AAR History

Ira A. Eichner founds I.A. Allen Industrial Sales in Chicago to supply radios and other equipment to the fledgling commercial aviation industry.

The Company is incorporated as Allen Aircraft Radio in Chicago.

The Company raises equity capital for the first time, working with William Blair & Company, whose partner Edgar D. Janotta becomes AAR’s first outside director.

Allen Aircraft Radio establishes an FAA repair station for avionics and instruments at its new location in Elk Grove Village, IL.

International Expansion - Opens Allen Airmotive, a component repair facility in Amsterdam to expand AAR’s presence into Europe.

The Company goes public with an over-the-counter share price of $10, raising $1 million.

The Company acquires Mars Aircraft Radio in New York. This component repair shop and two other acquisitions in the early ‘70s later grouped with Amsterdam shop and named AAR Aircraft Component Services (ACS).

The Company changes its name to AAR CORP.

The Company acquires its first airframe maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) business at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City.

AAR is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (AIR). Company has two secondary offerings of common stock in 1984 and 1986 to fund next growth phase.

AAR Mobility, acquired in 1981, provides rapid deployment equipment including pallets and containers for troops in Operation Desert Storm.

David Storch moves AAR into the engine business, which is later named AAR’s Aircraft Turbine Center (ATC).

AAR opens an office in Singapore to serve customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Company enters the high technology F-15 and F-16 military aircraft component repair business in 1985, expanding its customer base to include the Dutch Air Force, the U.S. Air Force & NATO.

The Company expands its repair portfolio by acquiring a landing gear overhaul and exchange facility in Miami in 1986.

AAR Cadillac Manufacturing provides rapid deployment equipment for allied forces during Operation Desert Storm.

AAR is listed on the Chicago Stock Exchange.

David P. Storch becomes the second CEO in the Company’s history.

AAR moves its corporate headquarters and several of its major business units to a new 250,000 square foot facility in Wood Dale, IL.

AAR acquires ATR International, a manufacturer of specialty composite structures, and renames it AAR Composites.

AAR makes two acquisitions that get the Company into the new parts distribution business, adding select OEM product to its aftermarket network.

Due to less commercial aviation demand and an increase in military aviation activity, AAR shifts to more contracts with U.S. military and its allies, including supply chain management for U.S. Navy helicopters, UK AWACs and the KC-10, as well as support for missions over Afghanistan.

AAR Mobility continues to grow as its products support troop movements in the Middle East in the wake of Sept. 11.

AAR leases over 1 million square foot world-class Indianapolis Maintenance Center featuring 10 hangars, designed for and formerly operated by United Airlines. Receives contracts from United, Southwest, Delta and other airlines to conduct heavy maintenance on their fleets.

AAR establishes a landing gear repair facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

David P. Storch is named Chairman and CEO of AAR CORP.

AAR acquires Brown International, a Huntsville, Alabama, defense contractor adding communications integration capabilities and renames it AAR Integrated Technologies (InTech).

AAR acquires an MRO facility at Miami International Airport, with close proximity to its landing gear overhaul facility and at an entry point for two continents.

AAR adds expeditionary airline capability with the acquisition of Aviation Worldwide Services/Presidential Airways.

Under the direction of John Holmes, AAR acquires international component repair and warranty management provider Airinmar and leverages it to grow its component repair and flight-hour support businesses.

AAR acquires global cargo systems manufacturer Telair International and cargo container manufacturer Nordisk Aviation.

AAR opens a new 188,000 square-foot aircraft maintenance facility in Duluth, Minnesota.

AAR Airlift named top contractor in Afghanistan in 2012 and operate vertical replenishment for the U.S. Navy.

AAR’s MRO network becomes largest in Americas and third largest in the world with over 5 million man-hours worked.

The Company was chosen by AMMROC (Advanced Military Maintenance Repair & Overhaul Center) to support the design, outfitting and integration of its state-of-the-art military MRO in the UAE.

Company expands its supply chain services including the acquisition of Sabena Technics in Brussels and establishment of a new warehouse hub to serve EMEA, which leads to a surge in flight-hour component part and repair contracts outside the U.S.

The Company was voted Top Airframe MRO Provider Worldwide by the industry.

AAR opens a new 238,000 square-foot aircraft maintenance facility with two 10-story hangar bays in Rockford, Illinois.

AAR acquires an aircraft paint stripping and washing business located at Miami International Airport.

AAR celebrates 50 years of Component Repair in Amsterdam.

AAR acquires two MRO facilities from Premier Aviation’s aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Canada – one at Trois-Rivières Airport in Québec and one at Windsor International Airport in Ontario.

AAR opens a parts warehouse in Shanghai. The new supply chain hub was established to expedite the delivery of crucial aircraft components to operators and MROs in China.

AAR opens a parts warehouse at Dubai World Central (DWC) Airport. The supply chain hub closes the gap between essential aircraft components and the growing list of commercial and regional carriers operating in the Middle East.

AAR announced joint venture with Indamer for a new MRO facility in India. The new facility, which is already under construction, will initially be comprised of six narrow-body bays, including one bay for paint. Additional phases are planned for a total of 16 bays, as well as component repair shops.

John M. Holmes becomes the third CEO in the Company's history.