About us
Building reliability since 1978.
Our purpose
To protect and preserve lives when it matters most.
We design, engineer and manufacture energetic solutions: the cartridges, initiators and cutters that aircraft safety systems depend on, for military, commercial and private operators.
Founded
1978
Headquarters
Burton, TX
Combined experience
100+ yrs
Sectors served
3
How we work
01
Always find a way
If a platform needs a device that isn’t in our catalog, we work out how to design, qualify and build it. Custom requests are part of the job.
02
Laser focused
Since 1978 we have done one thing: pyrotechnic and explosive components for aerospace. That focus has built more than 100 years of combined team experience.
03
Mission over me
Our devices help put out aircraft fires and deploy evacuation equipment. The people who depend on them come before any one of us.
Since 1978
Our History
AETC was established in 1978 and enjoys an excellent reputation in the field of design, development, qualification and manufacturing of life-support pyrotechnic and explosive components. AETC was structured with the objective of forming a small company with the capability to provide high-quality pyrotechnic and explosive components with economical pricing and on-time deliveries.
Today, we continue to provide industry-leading products at the most competitive prices over 40 years later. Our small but mighty aerospace manufacturing company has become a reliable and trusted presence in the Texas community, with decades of experience delivering tailored solutions that set the standard for dependability and safety.
When you choose AETC for aircraft pyrotechnics components, you’ll experience fast lead times, exceptional customer service, and unmatched quality.
Our Experienced Team
The founder of AETC, Jack Ancone, had over 35 years of experience in this field, including tenures at Diamond Engineering Corp., Space Ordnance Systems and HTL Energy Systems (now known as Pacific Scientific, Energy Dynamics Division). Ever since his retirement, we have continued to carry out Jack’s legacy. AETC’s Quality Control Manager has been with the company since 1985 and is an FAA Designated Manufacturing Inspection Representative (DMIR). Our expert management team has over 100 years of combined experience in the industry.
In addition to our knowledgeable managers, we are also proud to have a staff of experienced team members who exemplify what it means to be an AETC employee. The average tenure for the key employees at AETC is 19 years, and the average term for all AETC employees is 13 years, meaning most of our dedicated workers have loyally served our company for decades, boasting skills and experience you can trust.
Our Dedication to Quality
At AETC, we always put quality and safety at the forefront. That’s why we adhere to the strictest military specification standards with every product we produce, ensuring all of our aerospace devices exhibit remarkable performance and efficiency.
Our primary product, fire extinguisher cartridges, provides the energy that operates the fire extinguishers on military and commercial aircraft. Our cartridge design has been qualified to MIL-D-21625 and MIL-I-23659 standards. Other products manufactured at AETC include SMDC initiators, cutters, piston-pusher, piston pullers, valves and pyrotechnic time delays.
Our initial quality system was designed to satisfy MIL-I-45208 and Federal Aviation Regulation 21.303. This quality system has been tailored to the extent that it is now ISO 9001 certified.
Where we build
Our Location
AETC is located in Burton, Texas. Our facility has extensive pyrotechnic and explosive manufacturing capabilities and is qualified to operate on its own if necessary. We have been approved by The Department of Defense (DOD), The Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
1585 Helm Rd.
Burton, TX 77835
Choose AETC as Your Aerospace Supplier Today
If you’re looking for a reliable aerospace manufacturer in Texas, choose AETC. We’ve spent over four decades providing military, commercial, and private aircraft companies with high-quality pyrotechnics devices they can trust while delivering excellent customer service.
For more information on our aircraft squibs, fill out a form to get in touch with us today!
Who we serve
