Aerobind

What Aerobind does

Aerobind Inc. is a privately-held, Kansas-based manufacturer and direct-to-customer supplier of pilot checklist and Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) supplies for the aviation industry. The company designs, produces, and sells physical binding systems — including four proprietary binder brands (AERAD flat-ring, Aerobinder II round-ring, Aerometal all-metal for Airbus, and Aeroflex military-approved stainless steel single-ring) — along with complementary accessories such as checklist covers, vinyl sheet protectors, divider tabs, paper punches, and pre-sized paper stock. Aerobind's products are engineered to match exact OEM hole patterns (7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 22-ring) for all major aircraft manufacturers including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, and Gulfstream, as well as US military specifications.

The company's business model operates on three revenue streams: (1) catalog e-commerce unit sales of binders and accessories priced from $0.33 to $20.28 per unit with volume discounts; (2) custom manufacturing including PANTONE color matching ($250 per color, 1,000-unit minimum), custom hole patterns ($5,000+ per size), and custom covers ($1.70 per unit at 1,000+ quantity); and (3) turn-key printing services with a $700 minimum charge and 6-10 business day production. Aerobind serves a diverse customer base spanning major commercial airlines (SAS, United, Delta, American, Emirates, Qatar, Ryanair), aircraft OEMs (Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, HondaJet), US military/defense, flight training organizations (FlightSafety International), and individual general aviation pilots, with worldwide shipping. The company holds CAGE Code 74MC7 for government purchasing and was founded to acquire and continue Gressco LTD's AERAD aviation binder product line in 2011.

Name

Aerobind

Legal name

Aerobind Inc.

Website

https://aerobind.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aerobind Inc. is a privately-held Hutchinson, Kansas manufacturer of proprietary pilot checklist ring binders (AERAD, Aerobinder II, Aerometal, Aeroflex) and QRH accessories, serving commercial airlines, aircraft OEMs like Boeing and Airbus, the US military, flight training firms, and individual pilots worldwide via direct e-commerce and custom manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hutchinson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (E-commerce): Aerobind generates revenue through direct online sales of physical pilot checklist supplies including ring binders, checklist covers, sheet protectors, divider tabs, paper punches, and paper stock. Products are sold individually or in bulk quantities with volume discounts.
2. Custom Printing Services: Turn-key printing services for aviation manuals and publications including QRH printing, custom divider tabs, and full checklist assembly. Minimum custom print charge starting at $700 with varying quantities based on specifications. Production time generally 6-10 business days after proof approval.
3. Custom Manufacturing: Custom binder manufacturing with color matching to PANTONE specifications ($250 per custom color, 1,000 minimum order), custom hole patterns ($5,000 per size), and custom checklist covers ($1.70 USD each for 1,000+ units).

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aerobind manufactures and sells pilot checklist and QRH (Quick Reference Handbook) ring binders, checklist covers, sheet protectors, divider tabs, paper punches, and custom-sized paper stock for the aviation industry. The company also offers turn-key custom printing, custom divider tab printing, full QRH assembly, and custom manufacturing services with PANTONE color matching and custom hole patterns for airlines, aircraft OEMs, flight training operators, military, and individual pilots.

Product overview

Aerobind is a manufacturer and supplier of pilot checklist and QRH (Quick Reference Handbook) supplies for the aviation industry. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of physical binding and organizational products organized around ring binders (the core platform) and related accessories. The four main binder brands are AERAD (the original flat-ring classic with over 1M units sold), Aerobinder II (second-generation round-ring with 2-year warranty), Aerometal (all-metal for Airbus), and Aeroflex (single-ring military-approved). These are complemented by accessory products including checklist covers (rigid/flexible in multiple colors/pocket configurations), vinyl sheet protectors, divider tabs (card stock/synthetic), paper punches (manual/electric), and paper stock. Aerobind also offers custom printing services for complete QRH manufacturing. The product ecosystem supports multiple hole patterns (1, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 22-ring) and is compatible with major aircraft manufacturers including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Gulfstream, and military applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AERAD: The Original QRH Binder - aviation classic with flat ring design, over 1,000,000 units sold, used by pilots and flight training companies for over 30 years.
• Aerobinder II
• Aeroflex
• Aerometal

Products and services

• AERAD Ring Binder The original QRH binder with flat ring design and over 1,000,000 units sold since introduction. Available in 7 ring patterns (7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13-ring), made of nylon with clasping ring mechanism, designed for pilots, airlines, and flight training organizations.
• Aerobinder II Ring Binder

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000,000 AERAD binder units sold worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Gressco LTDmajorOthers · 21 June 2011Aerobind acquired Gressco LTD's aviation binder product line on June 21, 2011. This acquisition gave Aerobind the rights to manufacture and sell the AERAD line of pilot's checklist binders, which became a core product line for the company.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pilot Mall: Online retailer of pilot supplies, aviation gifts, and flight training materials. Comparable in direct-to-pilot e-commerce model and pilot reference product assortment.
• ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics): Major publisher and retailer of pilot supplies, training materials, and aviation reference books, including logbooks, charts, and study kits. Comparable in product line, target customer (pilots and flight training), and e-commerce GTM.
• Aircraft Spruce & Specialty: Large US retailer and distributor of aircraft parts, pilot supplies, and accessories for general aviation. Comparable in catalog breadth, pilot/owner-operator customer base, and direct e-commerce distribution.
• Sporty's Pilot Shop: One of the largest direct-to-pilot e-commerce retailers in the US, selling checklists, kneeboards, headsets, training materials, and pilot accessories. Directly comparable because it targets the same individual pilot and flight school segment with checklist and reference products.
• Jeppesen: A Boeing subsidiary providing flight manuals, charts, navigation data, and pilot supplies. Jeppesen is the most direct comparator because it sells into the same enterprise pilot/procurement channel with overlapping pilot reference materials and a strong OEM relationship.

Emerging players

• MyGoFlight: Manufacturer of iPad/EFB kneeboards, flight bags, and cockpit organization accessories for pilots. Comparable because it targets the same cockpit organization/wearable category and increasingly competes for EFB-era pilot accessory spend.
• CrewLounge AERO: Provider of pilot logbook apps, EFB, and digital crew management tools. Comparable as a digital-native player serving the same pilot reference/organization use case that Aerobind addresses in physical form.
• Padpilot (pilotNav): Provider of digital pilot training manuals and reference apps for iPad. Comparable as a forward-looking threat and potential adjacent market: the same pilot reference budget is increasingly allocated to digital products rather than physical binders.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell Aerospace: Large diversified aerospace supplier of avionics, cockpit systems, and pilot interface hardware. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose cockpit platform decisions (e.g., EFB integration) shape the demand environment for Aerobind's physical products.
• Airbus (Aftermarket & Services): Aircraft OEM for which Aerobind is an original equipment supplier (Aerometal 22-ring binders for A320/A330/A380 manuals). Comparable as both a customer relationship and a potential long-term vertically-integrated threat if Airbus chose to bring checklist supply in-house.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aerobind
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCureAASP-eFqDbCZJqb3loQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/aerobind
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aerobind-inc

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 Aerobind