Like the organization itself, the annual Aircraft Electronics Association convention and tradeshow is important for member avionics shops and installers. It’s a good place for quality training, to learn about the latest regulatory issues and to interact directly with manufacturers. It’s also a place for new product announcements. With over 125 exhibitors and representation from over 300 companies from 16 countries, this year’s convention in Orlando, Florida, was well-attended and the mood was positive for good reason.
I sensed that while supply chain issues aren’t exactly over, the climate is better than it was at last year’s show, and perhaps better than it was at AirVenture last summer. Still, shops and manufacturers I talked with said that FAA approvals are a hurry-up-and-wait process, and it’s still a huge challenge to find skilled avionics installers and troubleshooters. This means longer downtimes when aircraft are on the shop floor, and labor rates certainly aren’t going down.