Universal Avionics announced it has completed the development of the first Aperture visual data management solution as it readies series production for a major avionics OEM and is seeing strong interest from aircraft manufacturers and operators. According to the company, the initial release of the product line connects eight video streams to four independent users, enhancing safety and improving decision-making for flight crews and mission specialists.

Introduced a year ago during the 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, Aperture is now available for installation. UA’s first agreement will see a large avionics OEM deliver Aperture to new aircraft currently in development as part of its flight deck offering. According to Universal Avionics, this release of Aperture can process eight video inputs and supports four video outputs with near-zero latency, at the highest level of integrity in commercial aviation (Design Assurance Level A). Imagery from an Enhanced Vision System camera and other sensors will be presented in the flight deck to enhance situational awareness of the flight crew. More...

On the eve of the NBAA Convention in Orlando, Gogo Business Aviation announced it has finished construction of its nationwide Gogo 5G network.

“Our team was tenacious and overcame a host of issues including COVID-19, weather, the supply chain, and geopolitical concerns, to build a new network of 150 towers nationwide – and they did it in less than 12 months,” said Sergio Aguirre, Gogo’s president and chief operating officer. “It’s remarkable what our network deployment and field operations teams have accomplished.”

According to the company, the 5G network now covers the contiguous United States and will expand into Canada beginning in 2023. The full 5G coverage map is available on Gogo’s website. Gogo 5G is expected to deliver ~25 Mbps on average, with peak speeds in the 75 to 80 Mbps range, and has been designed to deliver high throughput with very low latency to address the increasing demand for data-heavy interactive services like video conferencing, live TV and gaming. Gogo also signed Russell Wilson, Super Bowl-winning quarterback of the Denver Broncos, to be Gogo’s 5G ambassador. More...

Two days prior to this year's NBAA Convention, Honeywell unveiled its 31st annual Global Business Aviation Outlook. This year's report predicts up to 8,500 new business jet deliveries worth $274 billion from 2023 to 2032. This year, surveyed operators reported new jet purchase plans on par with 2019 levels, with fleet addition rates doubling from last year’s reported intentions. Respondents’ feedback in this year’s survey aligns with industry reports of sold-out business jet production lines for the next several years.

“The business aviation industry is greatly benefitting from a wave of first-time users and buyers due in part to changing habits brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Honeywell Aerospace President, Americas Aftermarket, Heath Patrick. “The business aviation sector is expected to recover to 2019 delivery and expenditure levels by 2023, which is much sooner than previously anticipated. Demand for new business jets is as high as we’ve seen it since 2015, and we expect high levels of demand and expenditures for new aircraft for several more years.” More...

Avionics professionals will gather at the AEA East Connect Conference in Tampa, Florida, Nov. 2-3. The AEA Connect Conferences are where aviation's technology experts gather for technical training from leading avionics, instrument and test equipment manufacturers. These two-day events allow technicians and business owners the opportunity to learn industry best practices; connect with regional sales and product support representatives; satisfy training requirements; see the latest products and services; and receive important updates on the most current regulatory news affecting their business.

Following the event in Tampa, the AEA South Pacific Connect Conference will take place Nov. 17-18 in Sunshine Coast, Australia. Advance registration is open for attendees and exhibitors at both the East and South Pacific Connect Conferences. More...

Advance your career and industry knowledge by earning a certification provided by ASTM International. These certifications demonstrate the knowledge base of the advanced aerospace technician and promote integrity, safety, and professionalism in the aerospace workforce.

Repair stations and aviation maintenance professionals across the industry use these certifications to recognize qualified and competent individuals. The FAA formally recognizes the AET certification as equivalent to formal training when showing eligibility for the issuance of a repairman certificate. Exams are free for all those in attendance at the AEA East Connect Conference in Tampa, Florida, courtesy of the AEA Educational Foundation. More...

Along time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, avionics shops knew who their customers were and the best ways to take care of their avionics needs. Today, not so much.

Sure, you still have the dyed-in-the-wool aviators who take immense pride in knowing a lot about their airplanes and avionics. But today, there’s a whole new batch of first-time aircraft buyer/owners who seem to be much more interested in achieving the desired capability than how their new avionics will get them there.

