COMPANY HISTORY
 

John R. Shirk had dreamed of flying from a very early age...

In 1975, at the age of 19, John fulfilled that dream by completing flight training and receiving his private pilot license.   During that same year, he began working as a part-time aircraft mechanic helper, and started his career in aviation maintenance.  By 1978, John was working as an avionics technician full-time.

Once he had gained the necessary experience, John focused on management,  which culminated in a position as avionics manager of a major FBO from 1982 until 1985.  It was then that John decided the time was right to run a company for himself rather than for others.  So, with advice from several small business owners and successful entrepreneurs, and with the financial help of friends and relatives, John opened Alternative Avionics in 1985.

In the beginning, they operated with only the most essential personnel, and occupied just 12,000 square feet of hangar space at Detroit City Airport.  Shortly thereafter, John was presented with the opportunity to purchase the avionics division of a local FBO, which would allow his new company to develop a distributorship with Bendix/King Radio Corp. and add useful supplies and equipment.  He jumped at it.  In order to expand the services it could offer, the company hired a certified aviation mechanic part-time in 1986.

Then in 1987, the company was offered the opportunity to establish a facility at the Oakland/Pontiac airport to provide avionics sales, service and installation for PDQ Airservice and its customers.  This arrangement was so successful that by early 1988 the company decided to close down operations in Detroit, and concentrate its efforts on the market at Pontiac.

Not long after the move to Pontiac, PDQ was purchased by ADI, an FBO with a full avionics shop.  A few months later, John got another "offer he couldn't refuse", and he purchased the avionics division of ADI in March of 1989, adding another large supply of parts, equipment, technical manuals and dealerships.  

By the beginning of the year 1999, it had become obvious that Alternative Avionics had outgrown the ability to rent space to operate the company.  Therefore, in June of that year, a hangar at the the east end of Oakland County International Airport, was purchased.  By the end of August, this hangar became the new home of Alternative Avionics.

Alternative Avionics is presently operating in their own 13,000 square foot facility with the philosophy of supplying all our customers with the very best possible services related to, but not limited to: sales, service and installations of the many different types of avionics equipment in use throughout the aviation industry.

We proudly welcome you to Alternative Avionics, where our company philosophy and goal is to supply all of our customers with the best possible avionics sales, service, and installations experience.  We're confident that our dedication and effort will allow us to always meet that goal as we meet the needs of the aviation community.