AEA Survey Predicts Need for Avionics Techs

The Aircraft Electronics Association has released the results from its 2010 rate & labor survey to its members. Comparing this year’s results to last year’s, the AEA discovered a promising business outlook for the remainder of this year and into next. “Fifty percent of the respondents said they expect their business to increase this year; 42 percent expect it to remain at least the same,” said Mike Adamson, v-p of member programs and education. Only 8 percent expect a decrease in business compared with 15 percent last year. Paula Derks, AEA’s president, told AIN the organization’s members also anticipate growth in the helicopter market. “Anticipating growth, repair stations are turning to the rotorcraft market for additional revenue streams. Our members have told us this segment of the market is rising. The number of members performing work on rotorcraft is up 11 percent this year. It’s a niche market normally not tapped as often as fixed-wing in the avionics industry,” she said. The annual rate & labor survey is distributed to AEA members at no charge and available to non-AEA members for $129. The complete survey will be available in October at www.aea.net.