The aviation industry was recently dealt a tremendous loss with the passing of Patricia (Pat) Luebke on Nov. 22 after a brief illness. For many years, Luebke was a contributing writer for Avionics News, the monthly magazine of the Aircraft Electronics Association, authoring regular features such as Aviation Aces, Marketer's Tip Sheet, and A Conversation With. She also volunteered as the press room coordinator for many years at the AEA International Convention & Trade Show.

In addition to her work with the AEA and Avionics News, Luebke was a member of Women in Aviation International and was the creative force behind many of the organization’s key programs and events, including Take Your Daughter to Conference, which became Girls in Aviation Day, resulting in approximately 56,150 kids being introduced to aviation, according to WAI. To honor her aviation journalism legacy, WAI announced a 2020 scholarship to encourage members to pursue their own best aviation-related personal development goal. Applications must be received no later than Jan. 20, and the Pat Luebke Memorial Scholarship will be awarded at the WAI Conference, March 5-7, in Orlando, Florida. A celebration of life will take place Dec. 15 at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York. More...

The AEA recently released its third-quarter 2019 Avionics Market Report. In the first nine months of the year, total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales amounted to more than $2.2 billion as reported by the participating companies. The figure represented a 14.3% increase in total sales compared to the first nine months of 2018. During the third-quarter months of July, August and September, sales increased 14.9% compared to the same time frame one year ago.

"The business and general aviation avionics industry has now seen an increase in year-over-year sales for 11 consecutive quarters," said AEA President and CEO Mike Adamson. "As we approach nearly three years with steadily increasing sales, I'm encouraged with the upward trend as industry looks to move beyond the Federal Aviation Administration's ADS-B Out deadline of New Year's Day 2020." More...

Registration has opened for the 63rd 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 place to be for the introduction of new avionics products and services coming to market in 2020. The event takes place March 24-27, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Attendees must register by Dec. 31, 2019, 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. 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. More...

The Aircraft Electronics Association is one of 42 aviation groups that is urging Congress to fully fund technician and pilot workforce grant programs. On Nov. 8, a broad coalition of aviation associations sent a letter to congressional leaders in both the United States House of Representatives and the Senate.  More...

With the introduction of multifunction avionics equipment that includes transponders, ADS-B Out and a navigator, does the FAA’s ADS-B policy allow for the follow-on installation of these units?

Partially. You must address the functionality of the systems. The ADS-B Out function (and systems) is addressed with the FAA policy and technical paper, while the airworthiness approval of positioning and navigation systems are addressed in FAA Advisory Circular 20-138D. More...

Europe’s aviation’s technology experts will Connect with their industry peers at the 34th annual AEA Europe Connect Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Cologne, Germany, Jan. 23-24, 2020. Join us for the premier avionics event that connects shop owners, managers and lead technicians in Europe. Registration is now open to avionics professionals who want to attend and for companies to exhibit.

Get the latest technical information from leading avionics, instrument and test equipment manufacturers, and satisfy repair station training requirements. Learn about new products, their application, certification and installation. From selling to installation, configuration and certification testing, the AEA Connect Conference is where aviation's technology experts gather to answer your questions. And with an exhibit hall filled with the latest avionics technologies and services, attendees have the opportunity to see, touch and feel new products and visit face-to-face with the OEMs. More...

The aviation community continues to air race toward the ADS-B finish line that arrives next month. The general aviation community made good progress since the Federal Aviation Administration published its final rule on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast back in May 2010. Compliance numbers vary among the different sources, but a consensus number reflects a 70% compliance rate as of Oct. 1, 2019.

That means several thousands of general aviation aircraft remain noncompliant, which for them means reduced airspace access starting one minute past midnight, Jan. 1, 2020. After consulting with several avionics shops, dealers and manufacturers, their consensus advice is to tackle the problem piece by piece. More...

The Aircraft Electronics Association will award more than 20 scholarships totaling more than $100,000 for the 2020-21 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, 2020. 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...

As avionics technician Richard Snider clips wires in a Beechcraft Baron, he recalls the time he and his team at Aerosecure pulled out a 55-gallon barrel’s worth of wiring from a Cessna 210. The extraneous cables gobbled up some 40 pounds of the single-engine’s maximum takeoff weight.

“When we get into an aircraft, 90% of the time the old wiring is still in there,” said Snider, who founded Aerosecure in 2016. “Most 50-year-old aircraft that come in have had 100 hands behind the panel. It’s an absolute rat’s nest. Most people wouldn’t want to drive their car if it looked like that, much less fly in an airplane.”

Based at Glendale Municipal Airport just west of Phoenix, the FAA-certified Part 145 repair station services experimental aircraft through Beechcraft King Airs as well as light helicopters for flight schools, private owners and local companies.  More...

One of Nick Tarascio’s earliest memories is being cold, climbing in the family airplane, exiting into the sun and warmth and, 30 minutes later, arriving at Disney World. No wonder he thought airplanes were wonderful. Tarascio has another childhood memory. When asked by his third grade teacher what he did on his summer vacation, he replied, “I flew an airplane.”

The teacher corrected him, “No, Nick, you flew in an airplane.” Tarascio’s insistence that he had, in fact, flown an airplane resulted in the teacher later calling his mother about a problem with lying. More...

Congratulations to Jeff Aman with Duncan Aviation, 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 a DI-3003.

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

Dec. 9-13, 2019

Lee's Summit, Missouri

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. It will include a complete review of the FAA guidance and policy regarding the procedures to assure a repair station is operating within the criteria of its manuals.

Basic Wiring and Avionics Installation

(This course is sold-out!)

Dec. 9-11, 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan

This course is designed for certificated repairmen, new avionics technicians and aviation maintenance technicians interested in improving or acquiring the skills necessary to perform avionics installations. It takes place at the Kent Career Tech Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and 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 and Transponder Theory, Testing and Troubleshooting

(This course is sold-out!)

Dec. 12-13, 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan

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 takes place at the Kent Career Tech Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and 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 FAR 91.411 and 91.413 checks. Equipment from DFW Instruments and Laversab will be used in the course.

Avionics Installation and Integration Training

Jan. 27-29, 2020

Lee's Summit, Missouri

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 an Aspen EFD1000 primary flight display.

Pitot-Static and Transponder Testing and Inspection with ADS-B Implementation

Jan. 30, 2020

Lee's Summit, Missouri

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 to meet the mandate.

RVSM Maintenance and IFR6000 Operations

Jan. 31, 2020

Lee's Summit, Missouri

Attendees will be introduced to the regulations, documentation, test equipment and maintenance practices associated with performing RVSM maintenance for aircraft. This course assumes the attendee has good operating knowledge of Federal Aviation Regulations 91.411, 91.413 and 91.227 paragraph (d). This course also is designed to provide maintenance personnel with the knowledge and skills required to operate the IFR6000 to verify and maintain transponder, UAT, TCAS and DME systems.

Avionics Installation for Experimental Aircraft

Feb. 17-19, 2020

Lee's Summit, Missouri

This course is designed for the homebuilder or avionics technician who is looking for guidance in completing an avionics installation on an experimental aircraft. While the Garmin G3X Touch system is used as an example in the course, 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 a niche, this class has something for everyone.

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]. 

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.