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AEA International Convention & Trade Show

The Aircraft Electronics Association's annual convention — the year's biggest gathering of avionics installation shops, OEMs, and the airframe-and-powerplant community that integrates them. The room where every major glass-panel upgrade decision in general aviation gets vetted.

March 23–26, 2027Savannah Convention Center, Savannah, United States~2,200 attendees

What to expect

AEA's convention pulls together the avionics-installation supply chain: Garmin, Avidyne, Honeywell, L3Harris, Collins, BendixKing, Genesys, Aspen, and the broader avionics OEM community on the exhibitor side; AEA-member installation shops on the buyer side; and a sizeable contingent of fleet owners, flight schools, and operators in the middle. Programming covers FAA AML-STC strategy, certification updates, ADS-B and CPDLC implementation, electric and hybrid avionics architectures, and the practical technical sessions that A&Ps and avionics technicians need for continuing education. For flight schools running 10+ aircraft fleets, the convention is the most efficient annual touchpoint to evaluate avionics-upgrade roadmaps, fleet-standardisation strategies, and the supply-chain realities behind major upgrades like full glass-panel transitions or autopilot retrofits.

Quick facts

Dates

March 23–26, 2027

Location

Savannah Convention Center
Savannah, United States

Estimated attendance

~2,200

Exhibitors

~200

Registration

from USD 750 AEA member; USD 1,050 non-member

Languages

EN

Regulatory focus

FAA

Also known as

AEA Convention, AEA International, Aircraft Electronics Association Convention, AEA Connect, AEA 2027

Who attends

AEA-member avionics installation shop owners and senior technicians, avionics OEMs (Garmin, Avidyne, Honeywell, L3Harris, Collins and the broader cohort), A&P/IA mechanics, fleet owners and operators, flight school maintenance directors, FAA representatives on certification topics, and aviation finance providers serving avionics upgrades.

Why flight schools attend

Direct fit applies to fleet schools — generally 10+ aircraft — evaluating glass-panel transitions, autopilot retrofits, ADS-B compliance pathways, or whole-fleet avionics standardisation. The convention is the most efficient single trip to evaluate options, talk to multiple OEMs in one hall, and meet the installation shops that would do the work. Schools running smaller fleets (or no in-house maintenance) typically find more direct value at WATS, NTAS, or NBAA-BACE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes if you operate 10+ aircraft and are evaluating glass-panel transitions, autopilot retrofits, or fleet avionics standardisation. The convention is where the OEMs and AEA-member installation shops convene — one trip is meaningfully more efficient than evaluating options shop-by-shop or website-by-website. Smaller fleet schools usually find better fit at WATS or NTAS.

AEA is narrower and avionics-focused — the installation supply chain, OEMs, and the AEA member installation-shop community. MRO Americas is broader, covering airframe, engine, and parts MRO at airline-fleet scale. Larger fleet schools sometimes attend both; smaller schools focused only on avionics upgrades usually find AEA more cost-effective.

AEA's 2027 International Convention & Trade Show runs March 23-26 2027 at Savannah Convention Center, Savannah GA. Confirmed via aea.net/convention/futureconventions.asp. The convention rotates among US cities annually; 2028 is scheduled for Dallas.

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Listing last verified May 14, 2026 · Always confirm dates and registration via the official site.