Published annually by the Aircraft Electronics Association, the 2021-22 edition of the AEA Pilot's Guide will be unveiled with free distribution at the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture Oshkosh in Wisconsin, July 26 through Aug. 1. AEA staff members will distribute thousands of complimentary copies to pilots and aircraft owners at the AEA's AirVenture booth, No. 2035/2036 in Hangar B at Wittman Regional Airport.

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...

To help owners of general aviation aircraft modernize their cockpits, the Aircraft Electronics Association will randomly award five aircraft owners with $1,000 toward an avionics upgrade during the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture Oshkosh, July 26 through Aug. 1, in Wisconsin.

Aircraft owners may enter to win one of the five $1,000 awards in Hangar B at Wittman Regional Airport, booth No. 2035/2036, beginning July 26. The AEA will announce one winner each day from July 26 through July 30 via its social media outlets on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Aircraft owners must be at least 18 years old to register to win. Each of the five winners must use an AEA-member avionics repair station to complete the installation. Each entry gives aircraft owners a chance to win one of the five daily drawings. For official rules and contest entry forms, visit the AEA's booth at AirVenture. 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...

The AEA has two upcoming members-only webinars. Members can find a link to register for these free events on the AEA website with their member login and password.

If you have an FAA regulated anti-drug and alcohol program, you know your records can be inspected at any time. During the current pandemic, more inspections are taking place, and inspectors are conducting them virtually. This educational webinar is intended to help you stay ready for a virtual audit. Our panelists from NATA Compliance Services cover several audit preparation topics. More...

With more than 15 years of managing anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention programs, NATA Compliance Services has seen a thing or two! Join us as we review the impacts of marijuana legalization on our industry, common errors and oversights, training requirements and much more. More...

The countdown to AirVenture Oshkosh 2021 is in full swing, and EAA Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board Jack Pelton offers a preview into the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration. While some areas may look different at Oshkosh this year, the feeling will be the same as the aviation community reunites to celebrate flight. Tune in for a glimpse at how planning for this year’s event is taking off in this episode of AEA Amplified, sponsored by Genesys Aerosystems, a Moog Company.

Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Podbean or Spotify. More...

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...

SMS should not be viewed as a new, independent product that must be added to an operation. It should not be a product you place on the shelf to satisfy your inspector once a year during the authority audit. If so, it is already a failure! How you manage safety is as integral to your business as how you manage human resources, finances, or support equipment: It is just part of business.

Read Ric Peri's "View from Washington" column in this month's Avionics News. More...

The following information was provided by Universal Avionics, an Elbit Systems Company.

Regulations adopted by the Federal Civil Aviation Agency in Mexico (Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil - AFAC) mandate certain fixed-wing turbine aircraft to carry specific flight data recorders. The mandate applies to fixed-wing turbine aircraft, based on the number of passenger seats (excluding crew seats), or fixed-wing turbine aircraft with MTOW that falls within the published rule, including cargo aircraft and aircraft operating under Part 91 with a Mexican registration. Foreign air carriers with Mexican authorization also need to comply, but foreign operators (non-Mexican registration) under Part 91 do not. More...

The scenes are shaping up around the grounds of AirVenture 2021, the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual celebration of aviation, aircraft and the people who work, play and fly around the world. EAA staff and volunteers have been busy planning the 2021 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, which opens Monday, July 26 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 1.

After canceling the 2020 event due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has spent months planning for the 2021 event to accommodate the expected crowds of people and planes, with an eye toward making the grounds as people friendly as possible. More...

For Brent Olsen, a Loveland, Colorado-based electrical engineer and Federal Aviation Administration designated engineering representative, aviation has always been a part of his life.

“My dad had a Stinson when I was a kid,” said Olsen, who started Olsen Technologies in 1995. “He was a master electrician and a private pilot. At 91, he still has his private pilot’s license. I got the aviation bug from him.”

Today, Olsen provides aircraft electrical engineering and DER services to operators and companies as well as designs, develops and produces power backup and protection products for experimental and general aviation aircraft. A private pilot and homebuilt enthusiast, he also serves as a volunteer Experimental Aircraft Association technical counselor. More...

Rarely does an intercom motivate an avionics upgrade. But when the aircraft’s mission is to recreate history by allowing people to experience some of the sights, sounds, and smells their family and friends experienced during World War II, clear communication is essential.

Such is the mission of Texas Raiders, the Commemorative Air Force B-17G operated and cared for by its Gulf Coast Wing. Based north of Houston at Conroe, Texas, and chartered in September 1971, the wing cared for Japanese movie replicas that flew in Tora, Tora, Tora. The CAF assigned the B-17 to it in 1974. More...

This is the month we celebrate an avionics anniversary. July 2, 2021, marks the 104th anniversary of the first voice transmission from air to ground. On July 2, 1917, the United States Army Signal Corps used a radio system designed by Western Electric to make voice transmissions from air to ground. The range was short, only 2 miles. On July 4, they made a ground-to-air transmission. By the end of the month, the Army Signal Corps demonstrated air-to-air transmissions. In June 2013, Avionics News proclaimed these events to be the birth of avionics as we know it today.

After passing ASTM’s National Center for Aerospace & Transportation Technologies Aircraft Electronics Technician certification test, technicians look forward to earning two more certificates, the Radio Communication Systems and Dependent Navigation Systems endorsements. Usually, the next test on the list is the RCS. Not only will this month’s column explain some of the knowledge requirements for the RCS, but also some of the history and reasoning behind the design of our system today. More...

The AEA has unveiled the dates and locations for its 2021 Connect Conferences in the United States. Online registration is available for both attendees and exhibitors. The annual AEA Connect Conferences are two-day events that personally connect general aviation industry professionals. The schedule is as follows:

The AEA continues to monitor travel restrictions and guidance from authorities around the world and will make a determination whether Connect Conferences can take place in Europe, Canada, and South Pacific. More...

During the June 23 regulatory session at the 64th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show in Dallas, Texas, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it has accepted the AEA's avionics technician apprenticeship program to satisfy regulatory compliance for the issuance of a repairman certificate. The announcement was made to convention attendees by Jackie L. Black, manager of the FAA's Aircraft Maintenance Division.

"After careful review of the AEA avionics technician apprenticeship program, we find that this program will assess the competencies of the avionics technician," wrote Black in a June 16, 2021, letter to the AEA. "We agree that successful completion of this program will meet the intent of the regulation stated in 14 CFR section 65.101 (a)(5)(ii) for the issuance of a repairman's certificate." To view the FAA's letter, click here.

The announcement by the FAA follows prior approval of the AEA's avionics technician apprenticeship program from the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship. Click here to read Bulletin 2020-12 published Oct. 31, 2019, which gave approval of the competency-based occupational framework that meets industry standards for an avionics technician. 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...

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.

Certified Repair Station Training (4 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 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 Wiring & Avionics Installation (SOLD-OUT)

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 (5 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.

Primary Flight Display Installation & Integration (14 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/comm consisting of dual Garmin GI 275, a Garmin GTN 650 touch screen, 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.

Bench Basics 101 (New course: 13 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.

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.

Avionics Installation for Experimental Aircraft (15 seats remain)

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.

ADS-B Configuration, Testing & Troubleshooting (15 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.

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.