The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), founded in 1919 only a few years after the birth of flight, is the premier trade association representing the U.S.'s major aerospace and defense manufacturers. The Aerospace Industries Association represents the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military, and business aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, space systems, aircraft engines, missiles, homeland and cybersecurity systems, material, and related components, equipment, services, and information technology.
Based in Arlington, VA, AIA is led by a Board of Governors that meets twice a year and consists of senior representatives (generally chief executive officers) of member companies, and an Executive Committee that meets more frequently. A hallmark of AIA is that it receives its policy guidance from the direct involvement of CEO-level officers of the country's major aerospace and defense companies. The government frequently seeks advice from AIA on issues, and AIA provides a forum for government and industry representatives to exchange views and resolve problems on non-competitive matters related to the aerospace industry.
Today, over 150 major aerospace and defense companies are members of the association, embodying every high-technology manufacturing segment of the U.S. aerospace and defense industry from commercial aviation and avionics, to manned and unmanned defense systems, to space technologies and satellite communications.
In addition, the association has almost 200 associate member companies, all of which are leading aerospace and defense suppliers.
Marion C. Blakey is the association's chief executive officer and president. AIA member company representatives sit on various councils and committees and, supported by AIA staff, formulate industry positions on specific issues for approval by the Executive Committee and the Board of Governors.
The association concentrates on issues covering civil aviation, space and national security. In addition the association has offices for Communications, Legislative Affairs, Procurement and Finance, the Aerospace Research Center.
AIA organizes, with support from its members and various partners, the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC). TARC is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) competition as well as the world's largest rocket contest. The contest challenges middle and high school students to design, build, test and fly rockets to develop STEM skills that are needed in the next generation workforce.
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