Aug. 14, 2019

Keeping the general aviation industry connected

Worldwide Business and GA Avionics Sales Exceed $1.5 Billion in First Six Months of 2019 The Aircraft Electronics Association released its second-quarter 2019 Avionics Market Report. In the first six months of the year, total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales amounted to $1,506,893,525.64, or more than $1.5 billion as reported by the participating companies. The figure represented a 14% increase in total sales compared to the first six months of 2018. During the second-quarter months of April, May and June, sales increased 14.8% compared to the same time frame one year ago. Of the more than $1.5 billion in sales during the first half of 2019, 52.7% came from the retrofit market (avionics equipment installed after original production), while forward-fit sales (avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production) amounted to 47.3% of sales. According to the companies that separated their total sales figures between North America (U.S. and Canada) and other international markets, 74.9% of the year-to-date sales volume occurred in North America (U.S. and Canada), while 25.1% took place in other international markets. More...

Stephen Dickson Sworn in as FAA Administrator On Monday, Aug. 12, Stephen M. Dickson was sworn in by U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao as the Federal Aviation Administration's 18th administrator. An aviation industry professional with nearly 40 years of experience, Dickson recently retired from Delta Air Lines as the senior vice president of flight operations after a 27-year career with the airline, where he flew five different aircraft types, and was in charge of training, technical support and regulatory compliance. Dickson is a 1979 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as an F-15 fighter pilot. He will oversee a $16.4 billion budget and more than 47,000 employees. Dickson replaces Dan Elwell, who served as acting administrator since January 2018. Elwell returns to his post as FAA deputy administrator. More...

Aviation's Technology Experts to Connect in Toronto, Sept. 9-10 Registration is now open for individuals to attend and for companies to exhibit at the AEA Canada Connect Conference at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel in Toronto, Ontario. Technicians can get the latest technical information from leading avionics, instrument and test equipment manufacturers; satisfy repair station training requirements; and learn about new products, their application, certification and installation. Connect with your regional sales and support representatives in the exhibit hall. The regulatory update will be presented by Ric Peri, AEA vice president of government and industry affairs, and Kevin Bruce, AEA Canada regulatory consultant. In addition, Ryan Hennigar, TCCA program manager for operational airworthiness, will address new ELT maintenance standards, TCCA authorizations for FAA 145 under the MIP, new AME credential, and new issue of AC 571-024 - Documentation for Parts - new matrix in the document. Representatives from Nav Canada also will provide important information to avionics professionals. Hotel reservations should be made by Aug. 19. More...

Canada: New CVR Rule Published in Gazette A year ago, a published article identified the proposed rule changes for flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. This proposed change was published in Gazette II in May 2019. As of this date, the requirements for FDRs and CVRs have been separated and both now have a requirement for underwater locating devices. The aircraft that require FDRs has not changed. The aircraft that require CVRs has not changed yet. New types of aircraft will have four years to comply to the new requirements coming into effect in May 2023. However, current aircraft that require a CVR with a two-hour recording time will need a 10-minute RIPS capability added.  More...

Frequently Asked Questions Is an advisory circular an acceptable means of compliance to a regulation? Learn the answer in this month's edition of Avionics News. More...

On the Radar: Upcoming Industry Events

AEA Technology Incubator Lee's Summit, Missouri Aug. 28, 2019 The AEA Technology Incubator is designed to demystify the path forward to producing parts for certified aircraft with a focus on producing these parts under the FAA oversight. Due to space limitations, attending companies are limited to two participants. More...

AEA Canada Connect Conference Toronto, Ontario Sept. 9-10, 2019 Online registration is available through Sept. 4. Hotel reservations should be made at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites by Aug. 19. More...

AEA U.S. West Connect Conference Reno, Nevada Sept. 23-24, 2019 Online registration is available through Sept. 18. Hotel reservations should be made at the Nugget Casino Resort by Sept. 9. More...

