Looking for the latest information on what’s going on in the avionics industry? That’s the 64th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show, held this year in Dallas, Texas, June 22-25. If you missed it, you also missed one of the event’s biggest attractions: the New Product Introductions. As a consolation, we’ve prepared the following summaries of each company’s newly introduced products and services.

One of the signature events at each AEA Convention is the New Products Introductions session. It takes place on the show’s first day in conjunction with the opening ceremony and welcome messages from the association’s chair of the board and AEA president. It’s a solid couple of hours of rapid-fire presentations from member companies for all attendees, showcasing their newest products and services. And since this is a convention for avionics technicians, installers and retailers, the products and services introduced target not only pilots and aircraft operators but also those very same technicians, installers and retailers. Attendees are just as likely to learn about the latest timesaving test equipment and calibration services as they are the newest integrated flight decks or in-flight entertainment systems. More...

Avidyne Corp. recently introduced its all-new Vantage Flight Display System. Designed for forward-fit and retrofit applications in a variety of display formats, the company’s first certification of Vantage displays will be as a retrofit for Cirrus aircraft equipped with the Entegra PFD and MFD flight deck. An AEA member company since 1995, Avidyne’s Vantage features synthetic vision, hybrid touch user interface, dual-AHRS MFD reversion, and more.

Avidyne President Dan Schwinn has all the details in this episode of AEA Amplified, sponsored by Genesys Aerosystems, a Moog Company. Listen...

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association recently published its report of general aviation aircraft shipments and billings through the second quarter of 2021.

According to GAMA, piston, turboprop, business jet and helicopter deliveries increased across all segments during the first six months of 2021 as compared to the same period of 2020. Aircraft shipments through the second quarter of 2021, when compared to the same period in 2020, saw piston airplane deliveries increase 12.3%, with 565 units; turboprop airplane deliveries increase 45.4%, with 221 units; and business jet deliveries increase 8.2%, with 264 units. The value of airplane deliveries through the second quarter of 2021 was $8.6 billion, an increase of approximately 9.4%.

Turbine helicopter deliveries through the second quarter of 2021, when compared to the same period in 2020, saw an increase of 33%, with 258 units; and piston helicopter deliveries saw an increase of 31.7%, with 83 units. More...

The ASTM Administrative Committee AC377 "Autonomy Design and Operations in Aviation" is hosting the 2nd annual ASTM Autonomy in Aviation Symposium.

The objectives of the ASTM Autonomy in Aviation Symposium are as follows:

The symposium is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, at the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel in Santa Clara, California. AEA-member companies involved in the development of autonomous technology in any category of aviation are encouraged to attend. More...

The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand has published a notice that the AC66-1, Revision 4 - Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence – General is open for consultation.

Revision 4:

To view the complete package, click here. Consultation on this draft closes Tuesday, 21 September 2021. More...

Representatives from global standards organizations ASTM International and the European Organization for Civil Aviation Equipment recently signed a memorandum of understanding. According to the two organizations, the agreement will foster information exchange and cooperation in the aviation and aerospace sectors aiming to reduce duplication of efforts and to promote harmonization, interoperability, and compatibility of technical solutions in global aviation.

The MoU was signed by EUROCAE Director General Christian Schleifer and ASTM International Vice President of Global Policy, Cooperation and Communications Jeff Grove. More...

Attention avionics technicians! How well do you think you know your avionics inside and out? New and old? Then put your knowledge to work.

What is the product make and model shown in this image?

Southeast Aerospace will award a $100 Visa gift card to a random winner from among the correct entries submitted, and the winner will be announced in the next edition of AEA Wired.

In addition, all correct answers from 2021 will be entered to win a random drawing for a $500 Visa gift card at the end of the year, also from Southeast Aerospace. Email your answer...

If you are not quite ready to take the AET test, AEA has you covered.

Avotek, an AEA member and training partner, offers online courses to help avionics technicians prepare for the AET exam and is offering a member discount of 40% off.

The Fundamentals of Aircraft Electronics Part I - Electricity and Electronics and The Fundamentals of Aircraft Electronics Part II - Maintenance Practices and Aircraft Fundamentals are the essential guides to aircraft electronics associated with AET certification.

To access the coupon codes, you will need to be logged in to the AEA website. AEA members get 40% off each course with the coupon codes. More...

The Aircraft Electronics Association recently unveiled the dates and locations for its 2021 AEA Connect Conferences, which now includes Europe. From selling to installation, configuration and certification testing, the AEA Connect Conferences are two-day events where aviation's technology experts convene for regulatory and technical training from leading avionics, instrument and test equipment manufacturers. It is the perfect opportunity for avionics technicians to meet with their regional sales and product support representatives, as well as learn about new products.

