Nearly 2,000 avionics manufacturers, repair stations, installers, and other general aviation professionals have converged at the 62nd annual Aircraft Electronics Association International Convention & Trade Show, which opened March 25, 2019, at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, California.
The four-day event, which runs through March 28, is the largest gathering of avionics manufacturers, distributors and government-certified repair stations in the world, according to AEA officials.
The event’s primary focus is providing avionics professionals with educational and marketing opportunities between equipment manufacturers, distributors and repair stations.
Highlights of this year’s convention include:
- The introduction of new AEA President and CEO Mike Adamson. He succeeds Paula Derks who is retiring after serving as the association’s president and CEO for the last 23 years.
Mike Adamson - Nearly 30 companies will participate in the AEA New Product Introductions session.
- More than 120 hours of regulatory, technical and business management training and professional development courses, all approved for credit toward the AEA’s Avionics Training Excellence Award, as well as accepted for FAA IA renewal and the AMT Awards Program.
- With 70 technical training and professional development courses available for attendees, it is the most training offered in the convention’s 62-year history.
- A sold-out exhibit hall with 134 companies.
- The latest regulatory updates with international agency personnel.
- Free Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) certification and endorsement exams to convention attendees, courtesy of the AEA Educational Foundation and its partnership with ASTM International’s National Center for Aerospace and Transportation Technologies (NCATT). Attendees may test their knowledge in achieving the highly regarded AET certification, which is recognized by the FAA as equivalent to formal training when showing eligibility for the issuance of a repairman certificate. This $100 value is only available through the AEA at the convention.