Chris Bartlett, president of CCX Technologies, recently discussed his company’s wide range of cybersecurity and testing solutions for avionics OEMs, aircraft maintainers and military contractors. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the company’s T-RX Avionics Radio and Pulse Tester family of products are stand-alone tablets that help maintainers and installers save time and effort.

Listen and subscribe to AEA Amplified on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, iHeart Radio or Spotify. More...

The Aircraft Electronics Association recently joined more than 50 other organizations to urge congressional “support of several provisions that will protect our nation's military global positioning system (GPS) devices and satellite communications services from harmful interference.” In a Nov. 20 letter sent to the chairmen and ranking members of the United States Senate and House Committees on Armed Services, the coalition wrote, “If the Federal Communications Commission’s April 2020 Ligado Order is left in place, it would upend decades of sound spectrum policy, negatively impact a significant cross-section of commercial and federal users who rely on the many different L-band satellite services, and threaten the safety of most Americans.”

Seeking several provisions in the conference agreement of H.R. 6395, the William (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, the coalition letter also stated, “L-Band satellite services are ‘fundamental to the nation’s economy, national security, and continued technological leadership.’ We fully support House Sections 1608 and 1609 and Senate Sections 234, 1083, and 6082, and respectfully request that all five provisions remain in the conferenced version of the legislation.” More...

When you think about it, Charles Lindbergh might have found helpful a little entertainment when he made his world-changing trans-Atlantic flight to Paris’ Le Bourget Airport from Long Island’s Roosevelt Field. That’s 33 ½ hours with nothing but coffee, some sandwiches, his navigation charts and tools – and awake for nearly two days before launching – staying awake repeatedly challenged the Lone Eagle.

No air traffic control to talk with, no VHF broadcasts to hear ... alone with only his thoughts to keep him awake. A little entertainment would have been welcome company to help Lindbergh from his occasional bouts with nodding off.

But when aviation developed further over the years, for decades of aviation’s early history the only person routinely entertained on a long flight sat in the left seat – the pilot in command. With the advent of airborne radios and air traffic control, the closest thing to entertainment aloft existed solely on the flight deck. And while not created for entertainment, at least the new radios gave pilots some way to pass time communicating with others in what really amounts to work: the job of commanding an aircraft on a cross-country flight in weather conditions well short of ideal. More...

The New Southern Sky team announced that the highly anticipated revision to Notice of Requirement NTC91.258 regarding ADS-B has now been released by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand. The revision contains several updates and clarifications. The three main changes are:

The revision has been released with a Summary of Submissions from the public consultation period, and explanatory notes are also available. Click here for the updated Notice, and here for the Summary of Submissions and Explanatory Notes.

In addition, the CAA also released a draft revision to AC91-24 (ADS-B Systems) for public consultation. Click here. This revision includes a proposed method of approving suitable position source equipment that may potentially be acceptable under the new Notice of Requirement. There are also new and expanded sections drawn from international sources and in response to common queries to the CAA. Please note that this proposal is not active until the final version has been released following the end of the public consultation period on Dec. 18, 2020.

The social benefits of unmanned aircraft systems are on display during the COVID-19 response in the United States. While drones are becoming commonplace in construction, energy and other industries, these use cases are often out of sight of the general public. Grant Guillot, partner and UAS team leader at Adams and Reese LLP, said that’s an important difference about the use of drones during the COVID-19 response – a more-visible presence.

“Drones were already transforming various industries prior to COVID-19 through risk-reducing, cost savings, and operational capabilities,” said Guillot, who specializes in legal matters related to UAS operations. “COVID-19 has shed light on just how valuable drones can be, especially when considering social distancing and remote work.” More...

Registration is now open for the 64th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show, the largest gathering of general aviation avionics manufacturers, distributors and government-certified repair stations in the world. It is the platform of choice for the introduction of new avionics products and services coming to market in 2021.

The event takes place March 15-18, 2021, in Dallas, Texas. Attendees must register by Dec. 31, 2020, to receive the early-bird discount price of $675 (AEA member rate) for a full convention registration. The early-bird promotion offers a $180 per person savings off the on-site registration fee. Those attendees who chose to roll over their registration from 2020 will receive a confirmation email and do not need to register again.

The attendee full registration package includes: four days of seminars and technical training sessions; exhibit hall entrance for two full days with lunch; and networking with manufacturing and distributors. The Hilton Anatole will serve as the headquarters hotel. More...

Members of the Aircraft Electronics Association recently elected Aaron Hall to the association’s board of directors. As chief executive officer of ACS Avionics, Hall is responsible for overseeing day-to-day repair station operations, personnel, sales and technical drawings. He also serves as accountable manager.

Based in Georgetown, Texas, just north of Austin, ACS Avionics specializes in avionics maintenance, repair, certification, panel design and installation on small- and mid-sized fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The repair station is an authorized dealer for most major avionics manufacturers.

