AEA’s Outgoing Chair Garry Joyce Hands The Reins To Green Mountain Avionics’ Bill Hanf

On a recent podcast with AEA Amplified, the outgoing chairman of the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) Garry Joyce reminisced about his 3-year term, and leading organizational change through the storm known as COVID19 in preparation for the years ahead.

Mr Joyce previously joined the AEA’s Board of Directors representing the European Region circa 2010.

Mr. Joyce is an Avionics Director and co-owner of IAE Ltd, an aircraft maintenance organization. IAE Ltd, recognized by both the FAA and CAA, has been in operation for over 20 years and recently underwent a facility expansion, all while weathering the BREXIT and COVID storms. Interestingly, Mr. Joyce began his career as an Avionics Mechanic in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the United Kingdom in 1989. His curiosity stirred his career trajectory in electronics at a young age which he satisfied through persistent tinkering to ‘see how stuff worked’, which of course, involved breaking and fixing. The aviation avenue was non-existent in his mind until a squadron
leader from the RAF visited his school and mentioned something about ‘aircraft electronics’.

Following a trip by the RAF recruiting office, Mr. Joyce was on the hook being reeled-in with the  line where he gained valuable experience and exposure before leaving the RAF in 1997. He later joined IAE Ltd as an Avionics Engineer; therein lay the sinker called General Aviation, and he never looked back! He sees a key part of the strategic plan as growing the membership and benefits, workforce development.

When asked about the supply chain and workforce issues facing the industry today, Mr. Joyce ascribed them to societal issues, adding that we’ve steadily become a ‘throw away’ society; the up-and-coming generation is a mixed bag; many have not had the experience of tinkering, engineering in its simplest sense, or working with basic concepts, another group feels compelled to go to university.

What is truly needed are ‘hands-on skills and common sense’ and, as an industry, we have not done a good job on attracting the next generation of workers.

He also acknowledged that the ongoing part shortages and long-lead-times will persist as the industry slowly develops the workforce.

Mr. Bill Hanf, owner and founder of Green Mountain Avionics, will succeed Mr. Joyce as Chairman of the AEA, having previously served as vice-Chair to Mr Joyce. The latter's continued presence on the AEA board as immediate past Chair will assure stability, continuity of leadership, and, in the authors' opinion, an opportunity for him to see the strategic planning he previously spearheaded come to fruition!

FMI: https://aea.net/podcast/, https://www.iae.org.uk/about%20us.htm, https://greenmountainavionics.com