and Beijing. Cabooter previously served as NavBlue’s Regional Director of Customer Affairs, where he managed portfolios towards civil aviation authorities, airports and airlines with a supporting role to the customer affairs team for Air Traffic Management related matters.
Prior to his roles at NavBlue, Cabooter was the Sales Director for Barco Orthogon, which is now a part of Harris.
Kimiaki Sugitani, Project Manager of Aerospace Solutions Department, NEC Corporation
Mr Kimiaki Sugitani, Project Manager of Aerospace Solutions Department, NEC.
His career at NEC started in 2005 since when he has been heavily involved in ATC control system production.
His current role sees him project managing the system production of Trajectorised Oceanic ATC.
Mr Sugitani is also deeply knowledgeable about SWIM, and FF-ICE.
Zhang Yang, Senior Engineer, State Key Laboratory of Air Traffic Management System, Technical Expert, Nanjing LES Information Technology Co., Ltd. |
Mr Zhang Yang, Technical Expert from State Key Laboratory of Air Traffic Management System, China, and Nanjing LES Information Technology Co., Ltd.. He is engaged in research and application of new ATM technologies, the related fields include Trajectory Based Operation, FF-ICE based trajectory information sharing and management, ATC automation system architecture and functions.
Tim Arel, COO, FAA ATO
As Chief Operating Officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organisation, Mr Arel is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient and secure air traffic services for approximately 50,000 aircraft operating every day over nearly 30 million square miles across the National Airspace System NAS. Mr Arel will moderate our The Asia Pacific ATM White Paper from the Policy and Operational Perspective discussion.
He Tianjian, Director General of SWATMB, CAAC
Mr. He Tianjian currently serves as the Director General of Southwest Air Traffic Management Bureau of Civil Aviation Administration of China(CAAC). Having been in the Aviation Industry for 36 years, Mr. He commenced his professional journey as an Air Traffic Control Officer. After that, he devoted himself to this industry and particularly served as Director of Air Traffic Control Center, Director of Air Traffic Management Division and Safety Management Division of Southwest ATMB. He has been appointed as the Director General of Southwest ATMB since January, 2022.
Mohd Fitri Bin Ishak, Director Air Navigation Services Technical, CAA Malaysia
Mr Bin Ishak currently holds the position of Deputy Director of the CNS/ATM Unit and Acting Director of the Air Navigation Technical Safety Division at CAAM. He began his career as an Air Traffic Controller in 2008 and held an active Area Surveillance Control rating, before progressing to the role of CNS Desk Officer at headquarters in 2012. In 2020, he was promoted to Head of the Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) unit before transitioning to the ASBU unit in 2022, focusing on modernising Malaysia’s aviation infrastructure and capabilities to align with international standards and best practices.
Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, Director General, CAA Philippines
Captain Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo has been serving as the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) since November 2022. Prior to his current position, he was appointed as the Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) from May 2017 – December 2020. Before joining CAAP, Captain Tamayo already had extensive experience in the aviation industry, he spent most of his career with Philippine Airlines (PAL), for 28 years, starting as a Commercial Pilot to retiring as the Vice President (VP) for Flight Operations Department/Director of Operations.
Takayuki Harada, Director, Air Traffic International Affairs Office, Japan Air Navigation Service (JANS)
Mr Takayuki contributed to the study of advanced ATM operations in Japan and to the implementation of his works into a feasible computerized system. During almost of his career, he endeavored to bridge ATM Operation and System Development.
Victor Liu, Director-General, Civil Aviation Department (CAD Hong Kong) |
Mr Victor Liu has over 30 years of aviation experiences. Before taking up the DGCA position, he has held different senior management positions in various technical divisions of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department. Victor was previously the Chairman of the ICAO Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Group, and the Vice President – Asia of International Federation of Airworthiness.
Victor graduated from the University of Hong Kong. He also holds a Specialized Master Degree in Aviation Safety (Aircraft Airworthiness) from Ecole Nationale de l’ Aviation Civile, France.
He is a professional pilot with experiences in scheduled airlines, business charter as well as search and rescue operations. He is also a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers.
Patrick Ky, CEO, International Centre for Aviation Innovation |
Mr Patrick Ky was formerly Executive Director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Prior to leading EASA, he was in charge of the SESAR programme – Europe’s ATM modernisation programme.
Mr Ky is the recipient of The Glen A. Gilbert Memorial Award of the Air Traffic Controllers Association as a recognition of his achievements in the field of aviation and for being an advocate of innovation and change in air traffic control. In 2015, he was designated “Industry Leader of the Year” by the German publication Fliegermagazin.
Mr Ky is a graduate from Ecole Polytechnique and the Civil Aviation Engineering School in France. He holds degrees in economics from the University of Toulouse and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Win a ride on an EVTOL
Participants of the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 have an opportunity to experience riding on EHang’s air taxi at Chengdu. Our colleagues from the Air Traffic Management Bureau, CAAC (ATMB) have kindly arranged for an EHang air taxi to display its flight capabilities at the Conference, and you could be on board.
