Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

Aerospace legacy parts manufacturing and support special Ontic has completed its acquisition of Firstmark Corp., the parent of Twin Commander, Aircraft Belts, and Firstmark Aerospace, among other companies.
Firstmark provides a range of engineering, propriety components, and subsystems for the aerospace and defense industries. Its portfolio expanded in the general aviation realm with the 2008 acquisition of Twin Commander, which has supported and provided parts&nbsp;and services for the Aero Commander/Twin Commander families since production ceased more than two decades ago.
Under the new ownership, Brian Harbaugh, a long-time senior manager at Twin Commander, has taken the role of acting business unit director of Twin Commander and Aircraft Belts. “Ontic is a great fit for Twin Commander. As a company dedicated to legacy product support, the expertise and resources Ontic brings will help propel Twin Commander long into the future,” he said.
Twin Commander will continue to focus on strengthened Twin Commander customer support through its factory authorized service center network, engineering upgrades, and opportunities for Twin Commander owners and operators to network, Harbaugh said, adding he plans to reach out to the Twin Commander community over the next few months to discuss the plans for the Twin Commander family.
For Ontic, the acquisition adds about 70 workers and expands the presence of Chatsworth, California-based Ontic in the East Coast with facilities in Creedmoor, North Carolina, and Plainview, New York. These sites complement Ontic’s locations in Cheltenham, UK, and Singapore, in addition to Chatsworth, Ontic said.
“The acquisition confirms Ontic’s commitment to support our customers by adding manufacturing and MRO Service capabilities on the U.S. East Coast,” said Gareth Hall, president and managing director of Ontic. “Firstmark is an ideal fit for Ontic with their high-quality portfolio of products supporting civil and military aircraft.”

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

Ontic Expands Portfolio with Twin Commander Acquisition

Ontic completed its acquisition of Firstmark, which extends its aerospace and defense parts and support reach, in addition to the general aviation market.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Purchase enables company to offer retail aircraft maintenance services in U.S. Southwest

Pinnacle Aviation Buys Mx Provider Aviation One

Work involved major disassembly of the airframe

ExecuJet MRO Completes 120-month Check on Legacy 500 

Extension goes to six years or 4,000 flight hours, whichever is first

Hartzell Lengthens Warranty on Props for Raisbeck King Airs

Curt Epstein

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

The addition will support Flightstar’s MRO growth

Illinois MRO/FBO Flightstar Expands with New Hangar

Combines component repair and overhaul and parts services companies

Jet Parts, DAS Aviation Merger To Improve Efficiency

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Installation supports ISR and law enforcement missions

SEA Adds Mission Console and Sensor Mount for Caravan

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

In this article

Twin Commander Series

Twin Commander

More In Maintenance and Modifications

Pinnacle Aviation Buys Mx Provider Aviation One

Purchase enables company to offer retail aircraft maintenance services in U.S. Southwest

ExecuJet MRO Completes 120-month Check on Legacy 500

Work involved major disassembly of the airframe

Hartzell Lengthens Warranty on Props for Raisbeck King Airs

Extension goes to six years or 4,000 flight hours, whichever is first

Illinois MRO/FBO Flightstar Expands with New Hangar

The addition will support Flightstar’s MRO growth

Jet Parts, DAS Aviation Merger To Improve Efficiency

Combines component repair and overhaul and parts services companies

SEA Adds Mission Console and Sensor Mount for Caravan

Installation supports ISR and law enforcement missions

Gulfstream Steps Up Investment in Customer Support

New customer support leader Lor Izzard is building on earlier improvements

Back on the Plate, Pre-buys Still Face Post-covid Challenges

Industry experts caution on the need for a full pre-buy and one that is carefully laid out

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