Visit ANN At AEA Convention Booth #903

One of the most pivotal events on our annual aero-schedule is our attendance at the Aircraft Electronics Association's annual convention, to be held, this year, in Dallas, Texas, at the Gaylord Texan (April 27-30)... just a few minutes away from DFW (convenient, that).

Few events are so news-worthy or as professionally organized and presented as the annual AEA shin-dig... even to a travel-weary news crew that has just (barely) survived the rigors of dealing with Sun 'n Fun. No kidding, we equate the outstanding way this convention is run to such superlative events as the Annual AOPA Expo and the NBAA Convention... that's REALLY tough company, believe you me.

AEA, otherwise known as the Aircraft Electronics Association, represents over 1250 aviation businesses, including repair stations that specialize in maintenance, repair and installation of avionics and electronic systems in general aviation aircraft.

AEA membership also includes instruments facilities, manufacturers of avionics equipment, instrument manufacturers, airframe manufacturers, test equipment manufacturers, major distributors, and educational institutions. Their annual convention is a pleasant and progressive nexus for new product information, product education, business discussions and a great trade show that has more cool gadgets per square foot than any place on the face of Mother Earth.

AEA is ably managed by a very cool group of folks that have become indispensable to ANN when we have need of the REAL inside skinny on the avionics world... including AEA President Paula Derks (pictured above), and staffers Ric Peri (a Washington DC Ops guy with few equals), Debra McFarland, Mark Gibson, Mike Adamson, Rachel Ronan, Tracy Lykins and a cast of thousands (or so it seems).

Aero-News Network is pleased to be playing a heavy-duty role at this year's event. ANN Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell (shown right... in his preferred workplace), is doing a breakfast presentation for AEA members on Wednesday, 7:45 am - 8:25 am, entitled "How to Work With the Media to Promote Your Company." The session is designed to help AEA member companies and associates create a winning relationship with the media, by learning the basics of how to report their news, as well as the items editors look for when considering what gets printed and what ends up in the wastebasket! We've spent some time perfecting this presentation (ANN's Pete Combs is slaving over the powerpoint presentation as we write this) in order to help educate the aviation industry at large, and we look forward to this first public iteration.

ANN is also the sponsor of this year's Keynote Address. We were pleased to have our good friend, XPrize Visionary Peter Diamandis, accept our invitation to play this role at the avionics industry's premier event, and despite an insanely tough schedule, he accepted with a warning that he may have to offer up a substitution if the schedule got too crazy... and of course, it did. But... Pete is not the kind of guy to leave his friends hanging (even though he warned us repeatedly that this might take place... you can't ask for more consideration than that, PLUS he has promised that he will make himself available in the future).

So... since Pete is not able to do his thing, fellow X Prize Board member Erik Lindbergh will serve as the keynote speaker, instead. Eric not only has a stirring presentation to give about the role that the X Prize played over the last few years, but his recreation of his Grandfather's flight across the Atlantic in a Lancair 300 is an exciting addition to the agenda. Peter made sure that no matter what happened, AEA wound up with a stirring keynote presentation... and if you've ever heard Erik speak, you know that this year's Convention is in for a treat. We can't wait.

One of the most eagerly awaited events of the week is the annual New Product Introduction presentation where dozens of new avionics introductions are made over the course of just a few hours, rapid-fire, with lots of details, enthusiasm and graphics. It's MUST attend for ANN and we look forward to bringing you the highlights later this week.

If you're in Dallas this week to enjoy the AEA Convention, we urge you to stop by Booth 903, meet some of ANN's hardworking fly-writers and get a specialized aero-news briefing in order to make sure that YOUR news gets to the world of aviation quickly, correctly and effectively. We also urge you to drop by the booths of some of ANN's much-valued Sponsors, including Avidyne (Booths 723-725-727), and L-3 Avionics Systems (Booth 315).

Our coverage of AEA will start about mid-week... keep an eye out for all the GREAT news from Dallas later this week. It's gonna be a wild week!

FMI: www.aea.net, AEA Booth #903