Prelim 2012 Aviation Career Expo Dates

[Kristie]

We are going to RFP the hotels in Las Vegas for October 14-16th or 17-19th...so if you are wanting to attend next year, think about the 12th - 21st as potential dates.

We have a few vendors that are already interested in exhibiting and/or putting on some knowledgeable seminars...We just have to see what happens with the job market and how our conversations go with the aviation companies as to whether or not we will be having a career fair.

We do want to include all fields of aviation, not just airlines...this means corporate jobs, flight instructor jobs, freight jobs, charter/fractionals etc....and would like to ramp up with the ATC industry as well (tours, seminars, networking).

We're open to suggestions and ideas...plus, if you know your company wants to be involved, please get us the contact info so we can start working with them.

We will most likely offer discounts and/or affiliate marketing revenue for those who would like to market and secure their company for us...more or less, you become our sales guru by informing them about the event and get them signed on etc. We should have information on that and how it will work hopefully by the new year.

Please feel free to use this thread to run your thoughts by us...we'd love to get a committee going so we can stay on track, get action items done faster and make 2012 our most productive, entertaining and memorable event yet.

 

[lostplanetairman]

I already had to bid vacation and used Doug's suggestion that it would be the first or second week of October. This appears to be the third week. Oh well! See you in 2013 we hope!

 

[Kristie]

Just an FYI and so you can somewhat plan the years ahead

except for this year (because of when NBAA was being held), we always go with the 42nd or 43rd week in October. It's been that way for quite a while now.

for 2012

Week 42	October 15, 2012	October 21, 2012
Week 43	October 22, 2012	October 28, 2012

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since NBAA 2012 is being held on the 44th week in Orlando, around the 31st, we figured it'd be best to at least be 2 weeks from the NBAA conference in order to give our exhibitors more opportunity to make it to our event...plus we're going to be trying to negotiate for meeting space and room rates again which is typically a pretty big dance between us and the venues. so we can never for sure say when and/or where we'll be till everything is signed. Hopefully in a few years, we'll be able to acquire venue space two years ahead of time which would give plenty of time for bid.

I'm not sure where Doug said it'd be the first or 2nd week, we hardly ever do those weeks because it's SO hard to bid on the front of the month like that (even for us)...if he did, I apologize...i would have corrected him.

Hopefully those who have to put vaca in now, can bid the days off in September

 

[derg]

The devil in the details is when I put out an RFP for meeting space and rooms in a few weeks, the hotels aren't exactly falling over themselves for several hundred airline pilots expecting $19 rooms so the precise dates are somewhat changeable depending on keeping it economical for us and advantageous for the most appropriate facilities.

Most conferences can say "Argh! Grok want this week in 2012! Grok 'make it rain' like Grok in champagne room so hotel tell Grok when to stop throwing money like L'il Wayne in da club!"

Us? We're more like "Crap! If the hotels much more than $X, they're going to go down the street to save $Y so I can't sell enough rooms to get the meeting space!" Unless, of course, we're amenable to staying far off the strip. Heck, we were just across the freeway at Palms in 2010 and a quite a few complained about why we didn't get $89/night rooms and meeting space at The Venetian.

Basically, right now we've got to get our finances in order (all of the deposits are pretty much due upon signing), then issue an RFP for our anticipate dates. Then there's some negotiation, some give, some take, and then we'll know with 100% certainty.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I have an extra week of vacation to blow this year so may actually try to attend this one. I know you'll post once you have some dates nailed down, but the earlier the better. (We compete for vacation dates and seniority does not factor)

 

[scooter2525]

We will stay in whatever hotel you guys get. Preferably on the strip. Granted the club situation at the Palms was off the hook, during the day we wanted to do the strip and it was a PITA to grab a cab or walk. Either way though, we will crash at your Expo location to support the cause, for the greater good.

Also, Wife and I will volunteer as needed.

 

[Boris Badenov]

If I'm not in UPS indoc (hoho) I'll be there with bells on. And will try to assist in whatever flailing manner I can. I think I can put in for vacay in February, so keep us aprised.

 

[Oxman]

I (and the wife) should be able to make it this year. Just name the hotel.

 

[Pilotforhire587]

As soon as you give me a firm date and hotel I am there.

 

[Patrick]

Would like to attend, so as long as I can figure out the logistics, I'll be there!

 

[KLB]

I'll be there this time around. Hopefully the little lady will be there with me.

 

[flyinmomof3]

My husband has mentioned this and has wanted to go in the past, I'm thinking we will make a point of it for 2012. Any Hotel will be fine with us....

 

[MikeD]

Any Hotel will be fine with us....

Even the El Cortez?

 

[derg]

Even the El Cortez?

I went there on a layover about a year ago and I remember telling the captain:

"Hey man, we ARE the pretty people here..."

and

"This must be the land where all the broken toys go"

 

[flyinmomof3]

Even the El Cortez?

Well I guess I'm hoping Kristie has standards....I've only been to Vegas one time for one night and I had my son, so lets just say I didn't get the full Vegas experience. It was a cookies and milk trip...

 

[Pilotforhire587]

My wife and I will be there, still waiting on dates and hotel confirmation when you guys know. I think our kids may be with us but we haven't finished discussing that one yet.

 

[bronco21016]

When you guys set up a hotel is there a window that reservations have to be made in?

I'm just wondering the whole deal of do I need to pay up front and all that because I'll have to bid the days off.

Definitely want to come if I can get the days off and will stay in whatever hotel you guys get setup for us.

 

[slushie]

Planning well in advance for this year!

 

[moxiepilot]

I know you usually coordinate with the host casino regarding hotel block room prices, but again - If you would like my wife to connect you with Marriott to work on a group rate discount, please PM me.

 

[Rocketman99]

I know you usually coordinate with the host casino regarding hotel block room prices, but again - If you would like my wife to connect you with Marriott to work on a group rate discount, please PM me.

The Marriott properties in Vegas are nice and the club one is very centrally located, but they have no casino.