Prior to joining ACS Avionics in January 2019, Hall served in a variety of leadership roles for maintenance organizations. With nearly 30 years of experience in aviation, Hall’s knowledge and expertise isn’t limited to the business side. He has firsthand avionics experience having served as a technician for many years and later as a senior field service engineer for Avidyne, director of avionics for Trego Dugan Aviation, and avionics manager for Wisconsin Aviation. More...

The Federal Aviation Administration published airworthiness criteria for the proposed certification of 10 different unmanned aircraft systems or drones as special class aircraft. This is a crucial step to enabling more complex drone operations beyond what is allowed under the small unmanned aircraft rule (Part 107), including package delivery.

“The development of airworthy, durable, and reliable unmanned aircraft is a crucial step forward for this innovative sector,” said Dr. Michael C. Romanowski, director of Aircraft Certification Service Policy and Innovation. “Type certification will help increase both public and regulatory confidence in drone technology as operations become more advanced.”

The airworthiness criteria provide a level of safety equivalent to that provided by existing airworthiness standards applicable to other categories of aircraft, and establish a defined path to type certification for specific drones. Each applicant seeking a type certificate must follow the FAA’s requirements and safety objectives. More...

Everyone in aviation has essentially grown up with the language of aviation; it is the only language we know. Wings, tails, fuselage, empennage, cockpits, et cetera. We know the language; we know the meaning. It is clear: If you want to be in aviation, you must only use our language. The challenge is the legacy language may not be a perfect fit for the next generation of flight.

How did the occupants in the “front office” get labeled a pilot, a navigator, an engineer? Why not an operator? As flight was being introduced in 1903, the titles from the nautical industry migrated to the infancy of the aviation industry; it is clear that aviation received its titles from ships and the titles of ship pilots, navigators and engineers. More...

Most avionics systems receive radio signals, and some transmit as well; therefore, antenna and transmission line troubleshooting skills are important for avionics technicians.

Confirming poor operation is the first thing a technician should do. Whether the technician confirms the problem or not, a good way to continue this process is to take a critical look at the aircraft itself. More than once, I’ve responded to a complaint about a navigation or communication system and discovered the problem as soon as I entered the hangar. In these cases, I observed the antenna was no longer on the airframe. Take a look at the seal at the base of the antenna. The compounds used to seal antenna bases tend to wear away over time. If the seal is damaged or missing, the base of the antenna may be corroded. More...

The AEA recently opened online enrollment for several training classes scheduled over the next several months at its headquarters in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Six brand-new courses are being offered for the first time.

Class sizes are limited, and social distancing protocols are in place for all attendees. Interested parties are encouraged to register well in advance to reserve a seat. Scroll down further in this edition of AEA Wired to learn more. More...

The Aircraft Electronics Association will award 23 scholarships totaling more than $100,000 for the 2021-22 school year to students pursuing a career in avionics or aircraft maintenance, as well as students from AEA member companies.

Since its inception, the AEA scholarship program has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships. Numerous awards are available, ranging from $1,000 to more than $35,000 each. Scholarship applications are available online, and the deadline to submit an application is April 1, 2021. More...

The AEA Pilot’s Guide is a consumer’s directory loaded with educational articles, timely information and data about the ever-changing world of avionics technologies. In addition to a complete directory of AEA-member government-certified repair stations, avionics manufacturers and distributors located in more than 40 countries, the publication features educational articles to help pilots and aircraft owners make better buying decisions. Individuals residing in the United States may request a free copy while supplies last. More...

In addition to unveiling the 2020-21 edition of the AEA Pilot's Guide, the AEA introduced its Pilot's Guide Showcase, an all-new digital stage highlighting everything from features and functions of the latest avionics equipment to the installation and service available from AEA member repair stations.

Located at PilotsGuideShowcase.net and specifically designed for avionics consumers such as general aviation pilots and aircraft owners, the digital platform features product demonstrations, how-to videos, select tutorials via recorded flight demonstrations and spotlights AEA's network of technology experts. More...

Join more than 1,000 AEA members who have already streamed or downloaded these free regulatory webinars to help train their staff or continue their own professional development. Ric Peri, AEA vice president of government and industry affairs, brings his vast years of experience and expertise to conduct a series of regulatory webinars essential to repair station and business operations.

In addition to providing relevant content, these courses include direct questions from the audience answered in real time. If you are looking to stay up-to-speed, AEA members may login with their member password to watch these sessions on your desktop or mobile device at AEA.net/webinars.

Congratulations to John Ward with Daytona Aircraft Services, who won a $100 Visa gift card, courtesy of Southeast Aerospace, for being the first person to submit the correct answer in this month's Mystery Make and Model challenge featured in the previous issue of AEA Wired. The unit is an IN-41A.

Avionics technicians can put their "inside" knowledge to work in the next issue of AEA Wired. Stay tuned for the next Mystery Make and Model challenge!

