Astronics Corp. (ATRO:NASDAQ) is headquartered in West Aurora, New York. The company is a leader in advanced, high-performance lighting, electrical power generation, control, and distribution systems for the global aerospace industry. Astronics was named #1 on Fortune Small Business Magazine’s 2008 list of America’s 100 fastest-growing small public companies.

Astronics has a reputation for high-quality designs, exceptional responsiveness, strong brand recognition and best-in-class manufacturing practices. The company’s strategy is to expand the value and content it provides to various aircraft platforms through product development and acquisition. Astronics Corp. is uniquely positioned in its ability to address the complete lighting and electrical power system needs for the three major aircraft markets: military, commercial transport, and business jet markets.

Over the last decade, Astronics has positioned itself for growth on the premier, next-generation aircraft platforms with expanded value and content of products. Instead of being a supplier of individual components, Astronics has

In the battle for supremacy in the aircraft business, there are only two real players - Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) and Airbus (EPA:EAD).  These two companies compete for market share in commercial and military planes, with demand far exceeding each company’s manufacturing ability, and both have a long order backlog.  Some of Boeing’s customers, for example, will wait as long as five years before the planes they ordered are delivered.  And while they fill these orders, both companies must keep innovating.  As oil prices continue to soar, and airline companies like Delta and American Airlines struggle with tight margins, planes that fly faster, fit more passengers, and consume less fuel are at a premium.

And so each company has designed its own new super-plane - for Airbus, the A380, and for Boeing the 787 Dreamliner.  The Airbus plane has already debuted (its first flight was in October 2007),