For three days, Madrid was the capital of global air traffic management

The seventh annual World ATM Congress, held at Feria de Madrid, concluded on Thursday, 14 March. The world’s largest air traffic management (ATM) event attracted a record-breaking 9,573 registrants and 253 exhibitors from 135 countries and territories.

Pedro Saura García, Spain’s Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Housing and ENAIRe President, opened the three-day Congress. The World ATM Congress Conference Programme featured keynote speakers Henrik Hololei, Director-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission, Sara De La Rosa, Interagency Supply Chain Group (ISG), and Shaesta Waiz, the youngest woman to circumnavigate the globe solo in a single-engine aircraft.

Addressing the theme “Tackling the Big Issues in ATM – Capacity, UTM Integration, People,” speakers and panelists explored solutions to the challenges of capacity constraints, drones, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM) and the services that drone operators require, and how ATM can best diversify through increased employment of women and millennials.

The Exhibition Hall featured 253 exhibitors from around the world. In total, six theatres hosted 251 sessions and over 125 hours of programming. More than 200 leading aviation experts from industry, government, labour, and educational institutions participated in presentations, panel discussions, technical briefings, and product demonstrations and launches. There was a special focus on emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as space-based surveillance and aviation cybersecurity. Government and ANSP officials also discussed policy and regulation.

Several co-located events took place during World ATM Congress 2019, including the Jane’s ATC Awards and the Single European Sky awards, honouring the contributions of individuals and organisations towards enhancing efficiency and improving the safety of airspace.

World ATM Congress is produced by the industry for the industry, and brings together governments, industry, academia, and frontline users from across the world, all with the aim of enhancing the efficiency and improving the safety of airspace.

World ATM Congress is a Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) partnership with the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA), with support from platinum sponsors Boeing, Indra, Leonardo, and Thales. World ATM Congress will reconvene 10 – 12 March 2020. Exhibition space and sponsorship opportunities are now available for 2020.