I frequently chat on the telephone with the top executives of our portfolio holdings, to get the real scoop on their respective companies. Many analysts just rely on the Internet or news reports. Not me. I prefer to go to the source — a human source.

I started my publishing career as a daily newspaperman. There’s no substitute for rolling up your sleeves and working the phones.

I recently spoke on the phone with Paul Boris, chief operating officer at BTP portfolio holding Vuzix (NSDQ: VUZI). He alerted me to a trend that fascinated me. His observations strengthened my faith in the stock. I want to share his remarks with you. It’s valuable information that you won’t find in a Google search.

Vuzix is a leading maker of augmented reality (AR) smart glasses. Boris told me that AR smart glasses are revolutionizing aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). The commercial aviation sector is booming around the world; demand for AR smart glasses in the MRO field is skyrocketing.

As a helicopter pilot, I admit to having a passion for aviation. This year, stocks related to the aviation sector should outperform.

The man from GE…

Before joining Vuzix, Boris worked at GE Digital, creating “smart factories” for General Electric (NYSE: GE) that use disruptive technology for manufacturing. GE is a global industrial colossus, so when it comes to disruptive technology, Boris knows what he’s talking about.

“Our M100 and M300 AR smart glasses are the devices that aviation mechanics increasingly use throughout the enterprise,” Boris said. “AR smart glasses are transforming mechanic training as well as logbook entry. They also allow operators to keep track of inventory and monitor the supply chain.”

With smart glasses, mechanics can input logbook data accompanied by photos and video, all logged instantaneously. The mechanic can provide supervisors with all the informational context that they need. Part of that context is geographical. With smart glasses, the mechanic can prove: I was right there.

If a problem suddenly comes up and the mechanic needs an expert right away, the traditional means of conference might be through, say, Facetime on a smartphone. But that’s not secure and it’s not efficient.

“Now, with smart glasses, the mechanic can conduct this informational exchange with other parties much faster and converse with the data right in front of them,” Boris explained. “The experts they’re conferring with can literally look over the mechanic’s shoulder.”

Boris cited a common problem in daily MRO work: “Mechanics are stuck with a huge amount of spreadsheets, binders, and all kinds of paperwork.”

He cited aircraft maintenance logbook entry examples — the conventional way of making them, versus the smart glass way.

“A conventional logbook entry might contain a few cryptic words. But now, mechanics can walk directly around and through the aircraft, wearing AR smart glasses, and input the data in real time from the physical location,” he said. “Data and pictures are logged in, simultaneously. Smart glasses allow proven proximity to the matter at hand. It makes for better compliance. These devices feature forward facing cameras, for better, more accurate data. If ever contested, the information is inarguable.”

The game changers…

Once in a generation, a breakthrough technology comes along that revolutionizes society. Electricity, telephony, railroads, aviation, radio, television, personal computing, digitization… these game-changers seemed to come from nowhere.

The latest paradigm shift: AR smart glasses. According to the research group Statista, smart AR glasses shipments were 150,000 in 2016 and are forecast to amount to around 22.8 million units by 2022. That’s a huge jump.

Major MRO players, such as Air France Industries, Monarch Aircraft Engineering, Lufthansa Technik, and AAR (NYSE: AIR) are adopting these smart glasses.

Juniper Research reports that by 2021, one out of every 10 wearable devices will be smart glasses. Revenues from these products are forecast to increase from $327 million this year to $9 billion in 2021.

Juniper reports that the number of workers in the U.S. who use smart glasses is expected to grow, from 400,000 in 2017 to more than 14 million by 2025. Companies are forecast to spend more than $30 billion on smart glass hardware during the same time frame.

Aviation demand is a huge tailwind, but AR smart glasses are transforming industries of all kinds.

Vuzix is a buy up to $12.00.

John Persinos is chief investment strategist of Breakthrough Tech Profits.