Founder Of Avionics Company Has Twice Served As Int'l Officer For Group

The annual convention and show of the Aircraft Electronics Association officially got underway in Dallas Thurday, and one of the first agenda items was the award of the 2009 AEA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Robert "Bob" Carpenter was born in 1934, in Graniteville, SC, where he spent his childhood exploring, fishing and building model airplanes. He earned his own money to pay for flying lessons at age 15. During his sophomore year at Clemson, Carpenter joined the US Air Force, eventually teaching engines and airframes while stationed in Amarillo, TX.

After leaving the Air Force in 1958, Carpenter began a civilian career in maintenance and avionics. In the early 1980s, Dean Dhom, manager of Capital Avionics, where Carpenter worked, offered him a chance to start his own avionics shop next to Dhom's FBO in Nashville.

Today, Carpenter Avionics is located in Smyrna, TN, has 22 employees, and has received national awards and recognition for its work and exemplary customer service. Bob Carpenter has been elected twice to serve as an international officer in the AEA.

AEA says that today, Carpenter is focused on family time with his two children, Beth and David, and four grandchildren.

FMI: www.aea.net