Has Acquired All Assets From Columbia Avionics & Aircraft Service

Blackhawk Aerospace has created Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies after having acquired all assets from Columbia Avionics & Aircraft Services, Inc. based at the Columbia, MO Regional Airport (KCOU).

Columbia Avionics has been in business since 1995 working to develop new STCs using avionics packages for Citations and other business jets. Blackhawk plans to expand on Columbia’s success and add a new focus on creating STCs for the turboprop market, which their global network of certified dealers can provide to aircraft owners and operators. Additional capabilities include maintenance, airframe modifications, and avionics installations.

“Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies is a great addition to our family of companies,” said Jim Allmon, Blackhawk Aerospace President & CEO. “The avionics STC development capabilities of the company will not only provide our dealers with more offerings for their customers, but it will also help Blackhawk to certify engine-to-avionics integrations more quickly and efficiently. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome this new team to the family.”

BAT will be led by industry-experts Mark Wilken, Conrad Theisen, Lance Fox, and Shad Sones who bring a combined 110 years of avionics experience to the team. Wilken will lead BAT as the company’s President and brings 30 years of experience including the development of more than 50 STCs for installing the latest avionics systems on Beechcraft models including the King Air, Beechjet, Premier, and Hawker.

Theisen will be appointed as Vice President of Sales and Marketing, bringing 25 years of avionics expertise and experience working with avionics OEMs on retrofit programs for King Air series aircraft. Fox will oversee new STC programs as Director of Engineering and brings over 30 years of experience developing an extensive STC portfolio and working closely with avionics and engine OEMs as the two systems became increasingly interconnected. Sones will oversee day-to-day operations at the Columbia, MO facility as General Manager and brings 25 years of industry experience to the team.

“I am very excited to be part of the Blackhawk Aerospace family,” said Wilken, President of BAT. “Blackhawk Aerospace’s long-standing reputation in the King Air series aircraft along with the extensive Citation avionics, STC, and maintenance capabilities at our Columbia facility is a perfect match. Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies will bring King Air and Citation owners and operators the personalized customer attention, quality, and technical experience they have been looking for.”

FMI: www.blackhawk.aero