AVI Aviation

What AVI Aviation does

AVI Aviation, doing business as Survival Products, is a brand under First Class Air Support, a privately held aerospace aftermarket company founded around 2001 and headquartered in Sunrise, Florida. The company specializes in FAA- and EASA-certified maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of aviation survival systems, including evacuation slides, life rafts, life vests, and inflatable safety equipment, alongside FAA Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA)-based production of cylinders, girt assemblies, and inflatables that serve as cost-effective alternatives to OEM components. Its Designated Engineering Representative (DER)-approved repair authority and dual FAA/EASA certifications allow it to recertify and extend the life of safety-critical equipment across commercial and regional airlines, government and military operators, helicopter operators, and general aviation.

The business operates two complementary revenue streams: MRO and recertification services billed as professional services, and PMA component manufacturing sold as one-time part purchases. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct-to-enterprise, with a global distribution footprint, minimal digital marketing presence (corporate website, trade show participation, and PR), and a leadership team headed by President German Alvarez, with recent VP-level investment in supply chain operations via the April 2026 appointment of Mark A. Goodenow Jr.

Customer concentration is spread across four aviation verticals, though no named enterprise logos are publicly disclosed. With 51-100 employees, 25+ years of operating history, and no disclosed external funding, AVI Aviation appears to be a mature, cash-flow-funded niche supplier whose competitive position is anchored in regulatory credentials, engineering capability, and incumbency rather than scale or technology disruption.

Name

AVI Aviation

Legal name

First Class Air

Website

https://avi-aviation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AVI Aviation (dba Survival Products), a First Class Air brand founded around 2001, provides FAA- and EASA-certified MRO, DER repair, and PMA-approved manufacturing of aviation survival systems — including life rafts, evacuation slides, life vests, cylinders, and inflatables — for commercial airlines, government and military operators, helicopter operators, and general aviation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Survival Equipment Manufacturing

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

Component MRO (Avionics, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Electrical) (TLAKAJAC)

Keywords

• Aviation survival equipment
• Life raft manufacturing
• FAA PMA components
• MRO repair services
• Evacuation slide recertification

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunrise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. MRO & Repair Services: FAA and EASA-certified repair and recertification services for evacuation slides, life rafts, life vests, and inflatable safety systems. Includes DER-approved repairs and engineering support to extend component life.
2. PMA Component Manufacturing: FAA PMA-approved manufacturing of survival system components including cylinders, girt assemblies, and inflatables. Provides cost-effective alternatives to OEM parts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

AVI Aviation provides FAA and EASA-certified repair, recertification, and manufacturing services for aviation survival systems including evacuation slides, life rafts, life vests, and inflatable safety systems. Its portfolio combines MRO and DER-approved repair services with FAA PMA-approved manufacturing of components (cylinders, girt assemblies, inflatables) that serve as cost-effective alternatives to OEM parts for commercial airlines, government and military operators, helicopter operators, and general aviation.

Product overview

AVI Aviation, operating as Survival Products (a First Class Company), offers a unified portfolio of aviation survival solutions organized around two core service offerings: MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) & DER Repair services, and FAA PMA-approved Manufacturing. The MRO & DER Repair service provides FAA and EASA-certified repair and recertification for evacuation slides, life rafts, life vests, and inflatable safety systems, including DER-approved engineering support. The Manufacturing service produces FAA PMA-approved components including cylinders, girt assemblies, and inflatables as cost-effective OEM alternatives. Together, these products serve commercial and regional airlines, government and military enterprises, helicopters, and general aviation operators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MRO & DER Repair FAA and EASA-certified repair and recertification services for evacuation slides, life rafts, life vests, and inflatable safety systems. Includes DER-approved repairs and engineering support to extend component life and ensure regulatory compliance, offered to commercial airlines, government and military operators, helicopter operators, and general aviation.
• FAA PMA-Approved Manufacturing FAA Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA)-approved manufacturing of survival system components including cylinders, girt assemblies, and inflatables. Offers cost-effective alternatives to OEM parts designed to reduce lead times and maintenance costs for aviation operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced maintenance costs through cost-effective PMA-approved alternatives to OEM parts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Survitec Group: Survitec is a global safety and survival solutions provider with aviation life raft, evacuation slide, and PPE manufacturing and MRO — directly comparable to AVI Aviation's combined MRO and PMA components offering for aviation survival equipment.
• Eastern Aero Marine: EAM manufactures and services aviation and marine life rafts, slides, and inflatable safety systems — directly comparable to AVI Aviation's core survival equipment manufacturing and repair/recertification portfolio.
• Switlik Aviation Survival Products: Switlik manufactures aviation life rafts, life vests, and emergency survival equipment — a direct peer to AVI's PMA component manufacturing and survival equipment recertification services for commercial and general aviation operators.
• RFD Group: RFD Group manufactures inflatable survival equipment including aviation life rafts, with global service capabilities — closely comparable to AVI's life raft and inflatable safety system manufacturing and MRO focus.
• Mustang Survival: Mustang Survival designs and manufactures personal flotation devices and survival equipment for aviation, marine, and military operators — a direct peer to AVI Aviation's aviation PFD/life vest manufacturing with comparable customer mix.
• Life Support International: Life Support International distributes and services aviation life rafts, life vests, and emergency equipment to commercial and military operators — comparable distribution and MRO overlap with AVI's aftermarket positioning.
• Survival Systems Inc. Survival Systems provides aviation and marine survival equipment services including life raft servicing and recertification — a niche peer with direct overlap to AVI Aviation's MRO & DER repair services for inflatable safety systems.

Broad incumbents

• Collins Aerospace: Collins Aerospace (via legacy Air Cruisers) maintains a broad aviation safety systems portfolio including evacuation slides and life raft servicing — overlapping with AVI Aviation but at much larger scale and across many adjacent aviation systems.
• Safran: Safran — including Safran Landing Systems and Safran Cabin — is a global aerospace incumbent with cabin safety, oxygen, and aircraft equipment aftermarket exposure; broadly competitive with AVI Aviation as a large incumbent.
• Cobham Aerospace Communications: Cobham provides aerospace mission and safety systems, including airborne safety and emergency equipment for military and civil operators — a broader incumbent with overlap to AVI's survival and safety systems services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/avinflatables
• Facebookfacebook.com/AVIAviationInflatables
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/survival-products-life-rafts

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 AVI Aviation