(DALLAS, Texas) – Students from Texas State Technical College’s Avionics program competed, for the first time, at the 2026 Aircraft Electronics Association’s Convention and Trade Show on Wednesday, March 25, at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.
“The competition places our students alongside like-minded individuals who share a passion for avionics,” said Roman Cisneros, program team lead for TSTC’s Avionics and aviation maintenance programs. “It offers them a valuable glimpse into the industry and highlights its importance. The competitive aspect also exposes them to the fast-paced nature of the field.”
The seven-member group competed in five events against students from colleges in Florida, Illinois and Texas. Students were challenged in troubleshooting GPS, network diagnostics, transponders, wire diagrams and building a wiring harness. Though contests were timed, judges emphasized work quality over speed.
Avionics student Byriah Long, of Hearne, was the only TSTC representative to place in the contests. He received fifth place in overall points and received a Garmin watch.
The experiences the students had at the conference will carry them through the rest of their time at TSTC and in their careers.
William Grigsby, of League City, is in his fourth semester in the Avionics program. He said the conference opened his eyes to equipment he and other students do not see regularly.
“We had a general idea of what we would be doing, but we didn’t know how deep it would go,” Grigsby said. “One takeaway from the conference is resilience and learning to work under the pressure here.”
Students also had opportunities to have their resumes critiqued.
Some industry professionals at the conference said budding avionics technicians need to understand how to interpret data, a passion for staying compliant with Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, be teachable and understand mobile command platforms. Graduates should have an understanding of the expanded use and modernization of controller-pilot data link communications and when the automated emergency landing capability is activated in new airplanes.
“The avionics techs need good solid-based skills around wiring and installation dynamics,” said Jim Alpiser, Garmin’s director of aviation aftermarket sales. “They will also need to think through software schematics.”
More than 1,500 avionics professionals attended the conference. The organization’s next conference is scheduled for March 2027 in Savannah, Georgia.
“This is the show for modern avionics,” said Mike Adamson, the association’s president. “This show should validate your choice and career.”
Registration for the summer and fall semesters begins at TSTC on Monday, March 30. For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.