Flight Director, Inc. traces its aviation lineage back to 1957 when the first Hanrahan, Donald J. Hanrahan Sr., started work at the Collins Radio Company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as a general aviation salesman servicing accounts such as Beechcraft, Duncan Aviation, and Sabreliner. In the 1960’s, Mr. Hanrahan numbered TWA, NW Airlines, and United Airlines as valued avionics customers.
In 1972, just prior to the Rockwell International acquisition of the Collins Radio Company, Mr. Hanrahan joined several fellow Collins executives and founded Intertrade, Ltd., also in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mr. Hanrahan (Sr.)’s three sons – Mark, Michael and Donald – eventually followed him into aviation. Twin brothers Mark and Michael went to work at Intertrade, Ltd. in 1979 and 1980 respectively. Michael left Intertrade, Ltd in 1984 to incorporate Flight Director, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA. Mark continued to manage Intertrade, Ltd. after Mr. Hanrahan (Sr.)’s passing in 1985. Mark sold Intertrade, Ltd. to Rockwell Collins in 1999. Donald J. Hanrahan (Jr.) joined Michael at Flight Director, Inc. in 1989 after 10 years with IBM in Binghampton, NY. While at IBM, Donald received a Masters in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY. Michael and Donald moved Flight Director, Inc. to its present headquarters in Austin, Texas in 1991. All three sons were raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a “company town” centered around the Collins Radio Company, acquired by Rockwell International in 1973. Mark, Michael, and Donald well remember the Collins Radio Company’s pivotal role in the space race. Donald (Sr.) brought home an exact replica of the helmet John Glenn wore in his historic trip into space, a promotional tool Collins salesmen showed their customers in the mid 60’s.
Flight Director, Inc. “the professional approach”. Since 1957. Keeping our customers airborne. Expertise born of education, hard work, and a commitment to the aviation community. Flight Director, Inc. is proud of this tradition of excellence. Since the 1990’s, Flight Director, Inc. has broadened its scope from avionics to the entire aircraft while purchasing more than 30 commercial airliners including MD90, ATR 72-500, B737, B747, B757, B767, B777, A300, A310, A320, A330 and A340. Quality Without Compromise – EQUIPMENT, INFORM, SOLUTIONS.