Welcome

HARLEY PASIDERIO

Welcome to Expo 2023! Professional Asian Pilots Association’s second annual flagship event. Welcome to Las Vegas as well, home of PAPA and a destination city for almost every airline in the United States.

We take great pride in presenting you with a completely volunteer-run event. PAPA’s expo team, directors and committee members have worked tirelessly to bring you this week’s activities. It is no small task to give you an event of this magnitude. It was also no small task to grow PAPA into the association you see today. What started as an idea shared between a small group of regional pilots has grown into a force of over two thousand members, mentoring hundreds of diverse aviators, offering hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships each year and assembling and connecting all the exhibitors you will see under one roof over the next two days.

I take great pride and feel honored that you have chosen to spend these days with us. My vision for PAPA has always included hosting some sort of job fair, but never an event of this magnitude. In fact the idea of PAPA or what it stands for would have never existed until I encountered the barriers that prevent many of us from getting a foot in the door at an airline. As you may have heard from me before, ever since I was a kid I had always known I wanted to be an airline pilot. But as a kid, I never would have imagined that a company’s culture and work environment would matter so much. The landscape of pilots within the industry is not what I had envisioned, and I sought to make it better. Your support of this year’s Expo reminds me that there is still a need for an association like ours, and it furthers my motivation to continue to grow PAPA. I hope as you leave our Expo that you feel motivated as well to carry out PAPA’s mission and its initiatives, and I hope to see you again at many future PAPA events.

As attendees of this year’s Expo, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a program filled with elements of Asian culture as well as speak with the exhibitors leading the way to help make our industry a place that welcomes all. Please take the time to speak with any PAPA directors, committee members and volunteers to learn more about our association and future plans.

I want to thank our sponsors for their support. With their lead in supporting diversity, equity and inclusion within the aviation industry we are able to bring you the program you will experience this year. PAPA has not been around for very long, but we hope to create a long, storied history. It is with the generous support from our sponsors that we may continue to do so.

We are honored you have chosen to be a part of our celebration and truly hope you enjoy Expo 2023! Q

About Us

Professional Asian Pilots Association (PAPA) is an entirely volunteer-run organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the aviation industry. Our goal is to bring awareness and support to members of the Asian community in the industry through networking opportunities, scholarships and mentorship. We hope to inspire current and prospective professionals towards a fulfilling career in aviation.