The History Of Elliott Aviation

Elliott Aviation is one of the oldest aviation companies in the industry. Since 1936, it has grown and evolved, adapted, and innovated to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. Elliott Aviation’s world-class service company actually began quite modestly in 1936 when Herb Elliott started Elliott Flying Service on a grass airstrip in DeWitt, Iowa. Although the airport had a hangar, it had no water or electricity. An old farm truck with a 300-gallon gas tank served as a holding tank for avgas. Elliott traded flying lessons for what he needed, including a well and a pump. He invited his high school sweetheart, Arlene Stoltenberg, to be his bookkeeper.

Their intuition and knack for pleasing customers resulted in Elliott Flying Service selling a staggering 13 aircraft in its first year. With initial success underway, Herb and Arlene married in 1939.

When World War II interrupted the pursuit of their dream, the couple relocated to Bonham, Texas, where Herb served as a civilian flight instructor, a flight commander at the Army Primary Flight School, and later as a pilot ferrying combat aircraft around the world.

After the war, Herb and Arlene returned to Davenport and resumed business at Cram Field’s grass strip. After adding an office, reception area, and pilot’s lounge, they expanded their operation to include dealerships in Piper and Beech aircraft. They were the first independent contractor to offer twin-engine charters from the Quad Cities. In 1947, they became an exclusive dealer of Beechcraft products.

Two years later, the Elliott’s relocated their business to the new Davenport Municipal Airport in Mount Joy and began providing maintenance services. Success brought the opening of a Des Moines, Iowa operation in 1958, a Minneapolis, Minn. branch in 1972, and another facility in Omaha, Neb. in 1982. The headquarters and Quad Cities service location was moved to Moline in 1961, and the construction of Elliott Aviation’s current facility was completed in 1982.

Over the years, Herb and Arlene, both pilots, received numerous civic and industry awards. In 1976, Beechcraft renamed their annual “Man of the Year” award and presented the Elliott’s with the first-ever “Team of the Year” award. The couple is listed in the Beechcraft Hall of Fame and has received the National Air Transportation Association’s Distinguished Service Award. Herb and Arlene are also the first married couple to share induction into the Quad City Area Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.

Herb and Arlene’s son, Wynn, assumed the company’s helm in 1993 overseeing Elliott Aviation’s entire network of operations and extensive expansions. In 1995, the company changed its name to Elliott Aviation to better reflect the full scope of services provided. At Elliott Aviation’s three Midwest locations, over 350 highly trained and experienced employees follow in their founders’ footsteps to provide the industry’s finest aviation services.

In 2003, Elliott Aviation opened its Completions Center in Moline offering turnkey custom interior design services, custom woodworking, and cabinetry, avionics installations and modifications, noise reduction installations, and paint.

In 2007, a new Paint and Interior Design Center was constructed at the company’s Moline facility on the Quad City International Airport. The center combines sophisticated, industry-leading technology with time-honed craftsmanship to deliver whatever the customer envisions.

In 2008, Elliott Aviation completed its new $8 million facility in Des Moines, IA, adjacent to their already existing building at Des Moines International Airport. The year also marked the 50th-anniversary celebration of Elliott Aviation’s existence in Des Moines. 2008 also saw the start of Elliott Aviation’s industry-leading Garmin G1000 retrofit program in the King Air with their first installation in a C90.

In 2009, Garmin G1000 retrofits began in the King Air 200 series.

In 2011, the company opened its accessory shop to overhaul and repair landing gear and other aircraft accessories. The company also became an authorized service center for Phenom 100 and 300.

In 2012, Elliott Aviation began installing Garmin G1000 retrofits in King Air 300/350. The company celebrated its 50th G1000 retrofit.

In 2014, the aircraft sales division of the company, which had been operating under the name Elliott Aviation, was renamed to Elliott Jets to better reflect the types of aircraft the company was selling.

In 2016, Elliott Aviation was the first to install a Garmin G5000 system in a Hawker 400XP. This installation was the first in their industry-leading Garmin G5000 retrofit program in the Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP.

In 2019, the company installed their first Garmin G5000 in a Citation Excel, which started their industry-leading program in Citation Excel/XLS.

In 2020, Elliott Aviation was purchased by Summit Park, a company out of Charlotte, NC. Later that year, Elliott Aviation acquired Atlanta-based MRO, The Maintenance Group.

In 2021, The Maintenance Group was rebranded as Elliott Aviation of Atlanta.