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.

FMI: www.flightstar.com