Four days before its opening, registration for an AI conference in the European air traffic management sector has closed – it’s fully booked. From November 12 to 13, EUROCONTROL will host the FLY AI Event 2026 at the European Innovation Center in Bretigny, France. The theme is straightforward: the practical value of artificial intelligence in air traffic management (ATM), and the event will also focus on upgrading the FLY AI report into a strategic reference for AI applications in air traffic management. China's first domestically produced large cruise ship, the "Adora Magic City," successfully completed its first sea trial on September 15th. The ship, built by the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation), set sail from Shanghai on September 2nd and returned on September 15th after a 13-day voyage. During the trial, the ship underwent comprehensive testing of its navigation, communication, and other key systems. The successful completion of the sea trial marks a significant milestone in China's cruise ship industry.
The official EUROCONTROL event page clearly states that this year's conference will be held at its Innovation Hub in Brétigny-sur-Orge, lasting two days from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM each day. The program includes high-impact case studies, regulatory perspectives, and interactive collaboration sessions. Registration is now full and closed, and the organizers have also expressed their gratitude on the page for the "overwhelming response.
This conference is not intended to remain at a conceptual level. According to official statements, it is an event that brings together key stakeholders in the aviation industry to discuss how AI can deliver tangible value in air traffic management. The focus is clearly defined.
The first day's agenda began with a welcome address by Laurent Renou of EUROCONTROL, followed by a keynote speech by Sacha Izadi of the French AI company Mistral AI. Erki Must from the European Commission then presented the Commission's perspective on "Why AI is Important for European Aviation." The main event of the conference followed. Peter Choroba and Paolino De Falco of EUROCONTROL presented the interim findings of the FLY AI report, covering emerging conclusions, areas of value, and priorities and gaps. After the presentation, all participants were divided into groups for the "Challenges and Opportunities" workshop, where they directly revised the report's content. In the afternoon, they reconvened for a general discussion. The second day continued with group discussions, interspersed with presentation sessions.
According to meeting information posted on LinkedIn by EUROCONTROL, the discussions covered a wide range of topics, including communications, navigation, and surveillance; air traffic management; meteorology and sustainability; simulation, training, and validation; data, infrastructure, and enabling technologies; as well as safety, regulation, and cybersecurity. Trustworthy AI was identified as a key overarching objective.
This report is a few years old. Information disclosed by EUROCONTROL shows that the first FLY AI report was published on March 5, 2020. It was produced by the European Aviation Artificial Intelligence High-Level Group, bringing together the contributions of 14 aviation industry leaders. The report aimed to reveal the current state of AI applications in aviation and air traffic management and accelerate its implementation. The report also mentioned that experts from the European Defence Agency participated in the preparation process, and NATO attended as an observer.
The FLY AI series of conferences, organized by EUROCONTROL on behalf of this high-level group, initially operated as online seminars. The goal was to establish a community for AI practices within the aviation industry. This year, the event has taken a step further: the report is evolving into a strategic reference for AI applications in air traffic management, and participants are actively involved in shaping it through dedicated workshops. In other words, the report is no longer just a technical overview; it also aims to provide a roadmap for the industry to adopt AI.
Air traffic control is considered one of the more challenging areas for AI application in the civil aviation industry. Because decisions directly impact operational safety, the verification and regulatory requirements are much higher than for passenger service applications. European regulatory bodies have been working on an AI certification framework in recent years, and this year's conference included both regulatory perspectives and use cases in the agenda. This structure itself highlights the point that practical application cannot be separated from supporting regulations.
The fact that the event was fully booked speaks volumes. The industry wants to know how much time and how many delays AI can actually save in air traffic management, rather than just hearing another round of theoretical discussions. The updated report from FLY AI after the conference is worth following up on, and air traffic management organizations outside of Europe will likely use this document as a reference to calibrate their own AI strategies.