Washington, DC—The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) has approved seven companies—Celestica, Elliott Aviation, Gogo, Luxaviation Group, Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics, TRU Simulation + Training, and Yingling Aviation—as the association’s newest members. GAMA now has 91 members. The seven new members represent the largest number of companies to join the association at one time in GAMA’s 45-year history.
“The seven new companies joining GAMA bring experience and expertise in all parts of our industry and in key areas of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Europe,” said GAMA Chairman Joe Brown, President of Hartzell Propeller Inc. “Their decision to join reaffirms the association’s sterling reputation for effectiveness on policy and regulatory issues, in-depth technical knowledge, and safety and technology leadership.”
“GAMA is delighted to welcome these seven dynamic companies to the association,” GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce added. “They represent every sector of the industry and represent the disciplines where the GAMA staff is engaging global regulators and politicians: manufacturers, MRO, simulation, service providers, and large FBO networks. Their collective contributions to our global trade association will strengthen our effectiveness and influence to facilitate policies, regulation, and legislation that promote the growth of general aviation around the globe.”
Descriptions of each of the new GAMA members follow.
Based in Toronto, Canada, Celestica is a global leader in the delivery of end-to-end product lifecycle solutions in a range of markets including aerospace and defense. Through Celestica’s Centers of Excellence, the company provides manufacturing solutions capability in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Celestica is committed to lowering costs and enhancing the competitive performance of aerospace and defense companies through a broad range of technology services—including the design, engineering, manufacture, and repair of high-reliability electronics systems that provide operational control, monitoring, and communications in rigorous aerospace and defense environments.
Elliott Aviation is a second-generation, family-owned business aviation company offering a complete menu of high-quality products and services, including aircraft maintenance, avionics service and installations, paint and interior, accessory repair and overhaul, charter and aircraft management. They also provide aircraft brokerage and acquisition services under the Elliott Jets brand. Serving the business aviation industry, they have facilities in Moline, Illinois; Des Moines, Iowa; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Gogo is a leading global aero-communications service provider that offers in-flight Internet, entertainment, text messaging, voice, connected aircraft services, and a host of other communications-related services to the commercial and business aviation markets. More than 6,800 business aircraft are flying with its solutions, including the world’s largest fractional ownership fleets. Gogo also is a factory option at every major business aircraft manufacturer. Gogo has more than 900 employees and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with additional facilities in Broomfield, Colorado, and various locations outside the United States.
The Luxaviation Group manages 20 FBO facilities and 14 maintenance centers worldwide, which are certified to work on most business jets flying today. The group is also the second largest operator of corporate aircraft in the world. It manages 250 aircraft operating under the regulatory umbrella of 14 regional civil aviation issued air operating certificates (AOCs). Based in Luxembourg, Luxaviation currently employs over 1,500 employees worldwide.
Founded in 1964, Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics began as a small repair station for Wichita, Kansas’ growing aircraft industry and later expanded to manufacturing. Known for leadership in the power management sector, Mid-Continent’s True Blue Power product line include USB charging ports, inverters, emergency power supplies, and advanced lithium-ion batteries. It also specializes in the repair and overhaul of avionics products, including weather radars, Mode S transponders, emergency locator transmitters, and other navigational and communications systems. Mid-Continent serves 57 countries and employs 185 people in Wichita and Van Nuys, California. Mid-Continent manufactures more than 20,000 units per year and processes more than 15,000 units in overhaul/exchange and repair operation.
TRU Simulation + Training was formed when its parent company, Textron Inc., brought together four legacy companies, each with over 25 years of experience serving the aviation industry’s flight and maintenance training needs. TRU Simulation + Training delivers end-to-end flight training solutions to civil and defense customers around the world. Products range from portable desktop training devices and distance learning courseware; to fixed-base training devices and Level D full motion flight simulators; to maintenance courseware, training devices and instruction; to general aviation pilot training in Part 142-certified training centers. Headquartered in Goose Creek, South Carolina, the company consists of four distinct, customer-centric divisions: Air Transport Simulation, Business & Military Simulation, Mission & Maintenance Training, and Training Centers & Services.
Founded in 1946 by Vic Yingling, Jr., an Army Air Corps captain returning from World War II, Yingling Aviation is an FAA- and EASA-Approved Part 145 repair station based in Wichita, Kansas. With over 100 employees, it is a factory-authorized service provider for Avidyne, Bendix/King, Garmin, Universal, Honeywell, NAT, PS Engineering, Rockwell Collins, Sandel, and Genesys Aerosystems avionics, and operates a McCauley, MT Propeller, and Sensenich factory-authorized propeller service center as well. In addition to the newly announced authorized services for the Beechcraft piston propeller products, Yingling also offers authorized and comprehensive support to the full range of new and legacy Cessna aircraft. Yingling also launched the newly remanufactured Ascend 172 program.