On Nov, 8, 2019, the Aircraft Electronics Association was one of 42 aviation groups that urged Congress to fully fund technician and pilot workforce grant programs created by Section 625 of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254).

Ten months later, the FAA announced the Aviation Maintenance Technical Workforce Development Grant Program to increase interest and recruit students for careers in aviation maintenance. The goal is to provide grants to academia and the aviation community to help prepare a more inclusive talent pool of aviation maintenance technicians, to inspire and recruit the next generation of aviation professionals. 

 

Congress appropriated $5 million in Fiscal Year 2020 to fund projects to address the projected shortages of aviation maintenance technical workers in the aviation industry. Eligible groups may apply for grants from $25,000 to $500,000 for any one grant in any one fiscal year. Potential applicants may visit the website for more information.

 

The FAA posted the announcement in the Federal Register on Sept. 8, 2020, and will accept public comments until Sept. 23, 2020. More...

More and more AEA members are looking to Connect in-person with confidence in Naples. When the avionics industry reunites in two weeks, it will be following proven health guidelines and safety protocols to protect attendees. Here are just a few of the safety measures you can in expect on-site at the AEA East Connect Conference, Sept. 23-24.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn about certification, installation and configuration of the latest products from leading avionics, instrument and test equipment manufacturers. See the updated schedule for more information, a list of exhibiting companies, along with a list of major OEMs and their technical training topics. More...

AEA President & CEO Mike Adamson recently discussed the AEA's path forward for the return of in-person association and industry events in AEA Amplified, a podcast for aviation's technology experts.

Tune in for an informative status update on the association, the training classes taking place at AEA headquarters, as well as the plan for the upcoming AEA Connect Conferences slated for Naples (Sept. 23-24) and Kansas City (Oct. 19-20). More...

At Eagle Creek Aviation in Indianapolis, technicians service a wide range of turboprops and light and mid-size jets. With nearly 40 years in business, they’ve developed an international reputation for their work on Twin Commanders. As Eagle Creek’s founder Matt Hagans showed early interest in the Embraer Phenom, the FAA-certified repair station cultivated another specialty when the Brazilian jet was introduced in 2007.

Located at Eagle Creek Airpark in northwestern Indianapolis, Eagle Creek has grown from a small aviation team into a full service center with an FBO and repair station that offers aircraft maintenance and avionics capabilities, flight training and aircraft management, sales, rental and charter services. It operates First Wing Jet Centers at Indianapolis Executive Airport in Zionsville and Frankfort/Clinton County Municipal Airport in Frankfort, both in Indiana. More...

The Federal Aviation Administration recently announced a framework for Part 142 training centers to offer standardized training for pilots of Part 135 air carriers. Advisory Circular 142-1, Standardized Curricula Delivered by Part 142 Training Centers, describes the intent of standardized training curricula and the process the agency and industry will follow to establish that curricula.

The standardized curriculum concept is expected to provide several benefits to operators and the FAA, including improving safety, creating efficiencies in administrative burdens for both parties, and ensuring consistency in the FAA approval process. More...

Working with antennas is an important part of working in avionics. Those who have earned ASTM International’s NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician certificate will need to move on to radio communications systems and dependent navigation systems endorsements. A good study resource for the RCS, DNS and other endorsement exams is from a textbook published by Avotek titled, Avionics: Beyond the AET.

In the textbook, you’ll find illustrations and more variations of the antennas described in this Avionics News article. Radio communication and dependent navigation both rely on antennas. It’s almost a guarantee an avionics technician will replace or repair antennas multiple times in their careers. As a result, a technician will find antenna theory useful. More...

Members of the Aircraft Electronics Association recently elected Simpson Bennett to its board of directors. The marketing communications manager for Genesys Aerosystems has been in the aviation industry for 10 years, including serving as product manager and central region sales manager for Avidyne. He earned his private pilot’s license in 2003.

