The best aviation conferences for training managers in 2027 are WATS in Orlando (21–22 April) and APATS in Bangkok (25–26 August). Maintenance personnel must include MRO Americas held in Orlando (13th-15th April), while the owners of flight schools must include FSAI in New Orleans (9th-11th February).
This guide gives dates for the events as well as the individuals who should attend.
Which aviation conference is good to attend for training in 2027?
Six incidents will meet most training requirements in 2027. Four have published dates, and two are still to be confirmed. Here they are in calendar order.
| Event | Dates | Location | Best for | Date status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSAI Flight School Operators Conference | 9–11 Feb 2027 | New Orleans, US | Flight school and ATO owners, chief instructors | Announced by FSAI |
| MRO Americas | 13–15 Apr 2027 | Orlando, US | MRO and maintenance training teams | Listed by organizer |
| WATS (World Aviation Training Summit) | 21–22 Apr 2027 | Orlando, US | Airline, ATO, regulator and training provider teams | Listed by organizer |
| ALTA Aviation Safety, Flight Ops & Training Summit | June (2026 edition: 16–18 June) | 2027 city not yet found | Latin American and Caribbean airlines | 2027 to be confirmed |
| APATS (Asia Pacific Aviation Training Summit) | 25–26 Aug 2027 | Bangkok, Thailand | Asia-Pacific airlines, ATOs, MROs, regulators | Listed by organizer |
| EATS (European Aviation Training Summit) | Autumn, based on 2026 (3–5 Nov) | Estoril, Portugal (2026) | European airlines, ATOs, maintenance training | 2027 to be confirmed |
Halldale, who arranges the three seminars, places WATS 2027 on 21 and 22 April in Florida, APATS 2027 on 25 and 26 August in Bangkok, and EATS 2026 from 3 to 5 November at the Estoril Congress Centre (halldale seminars page). As of October 22, 2026, no EATS 2027 seminar is posted in this page.
There are two major events in Orlando scheduled roughly one week apart in April. Choose based on which crowd you need to connect with because the cities will not make up your mind.
How do you select the best conference based on your position?
Select the event that resonates with your peers and the next big decision that needs to be made. This factor carries more weight than the size of the event. Below is the short list:
- Head of airline/operator training: begin with WATS or EATS in case you follow the EASA guidelines.
- Owner of ATO/flight school: select FSAI from the business perspective or WATS & EATS for airline pipeline networking.
- Maintenance training manager: combine MRO Americas with WATS events that cover maintenance training too.
- Latin America & Caribbean communities: consider ALTA summit.
- Asian Pacific teams: choose APATS.
And finally your personal filter: the decision you have to make during the next year. If you prepare competency based or evidence based training program to gain its approval, a workshop about it is more valuable than general agenda. If you are about to replace the simulator or software, a big exhibition floor will be helpful. Our advice but not a rule.
Tip: Write the decision on one line before registering. If an event cannot assist you, drop it.
What are the benefits of each conference?
Every event has a unique combination of sessions, workshops, and exhibits. Here is what the organizers say.
WATS. Halldale calls it the world’s largest gathering of aviation training professionals serving airlines, regulators, training providers and the training industry. The training program includes pilot, cabin crew and maintenance training. The 2026 event lasted for three days (5-7 May), but in 2027, there are only two days shown. Check for any pre-event day.
**EATS. **Estoril Congress Centre 2026 edition claims to have over 1,000 participants from over 50 nations. It also shows how much a pre-conference day can add. IATA is running a CBTA and EBT course approval workshop on 3 November, covering regulatory expectations, documentation and working with authorities. It normally costs €3,000 but is free for registered EATS attendees (Halldale on the IATA workshop). A Heads of Training meeting follows the same day.
**APATS. **Halldale refers to this event as “the biggest training show for aviation in the Asia-Pacific region.” The 2027 conference is taking place at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld. Its 2026 Heads of Training Meeting produced a report titled “The Instructor Is the Constraint.” Halldale says the roundtables kept arriving at the same place.
MRO Americas. The show claims attendance over 19,000 people, 1,075 exhibitors, and 93 countries represented at its 2026 version. Dates for 2027 are 13 to 15 April in Orlando, while 2028 will be held in Chicago (MRO Americas future dates). Training is only one of the themes, so just stick to the vendor and worker-related ones.
FSAI. Originally known as FSANA, the association rebranded itself on 27 February 2026 and is expected to have its 2027 conference at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans from 9th to 11th February. It had 19 educational programs and more than 60 exhibitors in the 2026 conference. (AFM on the FSAI 2027 announcement).
ALTA. The summit joins safety, flight operations and training. Edition of 2026 will be held on 16 to 18 June in Mendoza, Argentina. ALTA summit webpage states that edition of 2026 will be held in June 2026 (as of 22 October 2026). Check ALTA website for 2027 edition details.
