On Thursday, Dec. 18, the Aircraft Electronics Association played host to a Part 23 Aircraft Retrofit Forum at its international headquarters in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Headquarters Maintenance Branch and the Small Airplane Directorate met with industry leaders to examine the retrofit market and the regulations, guidance and policies affecting it, with a primary focus on light general aviation aircraft.
Avionics repair stations specializing in Part 23 installations were in attendance, along with representatives from avionics manufacturers that produce equipment for the Part 23 market.
The aviation industry struggles with retrofitting the current fleet of Part 23 and legacy CAR 3 aircraft. While the FAA has developed and published many documents for the installation of avionics and other systems such as Advisory Circular 43.13, the FAA does not adequately address the removal and replacement of currently installed systems. This one-day forum began the process of developing guidance regarding the retrofit of the current general aviation fleet, including updated guidance on the evaluation of alterations (determination of major/minor).
Ric Peri, AEA vice president of government and industry affairs, moderates the Part 23 Aircraft Retrofit Forum with FAA officials and industry executives at the AEA’s Dan Derby Center for Professional Development.