HANGAR TALK Industry news relevant to your business
VERTICON also hosted industry and leadership voices, including Mike Allen, cofounder of Axios, who spoke on the importance of clear communication when conveying complex concepts, and U.S. Air Force Col. (ret.) Merryl Tengesdal, whose rotary-wing operational experience, high-risk aviation decision- making, and senior safety leadership provided relevant insights for the audience.
Education and Technical Programming VERTICON 2026
delivered WATCH VIDEO NOW
VERTICON 2026 Draws Global Vertical Aviation Community to Atlanta
Vertical Aviation International (VAI) welcomed the global vertical aviation community to VERTICON 2026 at the Georgia World Congress Center, where the event delivered 280,000 square feet of exhibit space, 684 exhibitors, and 64 aircraft on display.
VERTICON 2026 drew 12,852 attendees and featured a show floor built for hands-on engagement, including a dedicated drone cage for indoor demonstrations. Exhibitors reported brisk traffic, and the extensive list of new products, teaming agreements, and purchase orders announced at the show is available on the VAI website.
“VERTICON is where the vertical aviation community meets to do business, sharpen skills, and advance safety,” says François Lassale, president and CEO of VAI. “This year’s turnout, aircraft presence, and depth of education reinforced the strength of our industry and our shared focus on professional excellence.”
The event welcomed senior leaders and high-profile speakers, including FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet. Their Tuesday, Mar. 10, fireside chat with Lassale focused on balancing innovation with safety and public trust, improving international alignment, strengthening industry collaboration, managing the rapidly growing low-altitude airspace, using data to spot emerging risks, and defining long-term success through harmonized, measurable safety outcomes.
In his remarks to the assembled membership as the first international leader of VAI, Lassale stressed that the industry must grow and adapt to an increasingly complex and busy airspace.
“We will define this critical point in vertical aviation by uniting the industry and using shared data and disciplined strategy to guide decisions and policy engagement,” Lassale said. “The result will be stronger safety performance, a sustainable workforce, measurable industry growth, and a more credible voice for aviation.”
multiple formats: •
learning
opportunities
across
Elevation Courses: Industry experts taught 24 in-depth courses
• Foundation Sessions: Volunteer presenters led 66 short education sessions, many eligible for FAA WINGS and AMT credits
• Tech Briefings: A slate of 30 OEMs and other organizations shared current maintenance and product information with owners and maintainers
•
IA Renewal: VERTICON offered 34 opportunities to gain credit toward renewal of inspection authorization (IA) certificates.
Workforce and Career Development Workforce development remained a core focus at VERTICON:
• The Mil2Civ Workshop provided resources and mentoring for nearly 300 military pilots, maintainers, and other personnel transitioning to civilian careers.
• The VAI Career Fair connected 500-plus job seekers with more than 30 companies ready to hire, and also provided career development programming including resume reviews.
• The Aerospace Maintenance Council’s 2026 Competition at VERTICON brought together 22 three-member teams of aviation maintenance technicians for events designed to test their skills and knowledge. The vertical aviation community is facing a shortage of technicians, and this event highlights the expertise and skill of these professionals and the need to grow the next generation.
In Atlanta, VAI’s VERTICON reaffirmed its role as the industry’s global meeting place, bringing together the entire spectrum of vertical aviation—operators, manufacturers, suppliers, regulators, and professionals—to strengthen safety, advance skills, build the workforce, and collaborate on creating the next era of vertical aviation.
VERTICON 2027 moves to Anaheim, Calif., Mar. 15–18, 2027 (exhibits open Mar. 16–18).
34
Mar/Apr 2026
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91
