Yesterday, a broad coalition of general aviation industry groups issued a call to action to contact congressional members to defeat a last-minute manager's amendment to H.R. 4, which was proposed by Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) on Monday, April 23. The original H.R. 4 bill is designed to provide long-term funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, but Section 5 of Shuster's amendment would have established a chief operating officer to run ATC who would report directly to the secretary of transportation, rather than the FAA administrator. The amendment also proposed a 13-member Aerospace Management Advisory Council to "function as the primary advisory resource for management, policy, spending, and regulatory matters under the jurisdiction of the Chief Operating Officer." According to AOPA, Shuster has withdrawn his manager's amendment, paving the way for H.R. 4 to move forward. More...

The next FAA and Industry Rotorcraft Forum will take place May 22-23, at the Tarrant County College Alliance Corporate Training Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Attendees will discuss the challenges and opportunities in the certification and installation of new avionics technologies in the rotorcraft market. The aim of the forum is to open the lines of communication between industry and the FAA's Rotorcraft Directorate. Co-hosted by the Aircraft Electronics Association and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, this event is a continuation and follow-up on the previous forums that have occurred in recent years. More...

For the first time, the Aircraft Electronics Association will take its ever-popular Certified Repair Station Training Course on the road to Las Vegas. 702 Helicopters, an AEA member company and a past participant in this course, has graciously offered its facility to host a training for startup repair stations as well as mature operators looking to improve their understanding of the regulations, perform internal audits or edit their current repair stations manuals.

The event is set for June 25-29 and is ideal for current quality managers, technicians, mechanics, and repairmen who are involved in the management of a repair station as well as individuals looking to establish a 14 CFR Part 145 repair station. Advance registration is now available online. More...

Many of the regulatory and technical presentations made during the 61st annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show, March 26-29 in Las Vegas, are available online.

AEA members must use their member login to access this information. More...

Are you an inventor always coming up with something new; the vendor marketing the next great invention; the customer who designed a solution but doesn’t know the next step? The AEA Technology Incubator is designed to demystify the path forward to producing parts for certified aircraft with a focus on producing these parts under the FAA oversight. The AEA Technology Incubator will include presentations and discussions focused on understanding the FAA regulatory structure, as well as the Part 23 and production regulations, guidance and policies. In addition, the forum will offer ample opportunity to interact with the association staff, FAA personnel and other attendees. Space is limited for this event, and applications are being accepted online. More...

The 40th annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey is now underway. It is the Federal Aviation Administration's primary source of information about the size and activity of the general aviation and on-demand Part 135 fleet. The survey is conducted on behalf of the FAA by Tetra Tech, an independent research firm, and all survey responses are confidential. Tetra Tech would like to hear from everyone who received an invitation to complete the survey to prepare accurate statistics on aviation activity. The GA Survey is a scientific sample of aircraft from the Civil Aviation Registry. If you have questions, please contact Tetra Tech at 800-826-1797 or email [email protected]. To see survey results from previous years, click here.

At B&S Aircraft, Tim Fidler is always searching for new opportunities to grow the component repair business. He spends much of his time meeting customers face-to-face, trying to discover their pain points and uncover what’s driving the market. Previously family-owned and -operated, B&S Aircraft started in 1965 to support the repair needs of Cessna Aircraft and, soon after, Beechcraft. Throughout the years, the Wichita, Kansas-based company expanded, supporting additional aircraft OEMs such as Pilatus, Piper and Mooney. More...

Certified Repair Station Training in Las Vegas

June 25-29, 2018

For the first time, this weeklong course will take place at an AEA member location in Las Vegas, Nevada. 702 Helicopters, a past participant in the AEA's CRS training, has graciously offered its facility to host a course for startup repair stations as well as mature operators looking to improve their understanding of the regulations, perform internal audits or edit their current repair stations manuals.

Avionics Installation and Integration Training

Aug. 20-22, 2018

This course is designed for technicians who have completed the AEA’s Basic Wiring and Avionics Installation Course and/or have a couple of years of basic avionics installation practice and are looking for more experience integrating common general aviation installations. Technicians will learn how to plan, install, interface, configure and check out an installation consisting of a Garmin GTN 650 touchscreen nav/com/GPS, Garmin GTX 33ES remote transponder and an Aspen EFD1000 primary flight display.

Pitot-Static and Transponder Certification Training with ADS-B Implementation Session

Aug. 23, 2018

Attendees will learn the proper methods for conducting pitot-static and transponder certification testing. This full-day course offers hands-on training, including a regulatory review and an explanation of the proper administrative procedures for completing these critical certifications. With so many questions surrounding ADS-B, this course will provide the answers and what you need to know to meet the mandate.

RVSM Maintenance

Aug. 24, 2018

Attendees will be introduced to the regulations, documentation, test equipment and maintenance practices associated with performing RVSM maintenance. This course assumes the attendee has good operating knowledge of Federal Aviation Regulations 91.411 and 91.413.

For individuals interested in pursuing professional opportunities in the avionics industry, the career listings page on the AEA website is your one-stop resource. The AEA careers page provides informational links on how to get AET certified, an avionics technician job summary and wage review, along with scholarship opportunities within the industry. Search the AEA's career listings and see what's on your horizon. Are you up to the challenge? More... 

Is your business hiring? Looking for a new avionics technician or A&P mechanic? Want to buy or sell a business in the general aviation industry? Post these professional opportunities to a target-rich environment: the AEA's career listings website. For $200 a month, you can place a listing online AND receive a print advertisement in Avionics News for FREE! For more information, contact Lauren McFarland, AEA director of advertising, at [email protected]. 

Founded in 1957, the Aircraft Electronics Association represents nearly 1,300 member companies in more than 40 countries, including government-certified international repair stations specializing in maintenance, repair and installation of avionics and electronic systems in general aviation aircraft. The AEA membership also includes manufacturers of avionics equipment, instrument repair facilities, instrument manufacturers, airframe manufacturers, test equipment manufacturers, major distributors, engineers and educational institutions.