AEA U.S. Central Connect Conference Kansas City, Missouri Oct. 2-3, 2019 Online registration is available through Sept. 25. Hotel reservations should be made at the Hilton Kansas City Airport by Sept. 10. More...

NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition Las Vegas, Nevada Oct. 22-24, 2019 NBAA-BACE will bring together more than 23,000 attendees for the largest business aviation event in the world. If you are an aircraft owner or considering using an aircraft for business; flight department personnel; a manufacturer or service provider; or a student considering this career path, experience three exciting days in Las Vegas. More...

AEA U.S. East Connect Conference Daytona Beach, Florida Nov. 4-5, 2019 Online registration is available through Oct. 29. Hotel reservations should be made at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront by Oct. 2. More...

AEA South Pacific Connect Conference Adelaide, Australia Nov. 18-19, 2019 Online registration is available through Nov. 8. Hotel reservations should be made at the Hilton Adelaide Hotel by Oct. 17. More...

AEA International Convention & Trade Show Nashville, Tennessee March 24-27, 2020 Aviation's technology experts will convene at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel 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. Avionics professionals will have access to more than 100 hours of technical training and professional development courses. More...

Baker Aviation Offers Early Training in Avionics, Aircraft Maintenance As the industry struggles with the dwindling numbers of aircraft mechanics and avionics technicians, George T. Baker Aviation Technical College in Miami offers a bright, successful model for moving forward. The school has trained the next generation of aviation technicians since the aviation program started in 1939 at Miami Senior High School. Today, some 1,000 students are enrolled in the technical college, studying for a career in aviation. The school, which is part of the Miami-Dade County Public School System, occupies a well-equipped 56,000-square-foot facility on a 7-acre campus adjacent to the Miami International Airport. It provides occupational training in aviation maintenance and avionics for both high school students and those beyond their teenage years.  More...

Avionics Training and Professional Development Classes Register quickly, as most classes sell out!

Avionics Installation and Integration Training (This Class is Sold-Out!) Aug. 19-21, 2019 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 touch screen nav/comm/GPS, Garmin GTX 345 transponder and an Aspen EFD1000 primary flight display.

Pitot-Static & Transponder Testing and Inspection with ADS-B Implementation (This Class is Sold-Out!) Aug. 22, 2019 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 Aug. 23, 2019 Lee's Summit, Missouri Attendees will be introduced to the regulations, documentation, test equipment and maintenance practices associated with performing RVSM maintenance. This course assumes the attendee has good operating knowledge of Federal Aviation Regulations 91.411 and 91.413.

The Regulations of Maintenance Sept. 19-20, 2019 San Diego, California Held in conjunction with the University of Kansas Aerospace Short Course Program 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.

$100 Mystery Make and Model Challenge 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 2019 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...

News from AEA Member Companies

Millennium International Avionics introduced Ray Atkisson as the new director of military business development, where he will be responsible for developing service channels and overseeing sales contracts for the military and government flight operation divisions. Genesys Aerosystems received supplemental type certification for its avionics suite utilizing the IDU-680 and supporting sensors in the Leonardo TH-119. This STC also certifies the TH-119 for single-pilot IFR operations.  uAvionix announced its recent expansion with the official opening of two new facilities. Headquarters 2 in Leesburg, Virginia, will focus on business operations, business development, and regulatory engagement, and a new FAA manufacturing inspection district office approved manufacturing facility in Columbia Falls, Montana. FlightSafety International announced that Rick Madarasz has been promoted to treasurer and chief financial director. Garmin announced new features and enhancements within the Garmin Pilot application for Apple mobile devices. FltPlan.com integration now includes electronic Advance Passenger Information System and Pre-departure Clearances within the U.S.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. earned a 2019 Sustainability Leadership Award from Business Intelligence Group for its sustainable aviation fuel initiatives. Gulfstream also announced the first customer delivery of its all-new Gulfstream G600 aircraft. Satcom Direct is showcasing its powerful SD Xperience portfolio of products to LABACE delegates for the first time during this year’s show, Aug. 13-15, in São Paulo, Brazil. West Star Aviation's wholly-owned subsidiary Avant Aerospace promoted John Hardy to director, based at the East Alton, Illinois, facility. The company's latest safety update was completed at the Grand Junction, Colorado, facility with a fully integrated fall protection system. West Star Aviation now offers two new STCs for the Hawker airframe. These STCs can be installed by scheduling the aircraft for the upgrade(s) at any of the four full-service West Star Textron Aviation approved service center locations. PilotSafety.org announced that Gary Dale Reeves of Decatur, Texas, was named the 2019 National Certificated Flight Instructor of the Year. He is an ATP and Master CFI with over 7,500 hours (mostly instruction given) in over 50 types of aircraft from Cessna 172s to Beech 1900s. Duncan Aviation’s Calibrations Lab recently invested in additional testing equipment and the purchase of standards to calibrate thermohydrometers, both working and masters. This investment allows the company to now offer the full spectrum of calibration services required for FBOs to comply with the ATA 103 Standard for Jet Fuel Quality at Airports and Military compliance.

