Onboard Systems International
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersVancouver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
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.
Onboard Systems International firmographics
Firmographics- 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
- 11–50 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
Onboard Systems International industry classification
Industry- 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 primary industry
- Aerospace Landing Gear Components & Subsystems (IMABANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Landing Gear MRO (IMABALAF)
Keywords
Where Onboard Systems International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Onboard Systems International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- MRO Services: Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for helicopter rescue hoists and cargo winches through their FAA Part 145-approved facility.
- Parts and Spares: Sale of replacement parts, spares, and components for existing equipment.
- 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
Onboard Systems International product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Onboard Systems International
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Onboard Systems International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Onboard Systems International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and regional.
- RMCI, Inc.coreStrategic 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.
- LeonardoflagshipLeonardo 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 LimitedregionalAuthorized 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
Onboard Systems International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
Onboard Systems International social profiles
Digital presenceOnboard Systems International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Onboard Systems International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Onboard Systems International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Onboard Systems International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Onboard Systems International
What does Onboard Systems International do?
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.
Is Onboard Systems International a public or private company?
Onboard Systems International is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Onboard Systems International founded?
Onboard Systems International was founded in 1976. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Onboard Systems International based?
Onboard Systems International is headquartered in Vancouver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Onboard Systems International make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Aerospace Hoist and Winch Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are MRO Services, parts and Spares and exchange Programs.
Who are Onboard Systems International's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Collins Aerospace (RTX), Goodrich (now Collins Aerospace) Hoist Heritage and Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) Support Equipment. Direct peers are Meeker Aviation, Dart Aerospace and Breeze-Eastern. Others are Hartzell Aviation and Cleveland Wheel & Brake Systems. Lifesaving Systems is listed as a regional player. Aviation Equipment & Supply (cargo hook aftermarket) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Onboard Systems International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Onboard Systems International.
What industry is Onboard Systems International in?
Onboard Systems International's product category is Aerospace Hoist and Winch Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABANAK, Aerospace Landing Gear Components & Subsystems, with a secondary code of IMABALAF, Landing Gear MRO. Its NAICS code is 336413 and its SIC code is 3728.