Avionics News July 2013 - 4

The Journey Continues

reetings, friends and colleagues, and welcome to ings to me. I attended the 56th annual AEA International
my first “Point of Communication” article as the Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas and the National
new vice chairman of the Aircraft Electronics Association Business Aviation Association Maintenance Management
board of directors. First, I would like to thank my fellow Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. At each of these events,
board members for entrusting me with the responsibilities I networked with old friends, met new vendors and cusof this leadership position. It is an honor and privilege to tomers, and made new friends. We shared our stories,
serve the membership of the AEA, and I look forward to successes and frustrations face-to-face in a way you cannot
continuing the journey in this new role.
accomplish through the Internet. Don’t get me
For those of you who don’t know me, I have
wrong; the new social media networks certainly
worked in aviation for 34 years. My love for
have their place and demonstrated the ability
aviation goes back to my childhood days when
to globally connect us. But nothing beats the
my grandpa took me to the Galesburg (Ill.)
personal connections made between individuals
Municipal Airport to watch the Ozark Air Lines
like those developed through direct interaction.
DC-3s arrive. From my first job on the final
In our community, no greater resource is availassembly line at Bellanca Aircraft Company in
able to us than each other.
Alexandria, Minn., installing Collins Microline
Paula Derks, AEA president, posed a quesDavid Loso
and King Silver Crown equipment in Turbo
tion to the membership during the recent AEA
Vikings to my current position in avionics sales
Convention, “What’s working for you?”
with Jet Aviation, I have worked for two airframe original
For me, the No. 1 thing that works is networking with
equipment manufacturers, one avionics OEM, one small my fellow avionics colleagues. It gives me the truest sense
independent shop and three MROs (as director of avionics of the state of our industry, and it reinforces a talented and
for two of them).
dedicated group of people devoted to their aviation careers,
I will draw on this experience to represent you, our and, in particular, avionics.
members. I’m excited to be on this journey, and I look forIn the coming months and years, our businesses will face
ward to hearing from you on ways the AEA can continue many challenges from our customers, regulators, healthcare
to be valuable to you and your business. No doubt, new reform and from sorting out how to best offer solutions to
challenges will confront each of you. How you meet those the forthcoming equipment mandates like ADS-B, just to
challenges and how the AEA, through its various member- name a few.
ship benefits, helps you meet those challenges will remain
Through it all, let’s not forget to reach out to each other
my top priority.
and keep talking. q
One of the greatest strengths our industry possesses is
our relatively small size. This promotes a tight-knit community, which allows us to develop relationships that span
many years and different jobs. Throughout the years, I
have found the best social networks to not be Facebook
or Twitter, but rather the times we personally gather at the DAVID LOSO
various aviation events each year.
Vice Chairman, AEA board of directors
Two recent events reinforced the value of these meet- Jet Aviation St. Louis

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july 2013
july 2013

Avionics News July 2013

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