Trade groups that work hard for the membership are worth talking about, and aircraft owners and pilots might not appreciate that the AEA (Aircraft Electronics Association) is a trade organization other ones can learn from. Under the current smart leadership of longstanding President and CEO Mike Adamson, AEA was founded in 1957 and with 1,300 member companies in 40-plus countries, Missouri-based AEA isn’t tailspinning with leadership and political turmoil or battling declining membership. Instead, AEA quietly thrives while doing what its member avionics shops and manufacturers/suppliers expect from the alphabet: going to bat for the avionics aftermarket and OEM industry by minding important regulatory matters, modernizing and improving technician training in the name of safety and customer satisfaction, educating the market, and simply being conservative and smart with the membership’s dollars. Refreshing, no?
It takes money to make it happen. U.S. and Canada annual membership dues start at $375 for the smallest of shops and $1,080 for large ones (based on the number of employees), and dues for manufacturers (associate members) start at $995 up to $3,075 for ones with high-dollar sales. It’s real money especially for organizations that are struggling, but as far back as I can remember (I started my avionics career in 1989 at an AEA-member shop), AEA membership status is a gold-standard credential and for lots of good reasons. It’s more than a plaque on the shop’s wall but one you should look for when choosing an avionics shop to work on your aircraft because for the ones who take advantage of AEA resources, I believe there’s an advantage.
Quality Membership, Setting a Training Standard
AEA member shops have notoriously formed a tight community, and I was reminded of the passion these shops have for the avionics installation and service trade at the 69th annual AEA international convention and trade show in Texas last week where aerobatic champ Mike Goulian did the enthusiastic keynote. I shot a handful of product videos on the convention floor, but products are really secondary to AEA’s focus. More important is helping shops deal with the growing shortage of skilled avionics techs, while refurbing an outdated training approach that doesn’t always work when it comes to working with modern avionics and aircraft. That’s important for aircraft owners often dealing with the frustration that tags along with major upgrades.
I like spending time at the AEA’s annual convention and trade show, and for me it’s worth the effort for lots of reasons. The shops who go to the multiday event (many close down operations to attend) think so, too, because the 2026 gathering last week was year number 69 and with close to 1,700 in attendance. That’s a 6.5% increase from last year’s show in Phoenix. This show is often the first time manufacturers unveil new products and who better than the shop network to see them first? It’s more than the latest gee-whiz gear on display.
The AEA national gathering has not only grown into a sizable trade show with a well-attended exhibit hall (130 companies exhibited their products and services in Dallas), but it’s an opportunity for techs, shop managers, and owners to go home with quality training—over 100 hours given. You want well-trained techs working on your aircraft, and AEA concurs. AEA took the initiative a few years ago when it established the CAET, for Certified Aircraft Electronics Technician. CAET has become the industry standard certification for avionics technicians who work on business and general aviation aircraft and it was developed by AEA with close input from top FAA repair stations. CAET certification sets and backstops the foundational knowledge that avionics installers, repairers, and troubleshooters need to survive at the modern avionics shop—a departure from the old days where many techs simply learned as they worked. There’s nothing wrong with the concept—it’s how avionics repairman privileges were created for years—but I’m convinced on-the-job training just isn’t enough anymore. It doesn’t always work for aging avionics and maintenance techs who know their way around aircraft but struggle with the software control and digital architecture of new equipment. For techs with no experience at all, CAET is the place to start.
Who’s Working on Your Aircraft?
AEA petitioned the FAA to recognize CAET certification as an acceptable means of compliance to the formal education option in place in Title 14 CFR, section 65.101, and the FAA now considers CAET certification as equivalent to completing that formal training. Certification begins with CAET Level 1, and includes learning the basics of aircraft wiring, electrical theory (leave you house-wiring knowledge at home), flight instrument theory, and of course, dreaded FAA regulations. It’s no joke for those who want to study independently; AEA offers the online CAET Prep Course that includes roughly 150 hours of material. The CAET exam is remotely proctored (through the Unmanned Safety Institute) and has 100 multiple-choice questions with a 90-minute time limit. The passing score is 70% and up to three attempts are included for the $119 exam fee.
CAET-Advanced is the second level of the program, but unlike the base CAET that tests knowledge with a written exam, the CAET-Advanced requires technicians to demonstrate competency through a three-part assessment including a hands-on practical qualification, a written exam, and an oral board. The higher-level certification covers 65 practical tasks across eight system categories ranging from wire harness fabrication, autopilots and AHRS to understanding flight management systems and software configuration. It aligns with Level 2 of the ASTM standard for aircraft electronics technicians and is crafted for techs who are actively working in Part 145 repair stations, enrolled in apprenticeship programs, or transitioning from military avionics roles. Bring your machine to an avionics shop for a major upgrade and lead techs should be performing to the CAET-Advanced standards.
The next CAET standard that’s in the works is Level 3 CAET-Pro, which should be ready next year. It’s an important one, dealing with human factors and safety management, and focuses on the skills of avionics managers and high-level techs. AEA already consults shop management on customer service matters—everything from achieving the right panel layouts, caring for customer aircraft, safe flight testing, and dealing with customers who don’t pay their bills.
A Few Words on Labor Rates
Last, the longstanding benchmark for keeping up with avionics shop labor rates and technician salaries is the AEA’s annual rate and labor survey, and the latest survey proves that avionics shops still lag the automotive retail repair market. The reality is that shop managers and owners unanimously say that the cost of doing business continues to rise sharply, while customers are demanding a lot more for less. Expect price increases.
In the U.S. Eastern region, shop hourly labor rates for installation averaged $134.02 in 2025, which is up from $125.07 in 2024. The highest shop rate in the East reported in the AEA survey was $175, and the lowest was $105. Moreover, 75% of shops polled in the East said they were planning to increase rates 7%, on average, even though many customers balk at what they consider to be high shop rates. Out West, the survey showed that the average hourly installation shop rate is higher at $155.83. That’s up from $149.70 in 2024, and only 46% of the shops polled said they planned to increase their rates. My theory is the surveyed rates in the West are higher simply because it’s more expensive to do business there and where many shops operate in California. In the mid-section of the country (known as the Central AEA region), the average hourly shop rate for installation labor is $141.54. That’s up slightly from $138.76 in 2024, though 71% of shops polled said they were planning to increase rates close to 10%.
We’ll look closely at the avionics market in a future satisfaction survey report here at AvBrief.
Thanks, Larry. A fascinating look behind the scenes that a light GA owner would never read about otherwise.
Loved the subtle shade thrown at AOPA in your topic sentence. 😉
Not my intention. AEA is a MX trade—not much comparison.
Do your stats provide how much of that $140+ per hour the average tech receives? Don’t kill yourself to dig that up. I’m just curious.
In the East, the survey showed top-talent techs averaging $43.96 per hour, with seasoned avionics managers $100K per year or more. Slightly less per hour in central region, but not by much.
Thanks for the response, Larry. I’m pleased to hear that they’re making a decent living.
I taught aircraft maintenance for a 2 year Avionics program at a college in Canada. We were a member if AEA.