“Like many others, my initial dream was to fly jets for a corporate flight department, but I quickly realized that I enjoyed the freedom of flying myself on my own schedule far more,” said Bennett, who earned a bachelor’s degree in aviation management.

Based in Mineral Wells, Texas, Genesys Aerosystems provides integrated avionics systems for military and civilian aircraft operators. The company’s products include synthetic vision, flight management, hazardous alert and electronic flight instrument systems, autopilots and sensors. Bennett oversees the company’s marketing strategy and lead generation, trade show efforts, marketing materials, website and more. More...

When Jerry Sanders joined the U.S. Marine Corps out of high school, he didn’t realize that it would set the course for a lifelong career in avionics that would span 25 years to date. He spent those early days in the military as an avionics line technician working on CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters.

“It was a great helicopter with lots of challenges for an avionics technician,” said Sanders, whose father, grandfather and uncles also served in the military. “The aircraft didn’t have many computer systems that you would find today, so most of the troubleshooting was ringing out wiring and looking at wiring diagrams.”

One of the highlights of Sanders’ career came in 2009 when he worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a federal contractor. He spent a year as an airframe and powerplant mechanic and avionics technician for the shuttle training aircraft. More...

The new-generation BendixKing AeroCruze 230 is not only a drop-in replacement for the thousands of legacy KFC 150/200-series analog autopilots, but it also delivers true digital performance and safety features at a down-to-earth price.

While the new-generation, digital AeroCruze 230 sits at the top of BendixKing’s current autopilot hierarchy, next in line is the AeroCruze 100 for certified aircraft and xCruze 100 for experimental aircraft. More...

Registration is now open for the Federal Aviation Administration’s first virtual International Rotorcraft Safety Conference, which will take place Oct. 27-29 to explore ways to reduce the national and international helicopter accident rate.

Leaders from the FAA's Aircraft Certification and Flight Standards Services will open the conference, followed by programs for the entire helicopter community. The first day will include presentations about coping with the aftermath of a helicopter accident, the consequences of failing to follow procedures, the impact of drones, and the benefits of safety management systems.

The next two days will focus on maintenance and operations. On Oct. 28, mechanics will receive programming designed by experts from Schweizer, Bell, Airbus, and Robinson helicopter companies. On Oct. 29, programming for pilots will include topics regarding human factors, helicopter safety ratings, accident prevention and investigations.

The conference is directed at rotorcraft pilots, mechanics, operators, small company owners, government regulators and industry executives from the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and many other locations. The event will offer Inspection Authorization and FAA AMT and WINGS credits. More...

Join more than 850 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.

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...

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?

The first individual who submits the correct answer will be awarded a $100 Visa gift card, courtesy of Southeast Aerospace, and the winner will be announced in the next edition of AEA Wired.

In addition, each award recipient in 2020 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...

NEW COURSE! Aircraft Instrument Systems (8 seats remain)

This course is designed for avionics technicians or apprentices who want to learn more about aircraft instrument systems and better understand their operation, installation considerations, and maintenance to become more effective troubleshooters. From simple mechanical gauges to complex electrical and electronic systems, this course covers nearly every instrument system in an aircraft.

Basic Pitot-Static & Transponder Theory, Testing & Troubleshooting (3 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.

IFR6000 and IFR4000 Operations (7 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 (10 seats remain)

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.

The Regulations of Maintenance (14 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 for Repair Station (15 seats remain)

This course focuses on the basics of internal auditing, providing the tools and methods necessary to meet the international regulatory needs as well as the continuous improvement of the repair station. Many regulatory authorities require a repair station to perform internal audits and require their auditors to be trained.

Basic Wiring & Avionics Installation (12 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.

ADS-B Configuration, Testing & Troubleshooting (13 seats remain)

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.

Digital Databus Theory & Analysis Training (14 seats remain)

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.

Certified Repair Station Training (9 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. 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.

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 rachelh@aea.net.