A look at an HAI member up close and personal. Kelly Manufacturing Co. (KMC) of Wichita, Kansas, manufactures the popular RC Allen line of analog instruments and their digital counterparts. The largest manufacturer of general aviation aircraft instruments in the world, KMC operates manufacturing plants in Wichita and Grenola, Kansas. Both facilities also house FAA licensed repair stations. A Storied Past The RC Allen line of instruments has a storied past that KMC keeps alive through modernization and expansion. RC Allen Inc. was founded by Ralph C. Allen in 1932 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It later became RC Allen Business Machines Inc. and was one of the leading makers of business machines. Thousands of old RC Allen cash registers, adding machines, and typewriters are still in existence across the country today. With the onset of World War II, the demand for a large quantity of aircraft propelled RC Allen Business Machines into the aviation world. RC Allen facilities were ideal for manufacturing the delicate instruments needed for the war effort. As a result, thousands of RC Allen turn and bank instruments were installed on war-bound aircraft. After the war, RC Allen continued as a major government contractor manufacturing instruments for the Korean
This content is restricted to HAI members. If you are an existing user, please log in below. Become an HAI Member >