Like any situation, there are pluses and minuses to dealing with both of them. Avionics News contacted a cross-section of avionics shops to get their insights on how they approach both traditional and new-generation customers. More...

Nearly 60 years ago, Tri-State Aero started as a flight training school operating out of a grass strip not far from its current location at Evansville Regional Airport in southern Indiana. Over the years, the company expanded, each time offering more capabilities to more types of operators.

In 2019, Tri-State Aero’s management made a strategic decision to bring its maintenance and avionics services into sharper focus by closing its flight training and Part 135 charter operations. Today, the Federal Aviation Administration certified Part 145 repair station is investing in its avionics capabilities. More...

Data consumption on connected business aircraft is ramping up in the wake of the pandemic as flying offices conduct Zoom meetings and use every device found in an executive suite on the ground. Passengers on business jets are using triple the amount of data since 2011 and double the amount of data used in 2014 as consumption has climbed from 100 to 300 megabytes per flight on average, according to Gogo, which dominates the market for connected systems, service and support.

Gogo expects the use of video conferencing such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams will continue to grow. This and the yet-to-be developed internet applications that will hit the market are one of several reasons the company is building a 5G network for high-speed and low-latency connections. And 5G will let multiple users conduct high data rate activities at the same time. More...

As lead aviation maintenance technician for West Star Aviation at St. Louis Regional Airport, Jessie Melvin oversees and performs maintenance on Bombardier Global Express, XRS, 5000 and 6000 aircraft. The large cabin business jets have been her focus since joining West Star Aviation five years ago as an apprentice.

“In addition to performing maintenance on the aircraft, I delegate work to technicians for a project, and organize the inspections in a way that makes the inspection process as smooth as possible. I oversee a number of technicians assigned to a project, but the number fluctuates on a day-by-day basis,” said Melvin, who is among the 200 technicians who maintain Citation, Embraer, Falcon, Gulfstream and Bombardier aircraft at the full-service aviation center in East Alton, just north of St. Louis, Missouri. More...

Even as a kid, Greg Cornell had an interest in science, math and the way things work. His family’s proximity to aviation and technology – his father with information technology, his uncle with aerospace design and his grandfather’s flying – ignited Cornell’s imagination as a young man.

“My grandpa had his private pilot license and would occasionally take me flying, but it was a trip to Kennedy Space Center with him that solidified my desire to be in aviation,” said Cornell, who has spent the better part of 14 years helping shape aircraft-related products in one way or another. “My uncle worked on the International Space Station, and I thought this was the coolest thing ever. It seemed like such a globally unifying project – teams of engineers from around the world for the betterment of mankind as a whole.”

While studying mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cornell started his senior year just after Captain Chesley Sullenberger landed the U.S. Airways Airbus A320 on the Hudson River because of a bird strike. The Miracle on the Hudson inspired Cornell to develop an aircraft-mounted, sound-based bird deterrent as a senior design project. More...

Honeywell’s 31st annual Global Business Aviation Outlook projects up to 8,500 new business jet deliveries worth $274 billion from 2023 to 2032, which is up 15% in both deliveries and expenditures from the same 10-year forecast a year ago. Learn all the key findings from Javier Jimenez Serrano, strategy and market research manager at Honeywell Aerospace, in this episode of AEA Amplified.

Sponsored by Genesys Aerosystems, a Moog Company, AEA Amplified is a podcast for aviation’s technology experts. Learn more about the ever-changing world of avionics technologies from industry professionals and aviation enthusiasts. Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Podbean or Spotify. Listen...

Registration has opened for the 66th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show, the largest gathering of aviation electronics manufacturers, distributors and approved maintenance organizations in the world. It is the platform of choice for the introduction of new avionics products and services coming to market in 2023. The event will take place April 24-27, 2023, at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Attendees must register by Dec. 31, 2022, to receive the early-bird discount price of $695 (AEA member rate) for a full convention registration. The early-bird promotion offers a $200 per person savings off the on-site registration fee. The attendee full registration package includes: four days of technical training sessions; exhibit hall entrance for two full days with lunch; and networking with manufacturers and distributors. Register for the biggest training week of the year in the avionics industry. More...

