What Avionics Place does

Avionics Place is an FAA Part 145 certified avionics equipment retailer and repair shop operating from a single 13,455 square foot hangar at Chicago/Rockford International Airport in Rockford, Illinois. Founded in 1974 at Dacy Airport and relocated in 1981, the company has served the general aviation market for over 40 years, selling new and used avionics equipment from manufacturers including Garmin, Dynon Avionics, Aspen Avionics, Avidyne, and others across categories such as EFIS/glass cockpits, transponders, ADS-B solutions, panel-mounted GPS, MFDs, Nav/Comm, and flight instruments. Its service portfolio spans installations, bench and autopilot repairs, IFR/VFR pitot-static certifications, custom CNC-cut panels, custom wiring harnesses, and mobile pitot-static checks within a 75-mile radius.

The business model combines retail equipment sales with labor-based professional services. Published pricing includes $130/hr for aircraft installation, $135/hr for bench and autopilot repair, $350 for IFR certification, and $250 for VFR certification, with equipment sales priced per unit (e.g., Garmin GTX 335 at $2,995). The customer base is concentrated in general aviation aircraft owners, with secondary segments in experimental aircraft builders and owners of retired military aircraft. Distribution is primarily direct from the Rockford facility supplemented by an e-commerce storefront, a physical showroom for in-person demos, and a quote-request funnel.

The company is privately held under owner Jennette Carter, with General Manager Dave Wright and additional staff Tony Polemarkis and Geoff Heberlein. It is a member of the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) and operates with FAA-certified technician-pilots, a CNC machine for custom panels, and a large on-site parts inventory supporting quick turnaround. There are no disclosed funding rounds, subsidiaries, or external investors.

Name

Avionics Place

Website

https://avionicsplace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Avionics Place is an FAA Part 145 certified avionics retailer and repair shop in Rockford, Illinois, selling new and used general aviation avionics and providing installation, repair, certification, custom CNC panel fabrication, and wiring harness services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Avionics Services and Equipment

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Avionics Integration, Wiring Harnesses & Installation Kits (IMABAFAL)

Keywords

• Avionics installation services
• General aviation avionics
• FAA Part 145 repair
• Aircraft panel upgrades
• Avionics equipment sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Avionics Equipment Sales: Sales of new and used avionics equipment including transponders, GPS, glass cockpits, flight instruments, Nav/Comm equipment, and ADS-B solutions from manufacturers like Garmin, Dynon Avionics, Aspen Avionics, and others.
2. Installation Services: Avionics installation services billed at $130/hr for aircraft installation. Capable of simple to extensive panel modifications and upgrades.
3. Repair Services: Bench repair and autopilot repair services at $135/hr. Certified Part 145 repair shop with on-site testing department serving customers from all over the country.
4. Certification Services: IFR certifications at $350 (3-4 hours) and VFR certifications at $250 (1-2 hours). Bi-annual pitot static services at fixed rates.
5. Custom Panel Fabrication: Custom cut panels using CNC machine for aircraft facelifts and experimental aircraft builds.
6. Custom Wiring Harnesses: Custom built wiring harnesses for homebuilt and certified aircraft upgrades.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Avionics Place sells new and used avionics equipment from manufacturers such as Garmin, Dynon Avionics, Aspen Avionics, Avidyne, and BendixKing, and provides FAA Part 145 certified installation, repair, certification, custom CNC panels, and wiring harness services for general aviation aircraft. The company operates a 13,455 square foot hangar facility at Chicago/Rockford International Airport with both shop-based and mobile service capabilities.

