International Operators Conference
A prominent moment of the 2003 International Operators Conference in Colorado Springs occurred just after the first day’s sessions.

A prominent moment of the 2003 International Operators Conference in Colorado Springs occurred just after the first day’s sessions. With dozens of pilots and aviation department managers standing around a nearby television, President Bush warned Saddam Hussein that the Americans and their allies were on the way. The war in Iraq erupted soon afterwards.

Everyone in the room that night, whether or not they flew internationally, realized the war would have an effect on aviation operations. The price of fuel had begun rising long before the conflict began. Security issues, already a drain on most flying budgets, were predicted to intensify because of the President’s decision.