Onboard Systems International

What Onboard Systems International does

Onboard Systems International, LLC is a privately held U.S. aerospace manufacturer founded in 1976 and headquartered in Anaheim, California, operating as a member of the Signia Aerospace diversified aerospace group. The company designs and manufactures external cargo handling equipment for helicopters, organized into two principal divisions: Onboard Systems (cargo hooks, Human External Cargo / HEC equipment, weighing systems, longlines, cargo nets, and replacement/upgrade kits) and Onboard Systems Hoist & Winch (rescue hoists and cargo winches). Its technology portfolio centers on translating drum hoist mechanisms, high-efficiency motors with continuous duty cycle, Surefire release technology, and the next-generation Pegasus rescue hoist system featuring Data Acquisition Sensing and Health (DASH) functionality certified to EASA ETSO-2C208.

The company sells into four primary customer segments: helicopter operators in public safety and special missions (search and rescue, law enforcement, firefighting, EMS), utility operators (wind turbine servicing, power line inspection, harbor pilot transfers), helicopter OEMs (notably Leonardo for AW139 integration), and offshore oil and gas operators. Revenue is generated through four streams: hardware sales (rescue hoists, cargo winches, kits), FAA Part 145-approved MRO services via the newly expanded Anaheim facility (designed for 80 units/month and 45-day turnaround targets), parts and spares, and exchange/overhaul programs that create recurring service relationships with the installed base.

Onboard Systems holds what it describes as the most EASA and FAA certifications in the industry for aerospace hoists and winches, creating significant regulatory barriers to entry. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales with a network of authorized global distributors (including Hornet Aerospace in India) and a 24/7 online quote request system. The company is led by President & CEO Jason Lemmon. Recent strategic activity centers on the Pegasus launch, the Leonardo AW139 OEM win, a new software partnership with RMCI for fleet management UI, and the doubling of MRO capacity in Anaheim.

Name

Onboard Systems International

Legal name

Onboard Systems International, LLC

Website

https://onboardsystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Onboard Systems International, founded in 1976 and headquartered in Anaheim, California, designs and manufactures helicopter cargo hooks, rescue hoists, and cargo winches for helicopter operators, OEMs (including Leonardo), and special-missions/utility markets worldwide, with complementary FAA Part 145 MRO services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Hoist and Winch Equipment

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Aircraft & Parts (3720)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMABANAK

Aerospace Landing Gear Components & Subsystems

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Aerospace Materials and Components

SECONDARYIMABALAF

Landing Gear MRO

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Aerospace MRO, Repair & Overhaul (Aftermarket)

Keywords

• Helicopter cargo hooks
• Rescue hoist systems
• Cargo winch equipment
• External cargo equipment
• HEC systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Aerospace Hoist and Winch Equipment Sales: Sale of rescue hoists, cargo winches, and associated equipment to helicopter operators. Products include replacement kits, upgrade kits, HEC equipment, and spare parts.
2. MRO Services: Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for helicopter rescue hoists and cargo winches through their FAA Part 145-approved facility.
3. Parts and Spares: Sale of replacement parts, spares, and components for existing equipment.
4. Exchange Programs: Overhaul exchange pool allowing customers to exchange equipment while theirs is being serviced.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Onboard Systems International designs and manufactures helicopter cargo hook systems, rescue hoists, and cargo winches for external load and Human External Cargo (HEC) operations. It also provides FAA Part 145 factory overhaul, exchange programs, technical support, and upgrade kits for legacy equipment across its global helicopter operator, OEM, and government customer base.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cargo Hook Kits Engineered, FAA/EASA-certified cargo hook kits designed to be installed on specific helicopter airframes to enable safe external load operations.
• Replacement Hook Kits Certified replacement cargo hook kits for upgrading or replacing legacy cargo hook systems on helicopters such as medium Bell and UH-60/Blackhawk airframes.
• HEC Equipment (Human External Cargo) Certified Human External Cargo equipment for carrying personnel externally beneath helicopters, including dual hook and airframe-specific HEC kits.
• Onboard Weighing Systems Onboard weighing systems that measure the weight of external loads carried by helicopters to support safe load management.
• Pegasus Next-Generation Rescue Hoist System Next-generation rescue hoist system with variable speed control, integrated data acquisition, sensing, and health monitoring, targeted at helicopter search-and-rescue and special-mission operators.
• Rescue Hoists Helicopter rescue hoists used by SAR, public safety, and special-mission operators to lift and recover personnel.
• Cargo Winches Cargo winches used to deploy and retrieve external loads on helicopters performing utility and cargo missions.
• Longlines Longlines that extend the length of the external load line beneath the helicopter, enabling operations such as logging, construction, and powerline work.
• Cargo Nets Cargo nets designed for securing and transporting external loads attached to helicopter cargo hook systems.
• Upgrade Kits Upgrade kits that modernize or update existing helicopter cargo hook and hoist installations to current specifications and certifications.
• Remote Equipment Remote equipment enabling remote operation of cargo hooks and related external load functions.
• Parts & Spares Replacement parts and spares for Onboard Systems cargo hooks, hoists, winches, and accessories.
• FAA Part 145 MRO and Factory Overhaul Services Factory overhaul, repair, and exchange services for cargo hooks, rescue hoists, and winches performed at the company's FAA Part 145 repair station.
• Exchange Programs Exchange programs that allow customers to swap a serviceable unit for a factory-overhauled unit, minimizing fleet downtime.
• Technical Support and Field Service Technical support and field service for installation, troubleshooting, and operational use of Onboard Systems cargo hooks, hoists, and winches.