Thomas Global Systems’ cooperative partner, Saab Regional Aircraft has completed certification of Thomas Global’s TFD-8601 LCD flight displays for installation on Saab 340 CRT-equipped aircraft via the OEM Service Bulletin. SmartSky Networks has partnered with Mosaic ATM to further enhance SmartSky’s Skytelligence open marketplace and framework infrastructure to connect aviation applications and services developers. The expanded Skytelligence allows for the development of new data and services products to improve the efficiency of aviation operations. Banyan Air Service announced that Paul Rose has returned to the company after a three-year tour with Embraer Executive Jets. He rejoins Banyan as vice president of technical sales, a role he previously held with Banyan for over 14 years. Banyan Pilot Shop based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport will host an aviation career day Sept. 21, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is not a job fair, but an educational event to discover what South Florida flight schools, colleges and businesses have to offer. The company also completed its first HondaJet Advanced Performance Modification Group package, which was developed by Honda Aircraft to offer improved performance and avionics capabilities to owners of the HA-420 HondaJet.

Flightcell International Ltd. won Aviation New Zealand’s supreme Company Award, which recognizes the outstanding performance and contribution to the growth of the aviation industry. Southeast Aerospace received Transport Canada Civil Aviation and DGAC (Mexican validation) approvals of its Part 29 ADS-B AML STC. Clay Lacy Aviation expanded its South Florida jet charter fleet with a 12-passenger Gulfstream GV at Naples Municipal Airport in Naples, Florida, where it is the only ultra-long-range business jet available for charter. Dumont Aviation Group appointed industry veteran Robert Flansburg as its new chief operating officer. EIT Avionics FODR announced affordable helicopter flight data monitoring. The EIT Avionics FODR is a high-performance data recorder designed to meet 14 CFR Part 135.607 helicopter flight data monitoring requirements. University of Central Missouri and the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District’s Summit Technology Academy are partnering to launch a new program focusing on avionics and unmanned aircraft systems career pathways. The two educational leaders are seeking individuals working in the avionics industry to join an avionics advisory board for the program.

Looking for a Job in the Avionics Industry? 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...

Need to Post a Job? The AEA Works for You! Is your business hiring? Looking for a new avionics technician or A&P mechanic? Want to buy or sell a business in the general aviation industry? Post these professional opportunities to a target-rich environment: the AEA jobs board. For more information, contact Rachel Hill, AEA advertising executive, at rachelh@aea.net.

About the AEA 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.

Contact: Aircraft Electronics Association 3570 NE Ralph Powell Road Lee's Summit, MO 64064 Phone: 816-347-8400 Fax: 816-347-8405 Email:  info@aea.net Web:  aea.net

Advertising: Rachel Hill, AEA advertising executive Phone: 816-366-5109 Email:  rachelh@aea.net Subscribe to "AEA Wired"   The "AEA Wired" e-newsletter is published twice a month by the AEA.

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