Trade show and conference featured 64 aircraft, 684 exhibitors, and a full slate of programming.
Atlanta (Mar. 12, 2026) – Vertical Aviation International (VAI) welcomed the global vertical aviation community to VERTICON 2026 at the Georgia World Congress Center, where the event delivered 280,000 square feet of exhibit space, 684 exhibitors, and 64 aircraft on display.
VERTICON 2026 drew 12,852 attendees and featured a show floor built for hands-on engagement, including a dedicated drone cage for indoor demonstrations. Exhibitors reported brisk traffic, and the extensive list of new products, teaming agreements, and purchase orders announced at the show is available on the VAI website.
“VERTICON is where the vertical aviation community meets to do business, sharpen skills, and advance safety,” says François Lassale, president and CEO of VAI. “This year’s turnout, aircraft presence, and depth of education reinforced the strength of our industry and our shared focus on professional excellence.”
The event welcomed senior leaders and high-profile speakers, including FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet. Their Tuesday, Mar. 10, fireside chat with Lassale focused on balancing innovation with safety and public trust, improving international alignment, strengthening industry collaboration, managing the rapidly growing low-altitude airspace, using data to spot emerging risks, and defining long-term success through harmonized, measurable safety outcomes.
In his remarks to the assembled membership as the first international leader of VAI, Lassale stressed that the industry must grow and adapt to an increasingly complex and busy airspace.
“We will define this critical point in vertical aviation by uniting the industry and using shared data and disciplined strategy to guide decisions and policy engagement,” Lassale said. “The result will be stronger safety performance, a sustainable workforce, measurable industry growth, and a more credible voice for aviation.”
VERTICON also hosted industry and leadership voices, including Mike Allen, cofounder of Axios, who spoke on the importance of clear communication when conveying complex concepts, and US Air Force Col. (ret.) Merryl Tengesdal, whose rotary-wing operational experience, high-risk aviation decision-making, and senior safety leadership provided relevant insights for the audience.
Education and Technical Programming
VERTICON 2026 delivered learning opportunities across multiple formats:
- Elevation Courses: Industry experts taught 24 in-depth courses
- Foundation Sessions: Volunteer presenters led 66 short education sessions, many eligible for FAA WINGS and AMT credits
- Tech Briefings: A slate of 30 OEMs and other organizations shared current maintenance and product information with owners and maintainers
- IA Renewal: VERTICON offered 34 opportunities to gain credit toward renewal of inspection authorization (IA) certificates.
Workforce and Career Development
Workforce development remained a core focus at VERTICON:
- The Mil2Civ Workshop provided resources and mentoring for nearly 300 military pilots, maintainers, and other personnel transitioning to civilian careers.
- The VAI Career Fair connected 500-plus job seekers with more than 30 companies ready to hire, and also provided career development programming including resume reviews.
- The Aerospace Maintenance Council’s 2026 Competition @ VERTICON brought together 22 three-member teams of aviation maintenance technicians for events designed to test their skills and knowledge. The vertical aviation community is facing a shortage of technicians, and this event highlights the expertise and skill of these professionals and the need to grow the next generation.
In Atlanta, VAI’s VERTICON reaffirmed its role as the industry’s global meeting place, bringing together the entire spectrum of vertical aviation—operators, manufacturers and suppliers, regulators, and professionals—to strengthen safety, advance skills, build the workforce, and collaborate on creating the next era of vertical aviation.
VERTICON 2027 moves to Anaheim, Calif., Mar. 15–18, 2027 (exhibits open Mar. 16–18).
Vertical Aviation International (VAI), formerly Helicopter Association International (HAI), is the world’s leading membership association dedicated to the vertical aviation industry, which encompasses all aircraft capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing. Throughout its 75-plus years of fueling industry growth through connection, advocacy, safety, education, and support for its members’ success, VAI has leveraged the power of vertical flight to strengthen communities worldwide. The association welcomes all facets of the vertical aviation industry, including manufacturers, operators, suppliers and vendors, pilots and maintenance technicians, and other aviation professionals. For more information about VAI, please visit: https://verticalavi.org.
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