Astronics partners with Hawker Beechcraft Corporation to provide next generation LED exterior lighting for piston aircraft fleet

Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ: ATRO), a leader in advanced, high performance lighting, electrical power and automated test systems for the global aerospace and defense industries, announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Luminescent Systems Inc., has teamed with Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) to provide new light emitting diode (LED) exterior lighting for HBC's family of piston aircraft.

Astronics is offering a complete suite of products for the Beechcraft Baron and Bonanza including anti-collision, navigation, ice detection, taxi/landing and beacon lights that offer an unprecedented combination of performance, safety, and reliability. HBC intends to offer these lights on new production aircraft as well as in retrofit kits for existing aircraft.

Astronics' LED lighting solution replaces the existing filament based system with a high reliability solution, dramatically reducing maintenance costs and power consumption. James S. Kramer, Executive Vice President, commented, "Hawker Beechcraft challenged us to provide an unparalleled solution to upgrade their entire piston fleet, and we rose to the challenge in providing a best in class solution."