Acquisition Expands Company’s Avionics Business
Savoy, Illinois -based Flightstar recently purchased the assets
of Bloomington Avionics Inc. of Bloomington, IL. The transfer was
completed Dec. 29, 2011. The staff at Bloomington Avionics, as well
as its complete line of overhead and services, will transfer and
now operate from Flightstar’s fixed base operator facility at
Champaign-Urbana’s University of Illinois-Willard Airport
(KCMI).
Bloomington Avionics provided quality service and installation
for more than 30 years at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in
Bloomington, Ill. It operated as a Federal Aviation Administration
Class I and II full-service avionics repair station, specializing
in high-performance single and twin engine aircraft.
Since the company’s beginning in 1978, Flightstar serves as
the Champaign-Urbana Willard Airport’s only FBO. The company
employs more than 120 people at a state-of-the-art
10,000-square-foot corporate terminal facility and
68,000-square-foot maintenance facility.
“We are very excited to integrate Bloomington Avionics
into our operation,” said Bill Giannetti, president of
Flightstar. “While the Bloomington Avionics name will change
to Flightstar, customers will see all the familiar faces they have
known for many years at Bloomington Avionics and will receive the
superior sales and service it provided. It is a unique opportunity
where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts for both
companies. With the Flightstar name, we will expand the general
aviation avionics sales and service business previously achieved at
Bloomington Avionics, and in turn, it will help Flightstar expand
our role in the jet side of the avionics business. The purchase
will ensure the future of both companies by providing solid
avionics service for our customers. Flightstar extends a warm
welcome to all of Bloomington Avionics’ past and present
customers, and we look forward to being their one-stop
‘go-to’ avionics facility as we move forward
together.”
Flightstar’s operation is divided into three strategic
areas: line operations; flight operations and maintenance and
avionics operations. Its line operations features meeting,
marshalling and parking of transient and locally based aircraft,
all fueling operations at the airport, towing and hangaring in
Flightstar’s six hangars, as well as the University of
Illinois’ Institute of Aviation’s hangars, baggage
handling, deicing and ground handling air carrier charters.
Flightstar’s flight operations are divided into aircraft
management and aircraft charter. Its maintenance and avionics
operation is further divided into a general aviation division and
an airline division. The general aviation division handles its own
managed aircraft, as well as the maintenance needs of outside
customers.