The AEA’s online training platform called AERO, short for the Aerospace Education Resource Online system, allows users to train at their own pace and operates like a personal learning management system. A brand-new course on Indoctrination Training: Regulatory Familiarization has been released and is free for AEA members with a member login and password.

In addition, a dozen new courses that took place at this year's AEA Convention in New Orleans are now available, including OEM technical sessions; Troubleshooting Antennas & Transmission Lines; Marketing Beyond the Runway; How to Succeed in Business (Aviation) Without Really Trying; Clarity is Magnetic -- A Discussion in Leadership & Personal Development; and Airplanes or Marketing: It’s All About the LIFT.

Convention attendees may access the sessions recorded at AEA New Orleans for free, and those AEA members who could not attend the convention may purchase them. Training content is exclusive to AEA members. AEA AERO will continue to add and update content to help members accomplish their training goals. More...

Published annually by the Aircraft Electronics Association, the 2022-23 edition of the AEA Pilot's Guide was recently unveiled. This year marks the 20th annual edition of the AEA Pilot's Guide, a consumer's directory loaded with educational articles, timely information and data about the ever-changing world of avionics technologies. The publication helps pilots and aircraft owners make better buying decisions and locate nearly 1,300 AEA member companies in more than 40 countries, including government-certified repair stations specializing in maintenance, repair and installation of avionics and electronic systems in general aviation aircraft. It also includes the manufacturers and distributors of these products, as well as technical schools and universities, engineers and consultants for the industry.

Individuals residing in the United States may request a free copy of the AEA Pilot's Guide at aeapilotsguide.net/request.asp while supplies last. More...

Certified Repair Station Training (12 seats remain)

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 plan to attend.

Primary Flight Display Installation & Configuration (13 seats remain)

Technicians will learn how to plan, install, interface, configure and check out an installation of a primary flight display, EHSI and GPS/Nav/Com consisting of dual Garmin GI 275, a Garmin GTN 650 touchscreen, and a Garmin GTX 345 transponder. Designed for technicians who have experience with avionics installation practices and are looking for more training integrating common general aviation installations.

Avionics Testing Fundamentals (12 seats remain)

This course is designed for technicians who have experience with basic avionics installation practice, familiar with basic soldering skills and are looking for experience in LRU bench testing and avionics troubleshooting. Bench testing Nav, VHF comm and transponders will be the focus of study. Technicians will fabricate a general-purpose test panel that they will use in the course. Attendees will keep their fabricated test panel at course completion.

Transponder Service Training (11 seats remain)

This course is designed for technicians who have experience with basic avionics installation practice and are looking for experience in transponder LRU bench testing, transponder flight line testing and aircraft troubleshooting. ADS-B transponders systems will be the focus of study. Attendees will keep their fabricated wire harness at course completion.

NAV/COMM Equipment Service Training (11 seats remain)

This course is designed for technicians who have experience with basic avionics installation practice and are looking for experience in avionics flight line testing, LRU bench testing and aircraft troubleshooting. VOR, localizer, glideslope, marker beacon and VHF comms will be the focus of study.

Pitot-Static, Transponder, RVSM, and ADS-B: Testing & Inspection (11 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. Preparing and performing RVSM inspection tasks. ADS-B session covering installation, wiring and return to service review.

Safety Management System Coordinator Training (15 seats remain)

The AEA has developed a proprietary SMS program designed for maintenance organizations, sized for small businesses and leveraged by the 900-strong repair station membership. This program has been coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada Civil Aviation, as well as discussions with the Australian government's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for future acceptance. The training will provide a solid overview of modern safety principles, the International Civil Aviation Organization guidance on SMS implementation and the use and operation of the proprietary AEA SMS program.

Basic Wiring and Avionics Installation (10 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 (14 seats remain)

This course is designed for entry-level avionics technicians or those looking for basic training on pitot-static and aircraft transponder systems. The 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 FAR 91.411 and 91.413 checks.

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. Free resume posting is available. 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 rachelh@aea.net.