The Aircraft Electronics Association has moved the dates of its 64th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show to June 22-25, 2021. The event will take place at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.

"The health and well-being of attendees and exhibitors is our top priority," said AEA President and CEO Mike Adamson. "In consultation with hotel and health officials in Dallas, we have decided to move the event dates to allow more time for COVID-19 vaccinations and for the possibility of fewer travel restrictions. We will continue to work with our hotel partner to ensure that we can meet safely by following established protocols along with guidance from the CDC and local government."

All convention attendee registrations and exhibitor contracts previously transacted will be automatically moved to the new dates, and no further action is required. More...

With the dates of the AEA International Convention & Trade Show moving to June 22-25, attendees and exhibitors who made reservations at the Hilton Anatole in the AEA room block for mid-March should note that the hotel will close those reservations and refund deposits to the credit card used to make the reservation. This hotel policy is designed to help ensure the correct arrival and departure dates are secured for all attendees in June.

To make a reservation at the Hilton Anatole for the AEA Convention in June, click here.

For those avionics professionals interested in attending the AEA Convention in June and have not yet registered, the deadline for early-bird registrations has been extended from Dec. 31, 2020, until March 31, 2021. The early-bird discounted price of $675 (AEA member rate) for a full convention attendee registration offers a $180 per person savings off the on-site registration fee.

If you haven't already registered, you can take advantage of the early-bird rate by clicking here.

The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand has released a package of changes to the performance-based navigation regulatory framework for public consultation.

The purpose of these changes is to support New Zealand’s continued safe implementation of PBN in a way that minimizes the regulatory burden, provides flexibility to accommodate changes in technology, and is clear for the CAA and participants. To achieve this, the CAA is proposing several regulatory changes and associated guidance material that will create a modern, fit-for-purpose regulatory framework that enables the potential benefits of PBN to be achieved.

The CAA is seeking feedback and consultation closes 19 February 2021. More...

The minister of transport signed an updated civil aviation rule that will improve aviation safety in New Zealand’s controlled airspace.

Acting Director of Civil Aviation Shelley Turner said the rule, signed by Minister of Transport Hon Michael Wood on 13 December, requires all aircraft flying in controlled airspace to be equipped with ADS-B Out by 31 December 2022.

“The signing of this rule and confirmation of the 31 December 2022 implementation date is an important step for modernising New Zealand’s air traffic management system,” Turner said.

The one significant change between the final version of the rule signed by the minister and the initial proposal is the extension of the implementation date by one year." More...

The Federal Aviation Administration is making steady progress on integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system with demonstration projects, but the heavy lifting is just ahead to achieve large-scale use of commercial drones.

At the FAA’s fifth UAS Symposium, which took place in cooperation with the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, several speakers mentioned the phrase “crawl, walk, run,” and surely the sector is not yet at the run stage. But whether the drone industry is in the walk stage of a toddler with limited radius or a more-mobile middle school student is in the eye of the beholder. And when will the commercial UAS sector run like athletes? In manned aviation, the management of high-density air traffic into New York City hub airports is like an Olympic sport. The FAA is obviously looking for the most-professional, safest and most-secure solutions to drone traffic so it can integrate with what is happening in the world of manned aircraft. The Olympics for drones may be out there, but how far is unclear. More...

At Sandusky City Airport 70 miles north of Detroit, Michigan, October evenings are already dipping into the 30s. The FlyBoyz Aviation crew is working late again.

“We have a busy schedule through the next several months with no foreseeable slowdown,” said Adam Ondrajka, who owns and operates FlyBoyz Aviation. The shop provides maintenance, repairs, inspections and avionics installations for small general aviation aircraft.

“This month, we’re installing an Electroair electronic ignition system on a Beechcraft Bonanza V35, a JPI EDM 900 primary system and a Garmin ADS-B transponder on a Piper Malibu, completely replacing a Cessna Skylane’s panel with Garmin G3X flight displays and an Avidyne IFD540 GPS/nav/comm, updating a Skylane with a basic IFR panel and some used Garmin avionics. We’re also hoping to finish a ground-up restoration on a Cessna 175 this winter, which will feature Dynon and Avidyne systems.” More...

It’s the law. ADS-B is required now, everywhere transponders were required previously. There’s more to this than meets the eye. In the avionics classes I teach at Pennsylvania College of Technology, I refer to it as Automatic Dependent Surveillance, or ADS, because there is more going on than the broadcast. Over the last few years during the rush to equip aircraft with the new technology, technicians in schools and in the field are learning new things.

