On Friday Mark McClardy, manager of the airports division for the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Western Pacific Region in Los Angeles, sent an e-mail to participants who had been planning on attending the Region’s annual airports conference, explaining that it had been cancelled. The 8th annual conference was scheduled for June 5-7, 2012 in Long Beach, California.
McClardy’s email said that both the Department Of Transportation (DOT) and FAA are reviewing conference policies and procedures, and are exploring alternative ways to use technology, such as webinars, to share information and efficiently and effectively collaborate with stakeholders, like airport sponsors.
Conferences like these have been held by regional FAA offices throughout the country for a long time and have proven successful giving airport managers, sponsors, consultants and other personnel the opportunity to learn more about their trade, network with their peers and meet face-to-face with federal aviation officials.
The email was confirmed by the FAA.