We will have up to 10 places available for a seat on one of five, two-person flights. If you are coming to Chengdu and would like to put your name forward, please email Events@CANSO.org using the subject line “EHang flight”.
Register now to be in with a chance to fly in a drone!
Venue and Travel
The CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 will be held at the:
JinJiang Hotel, No. 80, Section 2, Renmin South Road, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
To book your stay at the CANSO delegate rate, please visit http://www.jjhotel.com/en_US/, enter your check-in and check-out dates, enter the promotion code “CANSO”, and click “search”. Then select the room type, and complete your reservation.
Please note the difference in room type as follows:
The VIP Room category is 52m² in size and located in the VIP building of the newer wing of the hotel.
Business Room category is 30m² in size and located in the older wing of the hotel.
You can choose breakfast for single or double occupancy, by selecting either one or or two breakfasts when booking your room.
The deadline to book your stay is Friday 21 June, after this rooms and rate will be subject to availability. Please read the full terms and conditions.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please contact the hotel reservation department email reservation@jjhotel.com.
Other recommended hotels
We have also secured a special rate at the following recommended hotels;
Shangri La Chengdu to book your stay please click here. Credit card information is collected for guarantee purposes, payment can made upon arrival at the hotel.
Please note that free cancellation is only available before 18:00 local time on 15 June. After this, charges will be incurred.
JW Marriott Hotel Chengdu to book your stay please click here. No advance payment will be collected, payment can be made upon check in during arrival at the Hotel. Credit card information is collected for guarantee purposes, if your arrival is later than 18:00 local time. The deadline to book is 30 June.
Airport Transfers
ATMB are kindly organising complimentary airport transfers, from and to both airports in Chengdu (Chengdu Tianfu International Airport and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport) to and from JinJiang Hotel only, on the peak arrival dates (7, 8 and 9 July) and peak departure dates (11, 12, 13 July). If you stay at any other hotel you may take the airports transfers to JinJiang Hotel and from there you can make your own arrangement to your hotel.
The Chengdu Tianfu International Airport is approximately one hour and thirty minutes from the JinJiang Hotel. The Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is approximately one hour from the JinJiang Hotel.
Due to the distance from both airports to the JinJiang Hotel, please note that a waiting time of no more than 40 minutes is expected before each airport transfer departs.
To make use of this service please complete your full flight arrival and departure details when you register or by Friday 21 June.
Important visa information
We advise that you apply for your visa as soon as possible. Please check the visa requirements via: https://visaforchina.cn/globle/
If you require a visa invitation letter from CANSO, please tick yes in the visa section of the registration form.
If you need an invitation letter and other accompanying documents from the host, ATMB, please email visasupport@atmb.net.cn specifying your request for an invitation letter and if you need any other accompanying documents from the host for your visa application. In the email please specify what information is required on the invitation letter, for example:
- Title
- Names(s)
- Job Title
- Organisations
- Passport Details – Passport Number, Date of Issue, Date of expiry, Passport Issuing Authority (Country/Place of Issue), Date of entrance, Photos of front and back pages)
- Nationality
Should you not receive a response on your request within five days, please copy haolong@atmb.net.cn on your follow up email.
Practical Information
Location
Chengdu is the capital of southwestern China’s Sichuan province. Chengdu’s history dates back to at least the fourth century B.C., when it served as capital for the Shu Kingdom. The city is also home to the famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a conservation centre where visitors can view endangered giant pandas in a natural habitat.
Conference venue
Our CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 will be held at JinJiang Hotel located in the centre of Chengdu.
The hotel address is:
JinJiang Hotel, No. 80, Section 2, Renmin South Road
Jinjiang District Chengdu
Sichuan, China
Transportation
Taxis
The easiest way to get around Chengdu is to take one of the many taxis. Taxi rides can be paid for in cash or through WeChat/Alipay.
Tourist can also use Alipay to take buses and metro.
How to set up WeChat/Alipay:
Simply download the app at your Apple or Google Play store. Then:
- Register An Account: Click “Sign Up” or “Register” and provide your mobile number (even a foreign one).
- Verify Your Identity: Follow through with the verification process.
- Linking Your Foreign Credit Card
To ensure smooth communication with the driver, it is advisable to have the Chinese name and address of your destination written down, or to have a screenshot of the address to show them.
Buses
There are public buses that travel throughout Chengdu City, and taking the bus is the best and the most common way to get around the city. The buses charge 2 to 8 RMB depending on the distance. The new sightseeing buses, No.901 and No.902, have ticket takers who speak both Chinese and English and also have multimedia systems for foreigners who speak other languages. As their routes cover most of the famous and interesting tourist attractions in Chengdu City, this means of transportation has become one of the most convenient and popular choices among visitors.
Metro
Chengdu’s extensive Metro system covers the entire city with a number of different lines.
