THE second Isle of Man Aviation Conference will be held at the Villa Marina in Douglas later this year.
The event is again being organised by ICM Aviation Limited, a Douglas based provider of aviation expertise for owners and operators.
The initiative is supported by the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry and will take place on Thursday, June 21.
The 2011 conference celebrated the success of the Isle of Man M Register, and showcased the Island's wide range of aviation expertise from engineering and manufacturing to design and maintenance.
The conference attracted industry professionals from across the world with a shared interest in finding out more about the vibrant business sector.
Mark Byrne, director of ICM Aviation, part of the ICM group of companies, said: "When we decided to organise the conference last year we did not know what to expect.
"We were pleasantly surprised to sell out and we received a lot of encouragement to hold the conference again.
"This time we have invited other high profile speakers representing the business aviation industry's manufacturers, operators, service providers and regulators as well as key members of the Island's government, instrumental in setting the appropriate business environment for the continued success of this industry."
Brian Humphries, President of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), has agreed to speak and will join Graham Williamson of TAG Aviation Europe, Hartley Elder of the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry and other senior aviation and finance professionals at the event.
Brian Johnson, ex Director of Civil Aviation in the Island has accepted the invitation to chair the conference.
Last year's agenda focused on the Isle of Man as an international aviation centre and most of the speakers were from the local business community.
The focus of the 2012 conference is "A Year of Change".
Mark said: "We have chosen a different theme this year to look beyond the Island and consider the impact of changes to international and EU law and legislation on the business aviation sector.
"We will have the opportunity to explore and debate changes that will affect safety management, fatigue management, emissions trading, passenger tax, EU licensing standards and more.
"The conference will also be a platform for showcasing the breadth of aviation expertise on the Island and the numerous advantages of conducting aviation business here."
Since its creation in 2007 the success of the Aircraft Registry has helped put the Isle of Man on the map for aircraft owners and operators.
As of this month, 452 aircraft have been registered.
Hartley Elder, Director of Civil Aviation, has more than 30 years' experience of aircraft maintenance, airworthiness and engineering in both the public and private sector.
Prior to joining the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry, Hartley was Technical Officer for Airworthiness with the International Civil Aviation Organisation in Montreal.
Hartley, who has been instrumental in developing the 2012 conference agenda, said: "Aviation is a very dynamic industry and although the recent economic situation has slowed things down, we look forward to recovery, new innovation and opportunities in the year ahead.
"In the regulatory world there are new requirements for the larger, complex business jets.
"We are preparing for these in alignment with new international standards. Timescales will vary slightly, but eventually all states will introduce these.
"This work will be carried out in keeping with our reputation as the most pragmatic, practical and industry-friendly aircraft registry.
"We are exclusively dedicated to private and corporate executive jet operators and are confident that we can create a solution tailored to their needs."
In addition to the event at the Villa Marina conference delegates will be invited to an evening reception at the House of Manannan museum in Peel hosted by ICM Aviation.
For further information about the conference or to register visit www.icmaviationconference.org
