Story ID: 
Honeywell Buys Autopilot Maker TruTrak
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Trutrak’s CEO and owner Andrew Barker will join subsidiary BendixKing's executive team
Word Count: 230
Honeywell Aerospace announced this week at EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh that it has purchased privately owned autopilot designer and manufacturer TruTrak, which produces systems for experimental, light sport, and certified aircraft. It will become part of Honeywell’s BendixKing business, with TruTrak’s CEO and owner Andrew Barker, the company's first employee, joining the BendixKing executive team. Other TruTrak engineers will also migrate to the Honeywell subsidiary.

“Honeywell and BendixKing’s capabilities in the aerospace industry will accelerate the continued development of the products TruTrak has built from the ground up,” said Barker. “Their vision for autopilots aligns with ours, and personally I am very excited to join the BendixKing team and use the extensive resources now available to us to continue forging the future of autopilots.”

TruTrak was founded in 1999 by Jim Younkin and Chuck Bilbe and by March the following year had produced its first prototype units. Since then it has sold more than 15,000 autopilots.

“TruTrak is a natural fit with BendixKing, and this acquisition opens up an exciting new market to us,” explained Carl Esposito, president of Honeywell’s electronic systems division. “It provides great technology at affordable prices, which is central to BendixKing’s business. He added that the addition will attract new talent, foster collaboration, and help identify new ways to bring value to its customers.