Maintenance Training Conference
WATS 2024 is entirely dedicated to airline simulation and training, allowing you to discover the latest innovative training solutions for airline maintenance technicians. Supported by the training industry and subject matter experts, the WATS 2024 Maintenance Training Conference will provide practical solutions for those day to day challenges and offer key insights into the future of the industry.
Maintenance Conference Moderator: George Perrin, Spirit Airlines, Recipient of the Charles Taylor Award
Day 1 – Tuesday 30th April 2024
0930-1030 Session 1 – Opening Remarks & Keynote Presentations (all streams)
Room: i1-4
1) Michael Whitaker, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration
2) Captain Erika Armstrong, Pilot (Part 135 & 121) / Director of Marketing, Advanced Aircrew Academy
The Pilot Brain: How Personality Affects Safety
1030-1115 Coffee Break
Sponsored by: EPST/COMPASS
1115-1245 Session 2 – Regulatory & Market Outlook (all streams)
Room: i1-4
1) FAA Update
2) Soufiane El Ouartassi, Product Marketing Manager, CAE
Aviation Talent Forecast
1245-1415 Lunch
1415-1545 Session 3 – Challenges for the Future
Room: i1
1) Jay Hiles, Federal Aviation Administration
Regulatory Update
2) Buck Gaines, Manager Technical Training, Alaska Airlines / Chair, A4A Maintenance Training Network & Justin Madden, Managing Director, Engineering and Maintenance, Airlines for America
Airlines for America, Maintenance Training Network (MTN)
3) Sean Glassberg, Owner, Educator Training & Consulting
Teaching Generation Z, X and Millennials
1545-1630 Coffee Break
Sponsored by: EPST/COMPASS
1630-1800 Session 4 – Round Table Workshop
Room: i1
Risk of Missing Instructors and How to Make the Instructor Job/Career More Attractive
1800-1900 Networking Reception in Exhibition Hall
Day 2 – Wednesday 1st May 2024
0900-1030 Session 5 – Training Methodology
Room: i1
1) Crystal Maguire, Executive Director, Aviation Technician Education Council
The New Part 147: How is the Transition Going?
2) Jason Stanelle, Associate Technical Fellow & Chief of Design, Boeing Commercial Maintenance Training
Training Efficacy Evaluation in Aviation Maintenance
3) Søren Seindal Agner, CEO, AEROTEAM Training Solutions
The Next Evolution of Engineering Training for Maintenance Technicians
1030-1115 Coffee Break
Sponsored by: Moog
1115-1245 Session 6 – Human Factors
Room: i1
1) Gareth McGraw, Principal Human Factors Specialist, Qantas/RAAF
Cool Story Bro … Needs More Dragons
2) Monica Teixeira, Training Manager, LAS Training & Delfim Dores, Senior Advisor, LAS Group
Training the Next Aircraft Maintenance Generation, The Alliance Between Human Factors and Emotional Learning in Personnel Readiness
3) Davy Snowdon MBE, CEO & Founder, Pristine Condition International
Navigating the Skies of Aviation Culture Change
1245-1415 Lunch
1415-1545 Session 7 – Round Table Workshop
Room: i1
How Do We Speed Up Engineer Development?
1545-1630 Coffee Break
Sponsored by: Moog
1630-1800 Session 8 – VR/AI
Room: i1
1) Irwin Alcantara, Director, Customer Success – Americas, Loglevel
The Future of Aircraft Maintenance Training: Harnessing AI’s Potential
2) Aliesha Staples, CEO, StaplesVR
How to Get Started with Emerging Technologies?
3) Chris Verret, President & Chief Technology Officer, HTX Labs
Accelerating the Development and Delivery of an Immersive Training Program
Day 3 – Thursday 2nd May 2024
0900-1030 Session 9 – New Learning Insights
Room: i1
1) Yogi Rana, Director of Product, Covalent Networks
What the Aero Industry is Learning from the Auto Industry
2) James Scarpa, Maintenance Training Instructor, SkyWest Airlines
How Can Remote Maintenance Training Deliver Improved Outcomes?
3) Ryan Thomas, Ground Instructor, Leonardo Helicopter
Maintenance Technician Survival in the Classroom
1030-1115 Coffee Break
1115-1245 Session 10 – XR Goes Mainstream (all streams)
Room: i2/3
1) Amanda Bentley, Senior Director Integration Sales, Americas, Tobii & Dr. Aki Nikolaidis, Chief Science Officer, VTR
Building Disruptive Training with XR and Eye Tracking
2) Fabi Riesen, CEO & Founder, Loft Dynamics
Virtual Reality in Motion
3) Dr. Julian Abich IV, Senior Human Factors Engineer, Quantum Improvements Consulting
Multi-Pilot Mixed Reality Simulator for Aviation Training
1245 Closing Remarks
WATS 2024 Sponsors & Partners
Diamond Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
WiAT Sponsor
Organised By
Conference By
Supported By