Published: May 8 2020
The ADS-B mandate from FAA has radically changed the way aviation companies in Florida conduct business. Though the 2020 deadline for ADS-B and CPDLC upgrade draws closer, other developments are also afoot in the US avionics industry.
A Venezuelan Aviation Certificate is required for repairing planes which fly under Venezuelan jurisdiction. It does not have much to do with FAA’s ADS-B or CPDLC units. However, airplane repair companies in Florida are now looking for these special certificates to improve their business reach.
Aviation maintenance is a very dynamic industry.
New technology and regulations are introduced regularly. However, foreign planes flying into USA also need to upgrade to FAA regulations. This means new opportunities for aviation companies in Florida like BocaMX which have a Venezuelan Aviation Certificate.
The first stage test of the ADS-B / CPDLC system was implemented in South Florida. Soon, every plane flying within US airspace must have a CPDLC datalink on board. However, planes from South and Central America seem to be more frequent ADS-B clients than US aircraft owners.
A single unit takes about 2-3 days to install. Soon, all aviation maintenance engineers and installation technicians will be short of time. Installation of CPDLC / ADS-B units would also become more expensive as the deadline comes closer.
CPDLC is not mandatory in countries like Argentina or Venezuela. So why do aircrafts from these countries seem to be more vigilant about the FAA mandate?
Why do aviation maintenance firms in Florida need a Venezuelan Aviation Certificate if the FAA is an American authority?
These are the fundamental questions we will try to answer –
Aviation maintenance is a complicated task. A single short circuit or malfunctioning equipment may spell disaster. However, the quality of avionics services in Florida is legendary. Airplane repair companies from Florida have maintained this great reputation since the 1950s.
This reputation had a big role when the FAA was planning to execute the ADS-B and CPDLC mandate.
The FAA knew that the larger aviation maintenance firms in Florida would be quick to upgrade their service capabilities. Gradually, this reputation attracted international clientele as well.
The primary change in the aviation maintenance industry in Florida is a great influx of foreign clients. Aircraft from Europe already had the ATNB1, which is compatible with the FAA mandate.
However, aircraft from South America also fly to the US regularly. These planes must also upgrade according to the current FAA regulations. This is the latest prospective market for aviation companies in Florida like BocaMX who have the necessary Venezuelan Aviation Certificate.
A Venezuelan Aviation Certificate does not have much to do with the FAA mandate. However, it is a vital credential for any aviation company to work on aircraft from Venezuela.
Only a few firms in the US have this certificate. These credentials may make aviation complicated, but also make flying safer.
Though the ADS-B / CPDLC units are not very expensive, installation costs are variable. Fortunately, low tax rates in Florida, companies like BocaMX can provide quality services at very competitive rates.
In Florida, a few thousand planes fly in every day. Many of these flights come from South and Central America since Florida is nearest US State.
This means that airplane repair companies here get a lot of business from countries like Argentina and Venezuela.
Most countries have their own standard certification for aviation maintenance services. A Venezuelan Aviation Certificate is mandatory for even providing basic servicing on any planes from Venezuela.
However, an aircraft engineering business can’t gain certificates from all countries around the world. They must focus on credentials that practically increase their business reach and capabilities.
Smaller airplane repair companies in the US can’t install ADS-B and CPDLC units on Venezuelan or Argentinian planes.
Hence, a Venezuelan Aviation Certificate is the gate-pass to these new business opportunities.
The Gulf of Mexico is a vast stretch of water which does not have radar coverage. This makes it is difficult for planes from South America to get flight clearance to California across the Gulf.
Besides this, avionics services in California are considerably more expensive than in Florida!
Considering these factors, aircraft owners from Venezuela and Argentina are all heading to Florida. With business interests in the US, they must upgrade to FAA regulations at the earliest.
You would always want one of the bigger airplane repair companies to work on your aircraft.
However, only a few aviation companies in Florida like BocaMX have the Venezuelan Aviation Certificate. This limits the number of aviation maintenance firms for ADS-B / CPDLC installation. For aircraft owners from South America, there are only a handful of service providers to approach.
Remember, there are less than 65 weeks left for the mandate to take effect.
Since aviation companies in Florida are managing both domestic and international clientele, the pressure is extreme. If you don’t upgrade your aircraft soon, you might be running out of time.