AEA Hosting Wi-Fi Summit Jan. 13-14; Industry, Regulators Participating

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — The Aircraft Electronics Association, in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, is hosting a two-day Wi-Fi Summit for industry participants involved in certifying and installing Wi-Fi equipment in aircraft. The summit will take place from Jan. 13-14, at AEA Headquarters in Lee’s Summit, Mo., 25 minutes south of Kansas City International Airport.

There is no charge to attend the summit; however, seats are limited and you must register in advance prior to Jan. 4. Currently, registration is nearly full.

The Wi-Fi Summit is intended for Wi-Fi modification center representatives, avionics manufacturers producing Wi-Fi applications (certification/sales), airframe manufacturers and DERS.

“Wi-Fi is a growing technology in the business aircraft environment, but there seems to be confusion and conflict in the initial certification and the field installation certification of the products,” said Paula Derks, president of the AEA. “By bringing authorities and industry together to cross-educate both sides, the purpose of the Wi-Fi Summit is to standardize approaches and ensure both the industry and agencies are using the best practices when moving forward.”

In addition to the officials from FAA Headquarters, Transport Airplane Directorate and Small Airplane Directorate who are attending the Wi-Fi Summit, staff from Transport Canada and the European Aviation Safety Agency have been invited.

Topics for the two-day summit include:

• FAA/TCCA/EASA Policy and Guidance

• Industry Challenges and Presentations

• New Technologies: Now and in the Future

• Recommended Future Improvements in the Process

• Developing Industry “Best Practices” for Current and Future Applications

For more information on the AEA Wi-Fi Summit, visit www.aea.net/wifisummit.

The Aircraft Electronics Association represents more than 1,300 repair stations from throughout the world specializing in maintenance, repair and installation of avionics and electronic systems in general aviation aircraft. AEA membership also includes manufacturers of avionics equipment, instrument repair facilities, instrument manufacturers, airframe manufacturers, test equipment manufacturers, major distributors, engineers and educational institutions.