The instructor shortage appears in Halldale’s own APATS report. If instructors are inhibiting your potential, seek out classes on instructor standardization and scheduling rather than just simulators.
Which other aviation conferences should you keep track of?
There are three other events worth consideration, but their 2027 schedule is uncertain. Include them in your watch list.
- **International Air Safety Summit (IASS) of Flight Safety Foundation: **The 79th summit is scheduled to be held from 10-12 November 2026 at ICAO headquarters, Montreal. For information about the venue and dates of the 2027 conference, visit flightsafety.org.
- Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety (AP-SAS): The summit is held annually, alternating between Singapore and another Asia-Pacific country. The 2026 summit will be held in Osaka from 4-6 August. One source says the 2027 summit will be held in Singapore from 20-22 July.
- I/ITSEC: According to one events calendar, I/ITSEC takes place in Orlando in November 2027. Details of dates to come. I/ITSEC focuses on defense simulation, which makes it suitable for projects involving simulator technology.
Uncertain dates can create uncertainty in planning. Reserve budget for them, but postpone booking flights until the date is published by the organizer.
How do you prepare yourself before the conference?
Preparation will determine whether the conference will provide answers or just contacts. Follow the five steps:
- Identify the decision. One sentence should be written, e.g., “select competency-based assessment approach.”
- Book workshops in advance. Pre-conference events, such as the EATS workshop, have limited seats.
- Book your meetings. Contact vendors, regulators and peers two to three weeks in advance.
- Take a one-page snapshot. List training capacity, expiring qualifications and simulation usage. It will make the conversation more concrete.
- Split the team. Attend different sessions and compare notes every night.
Another thing to look for is the Heads of Training session. It is organized by Halldale during its summits and brings together peers for roundtable discussions.
A snapshot of your own figures transforms small talk into benchmarking. People are ready to help once they know your problem.
What do you do after the conference?
Transform your notes into action within two weeks, otherwise its significance gets diluted. Conduct a 45-minute debriefing and write down three things: What to start? What to stop doing? And what to experiment with? Assign owner and due dates for all three items.
Many post-event actions land in scheduling and records. New courses need instructors and simulator time. New requirements need new tracking. SimpliTrain is our own product; consider this in context. The SimpliTrain aviation page talks about scheduling for simulation slots, instructors, and classroom capacity in addition to crew training, along with reminders 90, 60 and 30 days before certifications expire.
See our training scheduling page, instructor management page and certification management page. Our MRO training case study shows one team’s approach.
Conference ideas die in notebooks. A dated action list with owners is the cheapest way to get a return.
Your next step
Select an event from the calendar above. Note the decision that will be made easier by it, along with the three individuals with whom you need to meet. Once the event is over, schedule all new courses, instructors’ needs, and requalification’s. To see how aviation training operations run in one place, visit the SimpliTrain aviation training management page or book a demo.
FAQs
1. What are the best aviation conferences for training managers in 2027?
For airline, ATO and regulator training topics, start with WATS in Orlando on 21–22 April and APATS in Bangkok on 25–26 August. Maintenance teams should add MRO Americas in Orlando on 13–15 April. Flight school owners should consider FSAI in New Orleans on 9–11 February. Europe’s EATS dates for 2027 are not yet listed.
2. When is WATS 2027?
WATS 2027 is noted by Halldale for 21-22 April 2027 in Orlando, Florida. WATS deals with pilot, cabin crew and maintenance training for airlines, regulators and trainers. The dates and the schedule of any pre-conference seminars may be adjusted, hence you should check these data at the registration website of the organizer.
3. Is there an aviation training conference in Europe?
Yes. EATS – European Aviation Training Summit is held in Estoril, Portugal. The 2026 edition of EATS is held on 3-5 November and includes a pre-conference day with various workshops and the Heads of Training session. The dates for 2027 have not been published by Halldale yet.
4. Which aviation conference is best for maintenance training?
MRO Americas, which its organizer claims to be the biggest meeting of the maintenance community, takes place from 13–15 April in Orlando. It is not a training-only conference, so combine it with a training conference like WATS, which provides training on maintenance as well as pilots and cabin crews. Decide on the basis of your need for vendors or training peers.
5. What is the cost of aviation conferences?
The prices differ with each conference and are subject to change with respect to the registration period. The costs include registration fee and accommodation. Check the organizer’s website to see if there are any additional costs included. For instance, the IATA pre-conference workshop for EATS 2026, which usually costs €3,000, is complimentary for the registered participants.
6. When should I book?
Book as early as possible once the dates are finalized, since hotels near large venues tend to sell out quickly. Moreover, the earlier rates expire quickly. Some organizers announce the dates years in advance. For instance, MRO Americas announces dates for 2027 in Orlando, 2028 in Chicago, and 2029 in Orlando.