Certified Repair Station Training (Course Sold Out)

This weeklong course provides an interactive environment to learn, understand and implement the regulations that govern repair station design and operations. 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 should attend. This program will review the regulations applicable to a U.S.-certificated repair station engaged in maintenance, preventive maintenance and alterations of U.S.-registered aircraft, components or accessories.

PFD Installation & Integration (15 seats remain)

Lee's Summit, Missouri (New course!)

This course is designed for technicians who have completed the AEA’s Basic Wiring & Avionics Installation Course and/or have a couple 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/comm/GPS, Garmin GTX 345 transponder and dual Garmin GI 275 primary flight displays.

Bench Basics 101 (13 seats remain)

Lee's Summit, Missouri (New course!)

This course is designed for technicians who have completed the AEA’s Basic Wiring course and/or have a couple of years of basic avionics installation practice, familiar with basic soldering skills and are looking for experience in LRU bench testing and avionics flight line testing. ADS-B transponder systems, nav/ILS and VHF comms will be the focus of study. Technicians will fabricate a general-purpose test panel, a bench test harness, and a transponder test harness that they will use in the course.

NAV/COMM Equipment Service Training (14 seats remain)

Lee's Summit, Missouri (New course!)

This course is designed for technicians who have completed the AEA’s Bench Basics 101 course and/or have a couple of years of basic avionics installation practice and are looking for experience in LRU bench testing and avionics flight line testing. NAV/ILS will be the focus of study.

Transponder Service Training (14 seats remain)

Lee's Summit, Missouri (New course!)

This course is designed for technicians who have completed the AEA’s Bench Basics 101 course and/or have a couple of years of basic avionics installation practice and are looking for experience in LRU bench testing and avionics flight line testing. ADS-B transponder systems, NAV/ILS and VHF comms will be the focus of study.

Pitot-Static & Transponder Testing & Inspection with ADS-B Implementation (12 seats remain)

Attendees will learn the proper methods for conducting pitot-static and transponder tests and inspections. 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.

Avionics Installation for Experimental Aircraft (13 seats remain)

This course is targeted for the homebuilder or avionics technician who wants to learn about performing an avionics installation in an experimental aircraft. The class focuses on the Garmin G3X Touch system, and a simplified example harness is constructed as part of the hands-on portion of the class. While the G3X Touch system is the primary focus, the wiring principles and general guidance can be applied to any experimental avionics system. From the do-it-yourselfer to the avionics shop looking to carve out a niche, this class has something for everyone.

Basic Wiring & Avionics Installation (15 seats remain)

This course is designed for certificated repairmen, new avionics technicians, aviation maintenance technicians and recent graduates interested in improving or acquiring the skills necessary to perform avionics installations. This three-day seminar employs in-depth theory and hands-on lab exercises to immerse the attendee in the best practices used to plan, manage and install a general aviation avionics panel.

Basic Pitot-Static & Transponder Theory, Testing & Troubleshooting (15 seats remain)

This course is designed for entry-level avionics technicians or those looking for basic training on pitot-static and aircraft transponder systems. This two-day course covers the history and theory of operation of pitot-static instruments and transponders, as well as system setup, hands-on testing, and the troubleshooting skills necessary to perform federal aviation regulation 91.411 and 91.413 checks.

The Regulations of Maintenance (15 seats remain)

Understanding the regulations of the repair station is only part of the equation. Like pieces of a puzzle, each regulation is needed to fit together in order to fully view the repair station’s requirements. Understanding the regulatory relationship between the business (Part 145); the maintenance it performs (Part 43); the parts it uses (Part 21); as well as the needs of customers (Part 91) are essential to provide regulatory compliant services in aviation maintenance. This session will cover the basics of the maintenance and modification regulations, but more importantly, it focuses on their integrated relationship with the business.

Developing an Internal Audit Program for Repair Stations (15 seats remain)

Are you an EASA certified repair station? Did you know there is an internal audit requirement in your EASA supplement? Do you have foreign certifications that require an internal audit program? Is your FAA inspector asking you about an internal audit program during their surveillance? Do you want to enhance your basic quality control program with a proactive internal audit program? This course focuses on the basics of internal auditing and the development of an internal audit program, providing the tools and methods necessary to meet the international regulatory needs as well as the continuous improvement of the repair station.

For individuals interested in pursuing professional opportunities in the avionics industry, the job listings page on the AEA website is your one-stop resource. The AEA jobs board 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 job listings and see what's on your horizon. Are you up to the challenge? More...

Is your business hiring? The AEA jobs board makes it easier for AEA members to find their next avionics technician, quality manager, inspector, sales representative or engineer.

AEA members may submit a free job posting after entering their username and password at AEA.net/Jobs. Member companies that optionally choose to upgrade their job posting for a premium will have preferred online placement and also will be published in the next edition of Avionics News. For more information about premium job listings, contact Rachel Hill, AEA advertising executive, at [email protected].