Avionics News April 2018 - 11

AEA Europe Connect Conference
set for Prague, April 24-25
The first AEA Connect Conference of 2018
will take place April 24-25 at the Prague
Marriott Hotel in the Czech Republic. Advance
registration is available through April 17 at aea.
net/connect/Europe.
This is your opportunity to network with
the largest gathering of avionics maintenance
professionals in Europe.
The 32nd annual AEA Europe Connect
Conference will include officials from the

European Aviation Safety Agency to discuss
important regulatory changes affecting your
maintenance organization. It is the place
to satisfy annual training requirements for
avionics professionals and keep up-to-date
with all the latest product developments from a
variety of manufacturers. q

AEA supports Aviation Workforce Bill
Joint industry letter of support sent to Senate leaders
The Aircraft Electronics Association, along
with 16 other aviation organizations, recently
sent a letter of support to four Senate leaders for
introducing the Aviation Maintenance Workforce
Development Pilot Program. The proposed
legislation is intended to address the workforce
shortage in the aviation industry.
Leading the effort, the
Aeronautical Repair Station
Association and a broad
cross-section of the aviation
industry groups, including the
AEA, sent the letter March
5 to Senators James Inhofe
(R-Okla.); Richard Blumenthal
(D-Conn.); Jerry Moran (R-Kan.); and Maria Cantwell
(D-Wash.).
"According to results from the AEA Rate and Labor
Survey, we know it's difficult to lure talent from another
shop or other industries," said AEA President Paula
Derks. "Every year, the survey results reaffirm the
difficulty in finding qualified technicians. I commend
these four senators for introducing legislation that takes
aim at addressing the technician shortage by creating a
new pilot program to train maintenance professionals

and recruit new technicians."
In part, the joint industry letter stated:
"Your legislation would incentivize businesses,
labor organizations, schools, and governmental
entities to work together to pursue innovative new
strategies to develop technical talent and encourage
workers to pursue aviation careers. Given the scale
of the challenge facing
companies in Oklahoma,
Connecticut, Kansas,
Washington, and elsewhere
around the country, your
proposal could not be
timelier.
"An analysis by Boeing
suggests that 118,000 new technicians will be needed
in North America over the next two decades. The
consulting firm Oliver Wyman has forecast that
demand for aviation maintenance technicians will
outstrip supply by 2022. The Aviation Technician
Education Council (ATEC) recently determined that
new entrants make up just two percent of the aviation
technician population annually, while 30 percent of
the workforce is at or near retirement age."
To read the letter in its entirety, visit aea.net. q

avionics news

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april

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11
http://www.aea.net
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News April 2018
