Northwest Aerospace News April | May Issue No. 2 | Page 45

PACIFIC NORTHWEST AEROSPACE ALLIANCE SPOTLIGHT
The pinnacle of their technology is
their lightest and most efficient Envi-
ronmental Control System (ECS) in
industry. Airborne’s ECS is the only
solution in the marketplace that gives
customers full digital control over
pressure, volume and temperature. 
They can balance the requirements of
multiple sensors in a dynamic envi-
ronment and employ “smart” digital
architecture, capable of learning and
adapting to the patterns they experi-
ence, and monitoring and reporting on
their own health. Their proprietary
heat exchanger technology includes
the use of advanced materials and 3-D
printed components; as a result they are
a minimum of 50% smaller, lighter and
more efficient than other systems in the
marketplace, offering significant space
and weight savings. Unlike compet-
ing technologies, they are also “More
Electric Aircraft” (MEA) compliant;
their systems only run when they need
to run and at only the speeds necessary
to maintain optimal temperature to +/-
1C. This capability provides incredible
power management/saving capabili-
ties. Furthermore, they are designed
to be “plug and play” and hence, their
systems are platform agnostic, and can
operate on any native platform power.
This capability provides huge benefits
to the end user who wants to use a pod
on multiple platforms.
This technology has won the atten-
tion of several major A&D custom-
ers, including Raytheon, Northrup
Grumman, Boeing, and Sierra Nevada
Corporation, to name a few. Raytheon
commented during a recent visit, “They
blew away my expectations for a com-
pany of their size … usually small com-
panies are not that mature.” (Source:
Jessie Major, Peninsula Daily News).
To date they have captured over $200
million in business and expect this to
climb to $1 billion by 2026.
Establishing a Future in the
Pacific Northwest
Airborne’s initial business plan involved
the execution of a three-phase plan —
designing and selling the technology
to establish a cash flow; developing a
permanent facility with assembly and test
capabilities; then a transition to full ver-
tical integration and manufacture of their
own parts. When it came to establishing a
permanent footprint, the Pacific Northwest
was able to offer a competitive solution
that not only made good economic sense,
but also enabled Lee to relocate back to his roots (Lee grew up in Joyce, Washington) and
support the local community. Airborne ECS formally opened their doors in Port Angeles
in May 2017 and currently employs a team of 43 permanent and contract employees.
APRIL | MAY 2018 ISSUE NO. 2
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