Chengdu East Railway Station is easy to get to by Either Line 2 or Line 7. Tianfu Square is linked together by Line 1 and Line 2. And if you want to visit Chunxi Road, go by Line 2 or Line 3.
For more information about the Metro, please click here.
Ride share apps
DiDi 滴滴is China’s equivalent of Uber, and allows visitors to register using an overseas credit card and phone number. To download the app head to the App Store or Google Play and search for ‘DiDi’ Download and install the DiDi app. Open the app and register using your details.
Airport Transfers
The Chengdu Tianfu International Airport is approximately one hour and thirty minutes from the JinJiang Hotel. The Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is approximately one hour from the JinJiang Hotel.
ATMB are kindly organising complimentary airport transfers, from and to both airports to and from JinJiang Hotel only, on the peak arrival dates (7, 8 and 9 July) and peak departure dates (11, 12, 13 July). If you stay at any other hotel, you may take the airports transfers to JinJiang Hotel and from there you can make your own onward journey to your hotel.
Due to the distance from both airports to the JinJiang Hotel, please note that a waiting time of no more than 40 minutes is expected before each airport transfer departs.
ATMB will have a desk in the arrivals hall at both airports to help you access your transfer, which will be by shuttle bus.
VISA Information
You can find out more about China’s visa requirements here.
Please tick yes on the registration form if you require a visa invitation letter from CANSO.
If you need an invitation letter and other accompanying documents from the host, ATMB, please email visasupport@atmb.net.cn specifying your request for an invitation letter and if you need any other accompanying documents from the host for your visa application. In the email, please specify what information is required on the invitation letter, for example:
Title
Names(s)
Job Title
Organisations
Passport Details – Passport Number, Date of Issue, Date of expiry, Passport Issuing Authority (Country/Place of Issue), Date of entrance, Photos of front and back pages)
Nationality
Time Zone
The time zone in Chengdu is UTC 08:00
Language
Mandarin is the official language in Chengdu.
The CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 will be conducted in English
Currency
The official currency in Chengdu is the Renminbi (RMB), also known as the yuan. Current exchange rates can be found here.
Bank/Credit Card
In many areas of the economy, retail transactions are still generally completed on a cash basis. However, ATMs and credit or debit card payment machines are increasingly available in the retail market.
Foreign credit cards (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) are accepted in major hotels and restaurants.
Delegates are advised to bring or source the local currency to make sure they have enough to make any purchases which can’t be paid for by card.
Mobile banking is the most popular payment method in China. Most Chinese people pay by scanning QR codes or in-app payments via Alipay and WeChat Pay.
Tipping
In China tipping is not customary. If you insist on leaving a tip this may be seen as rude – and can cause acute embarrassment even if you think someone should be rewarded extra for their work. Instead, thank your hosts politely, and be respectful.
Electricity
Type A sockets are the most common in China. They are two-pronged and have round holes. If you have appliances from North America, Europe, or Australia, you will need an adapter to use them with a Type A socket.
The voltage used in Chengdu is 220V and the frequency is 50 Hertz (HZ).
Wi-Fi
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available for guests attending the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024.
Climate
July is normally warm and sunny in Chengdu with clear blue skies and temperatures around 30°C (86 F). However, unpredictable rain showers may also occur.
Emergency contacts
General emergency line: 119
Police: 110
Ambulance: 120
Fire: 119
International dialing code
The dialing code in China is 86,and the area code in Chengdu is (0)28
Our additional sponsors
We are grateful for the support of our additional sponsors.
Lanyard sponsor
Notebook sponsor
Sponsorship and Exhibition opportunities
Here we list the sponsorship and exhibition options available should you wish to support the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2024 or other CANSO global events. To find out more contact:
Mike Treacher
VP Sales
Email: Sales@canso.org
Registration
CANSO members are warmly invited to register for our conference using the form below.
Colleagues who work for the following Full CANSO Asia Pacific Member organisations can attend for free
- AEROTHAI
- Air Navigation And Weather Services, CAA (ANWS)
- AirNav Indonesia
- Airports Authority of India
- Airport & Aviation Services (S.L.) Limited (AASL)
- Airservices Australia
- Air Traffic Management Bureau, CAAC (ATMB)
- Airways New Zealand
- CAA Bangladesh
- CAAS
- CAA Malaysia
- CANS
- Civil Aviation Authority of Mongolia
- Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN)
- Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)
- DCA Myanmar
- FAA ATO
- Fiji Airports
- Hong Kong CAD
- JANS
- Macau International Airport Company Limited
- Maldives Airports Co. Ltd
- NATS
- NiuSky Pacific
- VATM
Colleagues who work for other Full CANSO Members (ANSPs) can attend for a fee of EUR 595.
Colleagues who work for CANSO Associate Gold Members can attend for a fee of EUR 595.
Colleagues who work for CANSO Academia and Research Members can attend for a fee of EUR 595.
Colleagues who work for CANSO Associate Silver Members can attend for a fee of EUR 760.
To check your Associate Member status please see our CANSO Membership Directory
You are cordially invited to complete your registration here.