John Persinos is attending the ISTAT Americas 2026 conference in San Diego (March 8-10), conducting live interviews with experts on the show floor.
Amid a backdrop of Middle Eastern war, geopolitical strife, soaring oil prices, volatile equity markets, and inflationary pressures, the ISTAT confab this year is highly energized and the stakes have rarely been higher. Attendance is estimated to exceed 2,000.
Here are the major themes that are unfolding at the show:
Market mood evaluation: Leasing, finance, and trading outlooks as rates, supply, and demand reset.
Aircraft values in focus: Narrowbody pricing, widebody reality checks, and midlife asset strategy.
OEM and engine updates: Production ramps, delivery slots, and the latest on engine durability and MRO capacity.
Deal flow and capital: Who’s buying, who’s selling, and where fresh capital is landing.
Policy and risk radar: Certification timelines, sustainability pressure, and geopolitical curveballs.
People and networking: High-density meetings, evening receptions, and the conversations that move deals.
Three days. One waterfront city. The aviation finance calendar’s main event. To learn more, watch John’s highlight reel of Q&As.
