Avionics News June 2013 - 33

Imagine more than 1,500 avionics professionals from all over the world getting
together to compare notes on the latest products and services, receive training
on topics ranging from safety management systems to vintage aircraft wiring,
and be entertained by the first and only man to fly around the world, nonstop and
unrefueled. Oh and there also were some Elvis impersonators, as well.

retail price) of all aircraft electronics sales – including
all components and accessories in the cockpit and in
the cabin. Also to be included are software upgrades;
portable, aviation-specific products; electronics sold
for installation in noncertified aircraft; all associated
hardware (nose-to-tail); batteries; and chargeable
product upgrades from the participating manufacturers.
Excluded from current and future reports are repairs
and overhauls, extended warranty or subscription
services.
“Never before has there been a true capture of the
dollar size of the general aviation electronics market,”
Derks said. “Not only will this report be useful to
our membership in strategic planning and examining
market share, but it will be valuable information to
promote our industry to the aviation community,
investors, and most importantly, when informing our
elected officials of the value of the industry to the
global economy.”
To ensure confidentiality, the participating
manufacturing companies submitted their overall sales
figures for 2012 to an independent third-party accounting
firm retained to produce the AEA Avionics Market
Report. Those procedures will continue as additional
companies participate in future market reports, which are
to be published on quarterly and annual schedules.
Of course, there were many other activities
and events at this year’s AEA Convention. In one
major example, the association rolled out its safety

management systems program, a comprehensive, Webbased effort designed to relieve AEA members from the
burden of creating their own.
During the convention, two detailed seminars were
presented on the program, in which the AEA manages
the SMS with each participating member company
functioning as a separate department. Under the
AEA implementation, it acts as each participating
organization’s director of safety, with a member
company’s designated SMS coordinator working
on-site at each facility. The program is free to AEA
members, and it complies with emerging worldwide
requirements for aviation-industry participants to
embrace SMS.

By The Numbers
That first-ever AEA Avionics Market Report presents
a big number, one sure to grow as more manufacturers
agree to submit their sales figures and as the industry
works its way out of the worldwide economic
downturn.
It also will serve as a much-needed barometer of the
industry’s health and global impact.
And it’s fitting the new industry service was
announced at this year’s convention because, in a very
real sense, Las Vegas is all about numbers, such as
seven or 21. Too often, of course, those of us leaving
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Avionics News June 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News June 2013