A Half Century Of 'Industry Leadership And Innovation'
For half of a century, Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics has been an industry leader in the overhaul/exchange, repair, design and manufacturing of aircraft instruments and avionics. The company, which marks its 50th anniversary in October 2014, is a leading supplier and industry innovator, routinely introducing new products and service capabilities to the global aviation community.
“Growing and sustaining a successful business, especially in the highly competitive and challenging aviation industry, is not for the faint of heart,” said Todd Winter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics. “To do so for half a century requires exceptionally efficient and dedicated employees that have an unrelenting commitment to their customers and fellow aviators. It goes without saying that we couldn’t have grown our product lines, customer base, or our reputation for quality, service and integrity without an extremely loyal and talented team,” Winter added.
Today, Mid-Continent supports a global dealer network and employs 200 people in two locations: Wichita, Kansas and Van Nuys, California. With the skilled expertise to overhaul nearly 6,000 different products, Mid-Continent operates one of the largest instrument overhaul and exchange programs in the world, supporting a customer base that includes Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Fixed Base Operators (FBOs), instrument and avionics shops, flight schools and government agencies. The company manufactures more than 20,000 units per year and processes more than 15,000 units in its overhaul/exchange and repair operation, including gyros, altimeters, HSIs and autopilot systems.
Mid-Continent designed products are found in most Cessna-built airplanes; Beechcraft’s Bonanza, Baron, and King Air; Cirrus, Diamond, Piper, DAHER-SOCATA, de Havilland, Robin, Schweizer, Nextant, Aviat/Husky, Evektor, Mooney, Maule, Air Tractor, Vulcanair, and Quest aircraft; as well as Eurocopter, Robinson, Bell, Boeing, Airbus, and MD helicopters; McDonnell Douglas T-45; Tecnam; Voyager; and SpaceShipOne.
Founded in 1964, Mid-Continent began as a small repair station for Wichita’s growing aircraft industry. Acquired by John Winter in 1980, the company expanded its services to include manufacturing and quickly earned a reputation for highly responsive, one-on-one customer service that continues to this day. With the 1991 addition of the Van Nuys, California facility and the new direction provided by current President and CEO Todd Winter, the company strategically expanded its service capabilities, innovative product lines and international reach.
In 2010, Mid-Continent identified a new segment within the general aviation industry with enormous growth potential: power management. The company positioned itself as a leader in this segment by establishing its True Blue Power division and the True Blue Power product line. True Blue Power products include USB charging ports, inverters, emergency power supplies and advanced lithium-ion batteries. Select products feature A123 Systems’ proprietary Nanophosphate cell chemistry, including the FAA and EASA TSO-certified TB17 Advanced Lithium-ion Battery. The TB17 is the first lithium-ion engine start battery for business and commercial aviation to receive either certification.
In 2012, in an effort to better describe the company’s avionics capabilities and underscore its commitment to provide a full range of avionics services, Mid-Continent Instruments officially changed its name to Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics. Since that time, the company has steadily increased its capacity in the repair and overhaul of avionics products, including weather radars, Mode S transponders, emergency locator transmitters (ELTs), and other navigational and communications systems. Mid-Continent has been selected as an Authorized Repair Center for Honeywell Bendix/King, Trig Avionics, Kannad and United Instruments.
Mid-Continent’s dedication to the general aviation community is reflected in its long-standing memberships with industry organizations. Mid-Continent is an active member of the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and Wichita Manufacturer’s Association (WMA).
“We are extremely grateful to our customers for their loyalty and support over the last 50 years,” Winter explained. “As technology and market demands have changed, we have adapted and innovated. Our product lines and list of services continue to expand. Our expertise continues to grow. Even our name changed slightly. But, our priorities haven’t — and they won’t. When it comes to quality, service and integrity, our next 50 years will be just like the last. We will continually strive to push the standard by which our industry is measured.”
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