See the complete schedule for each event, a list of exhibiting companies, along with a list of major OEMs and their technical training topics at aea.net/connect. Online registration is available for both attendees and exhibitors.

The schedule is as follows:

When Wade Wehrenberg started ForwardVue Aviation with his wife, Rachel, neither expected it to take off like it has. Maintaining general aviation aircraft part time was supposed to help pay for Wade’s flying hobby after retiring as a maintenance inspector from American Airlines.

Just four years after opening their hangar door, the Wehrenbergs operate a busy Federal Aviation Administration Part 145 repair station at the Claremore Regional Airport, 45 minutes northeast of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“It grew exponentially, a lot faster than we anticipated,” said Rachel Wehrenberg, who previously spent 20 years in the tax and accounting field. “It’s been an amazing ride, and we’re excited about where we’re headed." More...

Since its founding, the name “Blackhawk” has come to symbolize performance improvements for several lines of turboprop aircraft. Blackhawk’s engine upgrades for Textron Aviation’s Beech King Air line, the Cessna Caravan and Conquest series aircraft, and Piper Cheyenne series helped propel the company to expand its offerings through a series of new divisions, each focused on its specialties.

Blackhawk Aerospace calls itself “the recognized leader in performance improvements for turboprop aircraft. Founded in 1999 in Waco, Texas, the company serves customers worldwide in the commercial and government markets. Today, Blackhawk Aerospace is comprised of Blackhawk Aerospace Upgrades, Blackhawk Aerospace Aircraft Sales, Blackhawk Aerospace Solutions, Blackhawk Aerospace Composites, and Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies.” More...

According to Professor Thomas Inman, "When teaching systems, I’ll start with the system’s purpose, and if it involves radio, the modes, frequencies, and channels used, when applicable. Next, I’ll introduce the block diagram. Once the students have the block in memory, we can have intelligent conversations about where in the aircraft we can find components and the different variations of system design. For many systems, I’ll require memorization.

"Students who do not memorize the block diagrams will slowly begin to feel lost as the class continues. The longer we discuss a system, the more lost they will feel. As a result, even though the memorization process may seem tedious, there is much value to it.

"Fortunately, there is a relatively non-tedious way to memorize these blocks, the various formulae we must learn, and even phone numbers or names. It only takes a few minutes per day, and in less than a week, you can have the diagram committed to memory." More...

The 65th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show will take place at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, March 28-31, 2022. A direct link to make hotel reservations in the AEA room block at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside is available at aea.net/convention.

The AEA encourages all attendees and exhibitors to secure their hotel rooms soon, as the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four will take place in New Orleans immediately following the conclusion of the AEA Convention. Plan ahead and secure your hotel accommodations well in advance of the show. More...

Published annually by the Aircraft Electronics Association, the 2021-22 edition of the AEA Pilot's Guide was recently unveiled. This year marks the 19th 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...

The AEA’s new online training platform called AERO, short for the Aerospace Education Resource Online system, allows users to train at their own pace with the ability to pause and resume courses at their convenience. In addition, AERO operates like a personal learning management system with a history of training and the ability to print certificates from completed courses.

All previous online training from the AEA has been migrated to AERO and is available exclusively to AEA members at aea.net/aero with a member login and password. AEA AERO will continue to add content to help members accomplish their training goals. Members with questions about the new AERO online training system may contact Aaron Ward directly at aaronw@aea.net. More...

Bench Basics 101 (New course: 9 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 upon course completion.

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 upon course completion.

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, and ADS-B: Testing & Inspection (SOLD-OUT)

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.

As today’s modern airplanes become much more technologically advanced, so must the professionals who maintain them. The advanced avionics and instrumentation systems used in these aircraft rely on various forms of digital databus communication. Understanding digital databus theory is becoming more and more important for avionics technicians, and even A&P mechanics, to effectively test and troubleshoot these highly advanced aircraft systems.

IFR6000 and IFR4000 Operations (13 seats remain)

This course 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 system and to operate the IFR4000 for ILS, VOR, COMMs and ELT.

Avionics Installation for Experimental Aircraft (SOLD-OUT)

This in-person 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 a niche, this class has something for everyone.

This course is designed for currently employed repair station personnel and installers of ADS-B systems. Approximately 7% of all general aviation ADS-B installations are non-compliant based on the FAA’s ADS-B Performance Monitoring System. This course focuses on the proper configuration and testing of ADS-B installations to ensure your installation meets the performance requirements and regulations. Also included are troubleshooting tips and tricks that will help you resolve the common problems found in ADS-B installations.

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 support inflight connectivity system installations and maintenance. This eight-hour training enables aircraft technicians and operators to gain understanding on the basic airborne networks, IFC systems, and the services they provide.

Basic Wiring & Avionics Installation (9 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 (8 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 FAR 91.411 and 91.413 checks.

Certified Repair Station Training (14 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 attend.

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.