Quantifiable outcome

• Turnaround times reduced to 45 days or less by end of 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and regional.

• RMCI, Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 12 March 2026Strategic partnership where RMCI, Inc. will develop user interface software for the Data Acquisition Sensing and Health functionality of the Pegasus next-generation rescue hoist system. This enables real-time data viewing, fleet management, and elimination of paper log cards for the Pegasus system.
• LeonardoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Leonardo has selected Onboard Systems Hoist & Winch's Pegasus rescue hoist for integration on its helicopter platforms, starting with the AW139. The partnership provides improved reliability, performance, and ease of maintenance with availability for retrofit across existing aircraft.
• Hornet Aerospace Private LimitedregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor located in Bengaluru, India providing regional sales and support for Onboard Systems products in the Indian market.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Collins Aerospace (RTX): Tier-one aerospace supplier with a broad portfolio that includes helicopter external cargo, hoists, and mission equipment — competes with Onboard Systems on OEM platform integrations and large fleet programs.
• Goodrich (now Collins Aerospace) Hoist Heritage: Legacy helicopter hoist product line now within Collins Aerospace; historically a leading supplier of rescue hoists to military and commercial helicopter OEMs, providing a competitive benchmark.
• Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) Support Equipment: Major helicopter OEM with internal and sourced external cargo/hoist programs; a key OEM customer and potential competitor for integrated hoist/cargo hook solutions.

Direct peers

• Meeker Aviation: Signia Aerospace sister brand specializing in external payload mounts for helicopters — direct product-line adjacency to Onboard Systems' cargo hook and HEC equipment.
• Dart Aerospace: Specialist in helicopter accessories including external cargo hooks, floats, and utility equipment — directly comparable product overlap with Onboard Systems' cargo hook and HEC kits.
• Breeze-Eastern: TransDigm-owned manufacturer of rescue hoists and external cargo handling systems for military and commercial helicopters — the closest direct competitor to Onboard Systems' hoist and winch product line.

Others

• Hartzell Aviation: Signia Aerospace sister brand producing propellers, welding, and engine tech — adjacent aerospace component peer sharing distribution and customer relationships with Onboard Systems.
• Cleveland Wheel & Brake Systems: Signia Aerospace sister brand manufacturing aircraft wheels and brake systems — adjacent aerospace component peer under the same parent, useful for portfolio-level benchmarking.

Regional players

• Lifesaving Systems: Signia Aerospace sister brand focused on maritime search and rescue equipment — adjacent mission equipment peer with overlap in SAR end customers served by Onboard Systems' hoist products.

Emerging players

• Aviation Equipment & Supply (cargo hook aftermarket): Aftermarket distributor and STC developer for helicopter cargo hooks and external equipment — competes with Onboard Systems for replacement kit and upgrade business across legacy helicopter fleets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/OnboardSystems
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OnboardSystems
• Facebookfacebook.com/OnboardSystems?sk=wall
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/onboard-systems
• Instagraminstagram.com/onboardsystems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Onboard Systems International