Nearly 100 general aviation maintenance and manufacturing professionals gathered for the 25th annual AEA Europe Regional Meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 11-13. The attendance numbers were 10 percent higher than the previous year and up nearly 25 percent from two years ago, a signal that a turn-around in the market may be developing. Certainly, the buzz from the exhibit hall and the positive outlook from the member organizations would indicate this.
With the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the U.S. and the European community recently inked, the meeting focused on the potential impact to member maintenance and design organizations. Just days before the meeting, the Technical Implementation Procedures and Maintenance Annex Guidance were released. Members were briefed on the highlights of these new documents, which can be found on the government affairs/Europe section (member login required) of the AEA’s website.
Certification is always a topic of high importance in Europe, whether the discussion is focused on the lack of a true AML-STC process, the burden of fees and charges, the impact of revised flight-testing rules or the disconnect between various civil aviation authorities. The AEA Europe members are as constrained as any in getting alterations to aircraft accomplished. These discussions were the focus of the annual round table discussions which allow members from neighboring states to share their own concerns in hopes of creating broader action and resolution from a single AEA voice.
The AEA’s European program also included a full day of training on U.S. regulations for foreign repair stations, a half-day weather radar course and technical presentations from Aspen Avionics, Avidyne and Garmin. Special thanks to the sponsoring companies who helped make the AEA’s 25th annual Europe Regional Meeting a success: Garmin, L-3 Avionics Systems, Mid-Continent Instruments and Universal Avionics.