By Josh Stubbs, Director
MDOT Aeronautics

It was great to see everyone at the MAA Conference! I hope everyone got as much out of it as I did. It was especially nice to meet the FAA staff. I’ve been communicating with them for the past year via video conferencing, so seeing them in person was a long time coming.

I have also just attended my first NASAO [National Association of State Aviation Officials] conference in Greenville, SC. It was an extremely rewarding experience as I was able to meet my state counterparts from across the country and additional FAA staff. It was an opportunity to discuss aviation related topics and issues with many knowledgeable folks who have varying points of view. There is the saying that “if you’ve seen one airport, you’ve seen one airport,” and I think that a similar thing can be said about each state. The peer exchange aspect of a conference like NASAO is a priceless resource to someone who is learning the aviation world. Lastly, if you’ve never been to Greenville, SC, I highly recommend it!