Avionics News April 2012 - 64

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discussions, the Strategic Outlook Committee decided to focus our near-future efforts on regulatory challenges, marketplace paradigm shifts and parts obsolescence. As the avionics voice for the general aviation industry, the committee felt these are three issues where we can make a difference, and can make positive inroads in the immediate future. Parts obsolescence To briefly summarize the plan going forward, the committee is suggesting to the AEA board of directors that an ad hoc committee be formed to create a white paper on industry parts obsolescence issues. The paper would be a collaborative effort from different avionics OEMs, to include forecasted lifespan of various systems, production obstacles and how best a repair station can work with both the OEM as well as the end user on working through the challenges of obsolete parts. marketplace Paradigm Shift: What Will the traditional Dealer network look like in 10 years? The marketplace paradigm shift in our industry may not be quite as easy to tackle. In frank discussions around the table, committee members from both sides of the industry expressed frustrations. The repair station representatives complained of a lack of sales support and training from the manufacturers when trying to sell a new product. The OEMs
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lamented that a lot of their dealers have no formal sales training, and they don’t make an effort to create a marketing plan to sell OEM products to potential customers. The OEMs shared that the costs associated with maintaining a dealer in their network at times outweighs what the dealer is actually selling on their behalf. In response, the committee is asking the AEA to facilitate more sales and marketing training for the repair station members, both at the annual convention and regional meetings around the world, and through online Webbased training. The AEA also will be charged with developing a “Best Practices” template for shops to consider when developing a marketing plan. Working in partnership with both the OEMs and the repair station members, the AEA will be examining other ways to keep the lines of communication and support open between both parties. regulatory challenges Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the committee was addressing the myriad of regulatory issues around the globe. The committee cited the decrease in the ability to obtain field approvals, while at the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (and other international regulatory authorities) reluctance to sometimes accept supplemental type certificates, AML-STCs, as well as its disinclination to give full delegation authority to designated engineering representatives

and organization designation authorities. While the FAA readily admits some of its constraints are caused by a reduced workforce and a lack of funding, not to mention the challenge for inspectors to keep up with the introduction of new technologies, the AEA membership is disillusioned by individual inspectors who interpret their own version of the regulations or hinder the progress of certification and installation of equipment. Of course, the committee, as well as the AEA staff, recognizes both the OEMs and repair station community must continue to work as partners with all international authorities to use everyone’s resources to the maximum. Simply put: industry can’t identify problems without offering solutions. Technology is advancing so quickly, and industry is operating on the fringes of the current regulations. Therefore, it is up to us to work with the regulators to facilitate modernizing the regulations, guidance and policy to meet the demands of the future. Trying to overcome these obstacles will not be an easy task, but the Strategic Outlook Committee is offering specific recommendations for the association to tackle. These include: • Work with the FAA and other international authorities to take on more of an oversight role instead of the current “approval” role. • Introduce the concept of “specialized work” as an approved method, similar to the Transport Canada Civil Aviation model. • Have the AEA formulate a recognized ODA partnership

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Avionics News April 2012

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