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AEA Central Regional
Avionics repair stations, manufacturers, regulators and educators show an increasing desire to come together, network and personally conduct serious business -- they want to connect in person.
AEA Central Regional
November 4-5, 2026
Kansas City, Missouri
Schedule
Wednesday, November 4
| 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | AEA Registration Open |
| 8 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. Room 1 |
President Opening Remarks |
| 8:15 a.m. - 9 a.m. Room 1 |
Regulatory Update: The Latest in Aviation Regulations |
| 8:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. Room 2 |
DMC - Identifying the Appropriate Tooling for your Component Attendees will learn the process of selecting the correct tooling to work with their connector. You will have an understanding of crimping, insertion and removal, and wire stripping. Attendees who utilize crimp tools will benefit from this training. |
| 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Room 1 |
Dynamic Business, Dynamic Manuals: Managing Change Under Part 145 Repair station manuals are intended to be dynamic management tools that evolve as the business changes, not static compliance documents awaiting FAA approval. This one-hour regulatory session examines the FAA's expectations for manual revisions under 14 CFR Part 145, clarifies the distinction between documents that must be acceptable to the Administrator versus those requiring FAA approval, and explains how repair stations can confidently implement changes driven by new technology, organizational growth, and continuous improvement while maintaining regulatory compliance. Attendees will gain practical guidance for managing manual revisions, avoiding common misconceptions, and keeping their management systems aligned with the way their business actually operates |
| 9 a.m. Ballroom |
Exhibitor Setup |
| 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Room 2 |
Testing Procedures and Regulations for Pitot-Static and Transponder Systems This session equips attendees with the essential knowledge to ensure compliance and accuracy when inspecting and testing pitot-static and transponder systems. Participants will review applicable FAA regulations, understand required inspection intervals, and learn proper testing techniques for both systems, including Mode S and ADS-B considerations. The course emphasizes best practices, troubleshooting common issues, and maintaining documentation to meet regulatory standards. |
| 10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. | Break
Sponsored by Aircraft Lighting International |
| 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 p.m. Room 1 |
The Aviation Workforce Advantage: Hiring, Training, and Scaling Stop wasting time on ineffective recruiting and start building a high-performance team that actually sticks. We are cutting through the noise with a hard-hitting, one-hour breakdown of how to land top-tier military talent with NextOp, implement rock-solid apprenticeship programs through FASTPORT, and leverage CAET certifications to instantly upskill your current staff. This is a no-nonsense session designed for business owners who want to move past the talent shortage and start driving real operational growth today. |
| 11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m. Room 1 |
Technical/Business Training |
| 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Room 1 |
Avionics Troubleshooting: Transponders Using a structured troubleshooting methodology, attendees will review ATC transponder fundamentals, FAA Appendix F testing requirements, and the most common failure modes encountered in the field. Explores practical troubleshooting techniques for issues such as missing or erroneous Mode A/Mode C data, altitude encoder and interface failures, transponders that fail ramp tests, low transmit power, off-frequency operation, configuration problems, communication faults with connected avionics systems, and antenna or wiring-related defects. Real-world case studies will demonstrate a step-by-step approach to isolating problems, testing hypotheses, and identifying root causes efficiently. |
| 2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. | Break |
| 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Room 1 |
Technical/Business Training |
| 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. Room 1 |
Cirrus SR & SF Service Bulletin Update Stay current with the latest Cirrus maintenance guidance in this one-hour technical update. This session includes a deep dive into the newest Service Bulletins for the SR Series and SF50, covering the technical background, compliance requirements, and maintenance considerations. Additional highlights will include a review of other recently released maintenance bulletins and service information affecting the SR fleet, ensuring attendees leave with an understanding of the latest changes impacting Cirrus maintenance. |
| 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Room 1 |
Product Info Session
|
| 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Ballroom |
Exhibit Hall Open |
Thursday, November 5
| 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. | AEA Registration Open |
| 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Room 2 |
Customer Care 101: How to Win and Keep Customers Whether your shop is trying to win a new customer or keep an existing one, it's a fragile relationship that requires real effort and a time commitment. The truth is, shops that consistently reel in high marks in satisfaction surveys are the ones that know how to communicate, how to deal with warranty matters, and make the customer feel welcome – even if it comes at a price premium over the competition. In this session, we will talk through the challenges, pitfalls and tips for servicing the customer – and dealing with the ones you don't want. |
| 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Room 1 |
Garmin Technical Training
Morning break sponsored by Foothills Aviation |
| 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Room 2 |
Precision Quoting for Avionics Installations This session is designed for the aviation professional seeking to improve skills in quoting avionics installations. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the quoting processes to ensure the scope of work is documented and to help customers gain confidence in moving forward with the installation. Whether you're a seasoned avionics professional or new to the field, this session provides valuable tips and tricks to grow your quoting skills and help you deliver precise and competitive quotes for your avionics installations. |
| 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. | Lunch
Sponsored by Garmin |
| 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Room 1 |
Garmin Technical Training continued
Afternoon break sponsored by Foothills Aviation |
Thursday, November 5 - Delegates Seminar |
|
|---|---|
| 7:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. | AEA Registration Open |
| 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Delegates Session
Come and join us for these delegate seminars at AEA Regionals! Whether you are a delegate or not, whether you have avionics, structural, powerplant, flight test or any other specialty, this is for you. Join us to help build the community, provide education and learning opportunities, and to connect. |
Last updated Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Every attempt not to deviate from the above schedule will be made; however, the AEA reserves the right to make changes when necessary without notice. Please check back often to ensure you have the latest schedule.
Sponsors
The AEA would like to thank the following sponsors.
Interested in sponsoring? Contact Linda Adams, lindaa@aea.net or 816-347-8400