Last week was glorious spring weather in Munich, with scarcely a cloud in the sky – but I’d been stuck indoors!  That sounds like a complaint, but wasn't really because being indoors was at the Aviation Electronics Europe Conference and exhibition in Munich, of which the IET was on the Advisory Committee, chaired one of the sessions (on ADS-B) and was instrumental in supporting a well-attended workshop jointly organised with the RAeS on RPAS (Remotely Piloted Airborne Systems – often also called UAVs or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).


There was really too much to take in.  As well as an exhibition with nearly 40 stands from many well-known and less well known avionics systems vendors, there were several workshops on various elements of avionics technology.  No matter what your interests, there was something to tempt you.


Unfortunately, largely because of security concerns in Brussels, the European Commission speakers were not able to make it.  However, their political message was not missed; Christian Schleifer amply filled the gap with something more tangible – talking about EUROCAE’s role as a standards development and coordination body that is helping to turn the results of SESAR into standards and certification material supporting the introduction of new capabilities into tomorrow’s aircraft. With the more connected aircraft, cyber security is a highlighted topic and there was a session on that as well.


Personally, just getting to Munich was enjoyable.  I flew myself there in a small 2-seater aircraft.

Inevitably it took longer than flying commercial but flying

“VFR on top” 1000 feet above the cloudscapes of France and then over the wooded hills and valleys of the Black Forest gives a view of the world unobtainable in any other way.  And I believe that, as an Aerospace TPN member, it’s valuable occasionally to do “hands on” flying.


Bob Darby

IET Aerospace TPN Executive Team member