Product overview

Avionics Place is an avionics equipment retailer and FAA Part 145 certified repair shop offering new and used avionics products across eight categories: EFIS/Glass Cockpit, Pilot Supplies, Transponders, Flight Instruments, ADS-B Solutions, Panel Mounted GPS, Multifunction Displays, and Nav/Comm. The company sells products from major manufacturers including Garmin, Aspen Avionics, Dynon Avionics, Avidyne, Bose, BendixKing, Trig Avionics, and others. Their service portfolio centers on installation (new and used avionics), repair (bench repair and autopilot repair at $135/hr), pitot static certification (IFR $350, VFR $250), custom CNC-cut panels, custom wiring harnesses, and mobile services within 75 miles of Rockford, IL. The company operates from a 13,455 square foot facility at Rockford International Airport and has served the general aviation market since 1974.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Avionics Equipment Sales Retail sales of new and used avionics equipment from manufacturers including Garmin, Dynon Avionics, Aspen Avionics, Avidyne, Bose, BendixKing, Trig Avionics, JP Instruments, S-TEC/Genesis, and Appareo. Categories include EFIS/Glass Cockpit, Pilot Supplies, Transponders, Flight Instruments, ADS-B Solutions, Panel Mounted GPS, Multifunction Displays, and Nav/Comm equipment. Targeted at general aviation aircraft owners.
• Avionics Bench Repair FAA Part 145 certified bench repair service for avionics equipment at $135.00/hr. Includes on-site testing department and large parts inventory for quick turnaround. Customers ship equipment from across the country. Performed by FAA-certified technicians who are also pilots.
• Autopilot Repair Specialized autopilot repair service billed at $135/hr. Targeted at general aviation aircraft owners needing diagnostic and repair of autopilot systems.
• Avionics Installation Services Aircraft installation services billed at $130/hr for new and used avionics. Capable of simple to extensive panel modifications and upgrades. Services certified aircraft, experimental aircraft, and helicopters. Performed by FAA-certified technicians who are also pilots.
• Pitot Static Certification Bi-annual pitot static certification services: IFR certifications at $350 (3-4 hours) and VFR certifications at $250 (1-2 hours). Additional fees for altimeters ($175), transponders ($85), and transponder/encoder ($135). Available at the Rockford facility or via mobile service (minimum 5 planes required within 75-mile radius).
• Custom CNC Cut Panels Custom aircraft panel fabrication using state-of-the-art CNC machines for precise and custom panels for virtually any aircraft. Services range from facelifts in older aircraft to building experimental aircraft panels from scratch.
• Custom Wiring Harnesses Custom built wiring harnesses tailored to specific customer needs for homebuilt or certified aircraft upgrades. Supports experimental aircraft builders and panel modification projects.
• Mobile Services Mobile pitot static checks provided within a 75-mile radius of Rockford, IL. Minimum 5 planes required and at least two weeks notice required for scheduling.
• Garmin GTX 335 Transponder Garmin GTX 335 ADS-B Out compliant transponder (Part number 010-01216-01) priced at $2,995.00. Available for general aviation aircraft owners seeking ADS-B compliance upgrades.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA)coreOthersAvionics Place is a member of the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), providing industry credibility and network access.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Duncan Aviation: One of the largest privately-held aviation services organizations in the world with avionics installation, repair, and modification capabilities across multiple U.S. locations. Highly comparable multi-service avionics shop model, though at significantly greater scale than Avionics Place.
• Preferred Avionics: Independent avionics shop offering sales, installation, and repair services for general aviation aircraft. Direct small-to-mid-market competitor with similar Part 145 service center positioning and customer segments.
• Banyan Air Service: FBO and avionics shop based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport offering avionics installation, repair, and Part 145 services. Comparable full-service avionics business model serving general aviation aircraft owners, though in a different regional market.
• Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics: Avionics manufacturer and overhaul/repair station serving general aviation, business aviation, and rotorcraft. Comparable Part 145 avionics repair and overhaul business with both component-level and system-level services.
• Pacific Southwest Instruments (PSI): Avionics repair station and instrument overhaul shop serving operators across the western U.S. Comparable Part 145 avionics repair and overhaul business model, with overlapping capability in instrument-level and bench repair services.
• Elliott Aviation: Full-service aviation company offering avionics sales, installation, repair, and modifications across several Midwest and U.S. locations. Direct competitor in the general aviation avionics services market, with overlapping geographic reach.

Broad incumbents

• Garmin Aviation: Dominant avionics OEM whose products Avionics Place resells and installs. While not a service shop competitor, Garmin's direct-sales pilots, certified dealer network, and factory installation services shape the channel economics for independent shops like Avionics Place.
• StandardAero: Large diversified aerospace MRO provider offering avionics services across multiple platforms and geographies. Adjacent competitor with broader scale, OEM authorizations, and enterprise-grade capabilities that can pull regional customers away from independent shops.

Others

• Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA): Industry trade association of which Avionics Place is a member. Not a commercial competitor, but the central trade body governing avionics shop standards, training, and OEM relationships—directly relevant to Avionics Place's positioning and industry credibility.

Emerging players

• Aerox Aviation Oxygen: Specialty aviation components supplier and service provider focusing on oxygen systems and related aircraft equipment. Niche emerging player in the broader aircraft component and accessory services market that competes for similar GA owner-pilots on adjacent upgrade categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/avionicsplace
• Facebookfacebook.com/avionicsplace

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Avionics Place