The Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) notes with great sadness the death of its founder, Charles (Chuck) Peacock. Chuck died in mid-December after a lengthy illness. He was 87. Chuck founded the AEA 46 years ago and was honored as recently as 2000 at the AEA Convention and Trade Show in Reno (NV), where this photo was taken.

It was during a 1956 Airline Electronic Engineering Committee Meeting in Minneapolis (MN) that Chuck assembled a small group of men and suggested an organization was needed that focused on the needs of the avionics shop. At that first meeting, the men shared the same concerns -— they realized that in order to succeed in business they must pool their talents and experience, and, by working cooperatively with the manufacturers and distributors, arrive at higher industry standards and more open communications.

"Our thought was to get the shops talking to each other, get them acquainted, and get some cooperation," Peacock explained. "In that first meeting we all discovered something. We discovered we are all a bunch of guys in the same type of business with the same type of problems."

From that first gathering of dedicated businessmen in that small hotel room on Minneapolis, the Aircraft Electronics Association was born, with Peacock leading the way. Peacock left the Minneapolis meeting with a vision. He went home to Aircraft Radio & Accessory (a Denver, Colorado business he co-owned with Morris Wheeler) and discussed the possibilities with his wife, "Mac." They made up a list of possible shops that might be interested in forming some sort of organization. The list totaled 101 shops. They handwrote postcards to each shop.

"I took a double-sided postcard and on one side I said that some of us had gotten together and decided that an electronics organization would be good for the industry and wanted to know if they would be interested in such an organization. Then, on the other side of the postcard, I just put 'yes or no,’ because I knew if I asked them to write any word bigger than yes or no, I would never get anything back," Peacock said. He made a deal with his wife that if they got 50 yes responses they would go forward with forming an association.

Remarkably, all the invitations were returned. Out of 101 shops he wrote to, he got an even 100 'yes' replies. "Only one person said no," he said.

The AEA was off and running. Chuck continued his support of the association until his death. He corresponded regularly with the AEA staff and with Monte Mitchell, former president of AEA.

His last appearance at an AEA convention was in 2000 (at the AEA Reno convention) when he brought his children to witness the growth of the organization.

The Aircraft Electronics Association represents nearly 1,100 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 instrument facilities, manufacturers of avionics equipment, instrument manufacturers, airframe manufacturers, test equipment manufacturers, major distributors, and educational institutions.

FMI: www.aea.net