Oct. 8. 2019
ASB Avionics, Inc, an FAA-certificated repair station since 1991, is a family-owned and operated business based in Mojave, CA, which provides avionics modernization system design, build and installation services and equipment for aircraft in all categories.
Duane McNutt, ASB Avionics’ founder and president, joined the Navy after high school as a flight radioman. After his Navy service, he worked for 20 years as an avionics tech in Van Nuys, CA-and in 1990, McNutt opened his own business – Avionics of Santa Barbara (ASB). He later opened a second facility at the Mojave Air and Space Port, and changed the company name to ASB Avionics, Inc.
During his time in business, McNutt’s company has designed and installed cockpit avionics upgrades for NASA’s Boeing 747 Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy as well as a complete FAA certified cockpit and autopilot upgrade for the L382/C-130 family of aircraft. Also, ASB developed and patented an FAA-certified dorsal shunt high frequency conformal antenna that the company builds under FAA PMA.
McNutt and his son Brian, who is ASB’s general manager, are both pilots, and the entire team is passionate about improving pilots’ ability to communicate and navigate anywhere globally.
“Although we love coming up with tailored avionics upgrade solutions for aircraft of all types, we really enjoy the challenges and responsibilities of serving the business aviation community on time and on budget because we know that the availability and reliability of those aircraft are essential to the productivity and profitability of their owners’ businesses,” said McNutt.
The company owns and maintains a 39,000-square-foot hangar, including fabrication, bench repair and sheet metal shops, and employs more than 25 technicians and other professionals including experienced systems engineers and program managers.
“I love what I do,” said McNutt. “I don’t know that I’ll ever really retire.”