ADS offers several advantages over transponder-based secondary surveillance radar, which relies on a transponder in the aircraft. The original transponder would respond to air traffic control interrogations with a reply of a four-digit code, and possibly, pressure altitude. In the 1990s, Mode-S transponder (S for sequential) came into being and became a requirement for some but not all aircraft. Mode-S had an advantage over the original transponder system because it could report whether or not the aircraft was airborne and if the aircraft was flying. Moreover, it could report a speed range for the aircraft. Advanced Mode-S transponders could help airliner collision avoidance systems negotiate solutions to potential collision threats. All Mode-S transponders broadcast an electronic beacon called a squitter, which would transmit once per second. More...

Mac and David Copeland share their family’s unique aviation history in this episode of AEA Amplified. Mac is following in big family footsteps as a third-generation pilot. He recently completed his first solo while attending college and working toward his private pilot certificate. His father, David, is the vice president of sales for Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics. And his grandparents, John and Marilyn, operated an airport, one that felt more like home than the house. With links to Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, listen to the Copeland family’s incredible aviation story.

Subscribe to AEA Amplified on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Podbean or Spotify. More...

The AEA recently opened online enrollment for several training classes scheduled over the next several months at its headquarters in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Six brand-new courses are being offered for the first time.

Class sizes are limited, and social distancing protocols are in place for all attendees. Interested parties are encouraged to register well in advance to reserve a seat. Scroll down further in this edition of AEA Wired to learn more. More...

The Aircraft Electronics Association will award 23 scholarships totaling more than $100,000 for the 2021-22 school year to students pursuing a career in avionics or aircraft maintenance, as well as students from AEA member companies.

Since its inception, the AEA scholarship program has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships. Numerous awards are available, ranging from $1,000 to more than $35,000 each. Scholarship applications are available online, and the deadline to submit an application is April 1, 2021. More...

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...

Join more than 1,000 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.

This month's featured product is a Collins 17L-8A VHF transmitter. However, with no correct submission, the $100 Visa gift card will carry over to January, courtesy of Southeast Aerospace. Therefore, the first person to submit the correct answer in next month's Mystery Make and Model challenge will win a $200 Visa gift card.

Avionics technicians can put their "inside" knowledge to work in the next issue of AEA Wired. Stay tuned for the next Mystery Make and Model challenge!

PFD Installation & Integration (12 seats remain)

Lee's Summit, Missouri (New course!)

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 touchscreen nav/comm/GPS, Garmin GTX 345 transponder and dual Garmin GI 275 primary flight displays.

Bench Basics 101 (13 seats remain)

Lee's Summit, Missouri (New course!)

This course is designed for technicians who have completed the AEA’s Basic Wiring course and/or have a couple of years of basic avionics installation practice, familiar with basic soldering skills and are looking for experience in LRU bench testing and avionics flight line testing. ADS-B transponder systems, nav/ILS and VHF comms will be the focus of study. Technicians will fabricate a general-purpose test panel, a bench test harness, and a transponder test harness that they will use in the course.

NAV/COMM Equipment Service Training (13 seats remain)

Lee's Summit, Missouri (New course!)

This course is designed for technicians who have completed the AEA’s Bench Basics 101 course and/or have a couple of years of basic avionics installation practice and are looking for experience in LRU bench testing and avionics flight line testing. NAV/ILS will be the focus of study.

Transponder Service Training (13 seats remain)

Lee's Summit, Missouri (New course!)

This course is designed for technicians who have completed the AEA’s Bench Basics 101 course and/or have a couple of years of basic avionics installation practice and are looking for experience in LRU bench testing and avionics flight line testing. ADS-B transponder systems, NAV/ILS and VHF comms will be the focus of study.

Pitot-Static & Transponder Testing & Inspection with ADS-B Implementation (8 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. With so many questions surrounding ADS-B, this course will provide the answers and what you need to know.

Avionics Installation for Experimental Aircraft (11 seats remain)

This 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 out a niche, this class has something for everyone.

Basic Wiring & Avionics Installation (13 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. 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 federal aviation regulation 91.411 and 91.413 checks.

Aircraft Maintenance Regulations (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 Program for Repair Stations (14 seats remain)

Are you an EASA certified repair station? Did you know there is an internal audit requirement in your EASA supplement? Do you have foreign certifications that require an internal audit program? Is your FAA inspector asking you about an internal audit program during their surveillance? Do you want to enhance your basic quality control program with a proactive internal audit program? This course focuses on the basics of internal auditing and the development of an internal audit program, providing the tools and methods necessary to meet the international regulatory needs as well as the continuous improvement of the repair station.

Certified Repair Station Training (15 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. 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.