AERO-ENGINES AMERICA’S DALLAS 2019 CONFERENCE- an interview with Kat

Many of our MDI Procurement Team find themselves traveling all over the world for meetings, networking opportunities, and conferences. Katerina Kulikovska traveled, along with fellow MDI team member, Marshall Olger, to the 2019 Aero-Engines Americas Conference in Dallas, in late January, hosted at the Dallas Fairmont. Just a few of the companies that sponsor the Aero-Engines Conference include BP Aero, Lockheed Martin Engines Solutions, Jet-Scrap.com, and many more, making it a prime networking conference for Kat and Marshall. 

From the three days spent at the Aero-Engines conference, Kat shares her experience. 

Q: What was the purpose of MDI attending the conference, and what were some goals you wanted to accomplish at the conference? 

A: The main goal and reason for MDI attending the conference was to meet more people in the industry and learn about the trends and forecasting on the engine trading side of aviation. It was also a goal for both Marshall and me to improve existing relationships with pre-established clients. From speaking to hundreds of different people each day at the conference, I was able to learn a lot more about managing midlife and maturing engines, and more specifically, supporting aging fleets, parts, and supplying updates and projects. Another aspect that was explored while at the conference was the modern dynamics of engine leasing. This view was offered from the lessee’s and lessor’s perspectives – showing what’s available for operators, which can help illustrate what might be a beneficial buy/sale. 

Q: Most interesting topic/subject you learned from the conference? 

A: The most interesting subject was hearing from the leading companies and their opinions on how every successful company views the trends of the aviation industry. They discussed the best options to maximize revenue in the short-term and from the long-term business, how to lead the market, in certain areas, considering the changes that come with time, inflation, etc. 

Q: What portion of the conference did you most enjoy? 

A: Overall, the conference was very enjoyable and hundreds of people that we met have the potential to become good connections. There was an evening where many conference goers went out for a nice dinner and were able to unwind a bit. Nights like that are always much appreciated after spending days at a conference. 

Q: What was your overall takeaway from the conference, and how you plan to implement what you learned to benefit MDI?

A: I want to focus on keeping up with the trends of the market and to continue to develop all the contacts that I established during the conference, so that these contacts can see how MDI can meet their needs. I look forward to fostering these contacts and exploring new opportunities.