The 21st European Airline Training Symposium (EATS), took place from 8-9 November in Cascais, Portugal, bringing together representatives from major airlines and aviation schools to discuss the future of pilot training and cabin crew training.

Our largest event to date, we welcomed over 1000 delegates to our brand new venue, the Estoril Congress Centre, situated just behind the beautiful shores of the Cascais coastline.  A vibrant and dynamic environment, the area offered a warm welcome to our delegates, exhibitors and sponsors, with great hotels, delicious food and some winter warmth!

Over the last few years, the EATS event has expanded into a 3 day program, commencing with our Heads of Training meetings for Pilot and Cabin Crew, then offering a full two day series of sessions for pilot, cabin crew and ATO communities.  We also hosted the first Women in Aviation Training meeting, which compliments the new WiAT Forum, attended by over 120 people, the meeting was welcomed by the community to support and encourage women to join and excel in the training arena. Alongside the conference program, we welcomed 86 exhibitors to the trade show floor, with lots of exciting new technologies and services being showcased.  The trade show was buzzing this year, a testimony to the rapid evolution of the technologies which support our industry.  

Networking plays a key role at our events, and the word overwhelming springs to mind when looking at both the icebreaker reception and exhibitor networking evening this year.  The ballroom for the icebreaker was brimming, filled with animated conversation and anticipation.  I cannot emphasise enough the importance of these discussions, the precursor to the more formal presentations which followed, but also a chance to make good friends and enjoy some downtime together in our frenetic world.  The exhibitor networking evening was equally busy, and equally dynamic, the support of participating exhibitors was very much appreciated.  Highlights of the evening included many announcements and celebrations, fuelling the ongoing growth and importance of the collaborations underway in aviation training.  

If you couldn't attend in person, see what EATS is all about below.

EATS 2024 will take place from 5-7 November 2024. Stay up to date on all things EATS here.