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How CARIBAVIA came about and grew
Before it all started, Jim Lynch, a Captain/ex LIAT wrote in his blog on February 1, 2016:
"Announcing the Caribbean Aviation Industry Association
A friend of mine, Cdr. Bud Slabbaert, a journalist and "entrepreneur extraordinaire" who lives in St. Maarten, has received inquiries and encouragement from the UK and the
USA for the initiation of two things...
1. Organizing an Aviation Conference in the Caribbean, starting this year, to discuss aviation matters of consequence to the region. The Conference would hopefully
become an annual affair and expanded as needed.
2. Founding of a regional Caribbean aviation industry association to deal with affecting issues, but also promotion of aviation in the region.
The organisation will PROBABLY be called the Caribbean Aviation Industry Association, or CaribAvIA.
1. Organizing an Aviation Conference in the Caribbean - starting this year - to discuss aviation matters in the region.
For this conference he is now looking for a location/venue somewhere in the Eastern Caribbean region to organize such an event. The initial conference could bring
together 80+ professional aviation delegates. The aim is to hold the event in the off-season period. So far the level of interest is high, and he is hoping to have
it set for a date between the middle of May and the middle of August this year.
The intention will be to make it an annual conference.
And, in conjunction with organizing the Conference...
2. Founding of a regional Caribbean aviation industry association to deal with affecting issues, but also promotion of aviation business in the region.
It may reasonably be expected that the Conference may become the first meeting of such an Association, firming up the necessary parameters of the organization.
Membership would be open to all segments of the aviation industry, from Authorities through fuellers through handling companies through business aircraft owners
through scheduled airlines and more - at this point there is no real limit suggested. So I suspect that the ultimate shape and composition of the Association will
depend on who actually shows up and demonstrates an interest. Even the name of such an Association is not yet carved in stone (but of course there are obvious suggestions).
To be crystal clear, this is a concept being drawn together...
There is no Conference... yet
There is no Conference location
There is no Conference date
There is no Conference time
There is no Association... yet
There is no firm Association name
There are no Association Officers
Whether the Conference happens will be determined by the response, then will come the date and location, depending on what is offered and what is available and suitable.
Similarly, the name and constitution of the Association will be determined by what kind of response comes back from our efforts to spread this word.
If you and/or your organization has a serious interest in one or both of these efforts, or if you have any comments or suggestions, please feel to respond to Cdr. Bud Slabbaert direct at ...
At the moment he is working the correspondence with a mailing list, and interested parties are invited to become part of the conversation."
And then, 4 1/2 months later the 1st annual Caribbean Aviation Meetup (now CARIBAVIA) took place.
June 2016 - the first annual Caribbean Aviation Meetup
2017 - the second annual Caribbean Aviation Meetup
