Amphenol Aerospace Celebrates a Century of Connectivity 

AAO, founded by a group of 15 engineers in the early 1920s, has provided interconnects to every major military program, from subsea to naval to ground to air to space.

Today, Amphenol Aerospace is the world’s largest supplier of military and aerospace connectors, but the company began its 100-year history as a supplier of aircraft engine magnetos.

In the early 1920s, a team of 15 engineers developed a unique magneto design while working for an American branch of the Swiss-based Brown, Boveri & Co. in New York City. The magneto, an electrical generator that implemented permanent magnets, was initially devised by Robert Bosch in 1897 for the early automotive industry. The engineers fine-tuned the concept and introduced their improved design to the young aviation industry. In 1924, Wright Aeronautical adopted the design for use with its engines, leading to a government contract. With this new line of business, the group established the Scintilla Magneto Company in 1925 and opened a production facility in Sidney, New York.

Production in Sidney during World War II

In 1929, Bendix Aviation Corporation acquired the Scintella, and during World War II, the company grew from 600 to nearly 9,000 workers due to the popularity of the Allison V-1710 engine used in Army fighter planes. “Scintilla and Bendix remained on the leading edge of aircraft ignition products, with magnetos leading the way. They were on virtually every major commercial and military aircraft program during those years,” said Chris Cappello, AAO’s director of marketing communications.

The Sidney plant produced Bendix Magnetos for almost 150,000 different aircraft. Many of these magnetos remain in use today. Although the Bendix Magneto design has been updated, most mechanical aspects remain the same as the ones produced in the Sidney plant.

A Magneto used on the Spirit of St. Louis, an Ignition analyzer, and ignition components on an aircraft engine.

After 1945, wartime technologies moved into other industries and new generation of components — including interconnects — helped electronic refine technologies. “After World War II, they began making connectors to meet the increased demands of high-altitude performance,” said Cappello. “The connectors they were procuring were not performing to the requirements needed, so they decided to build their own and qualify them. By the late 1940s, they began selling AN, 5015-style circular connectors. In the 1950s, they developed the miniature PT 26482-style and the QWL connector series. By the 1960s, they developed the Junior Tri-Lock, JT connectors, which eventually became D38999 Series II.”

AAO’s 38999 connector; ZeroG Space Travel Plug

Through mergers and acquisitions, the company continued to grow under the names Allied, Allied-Signal, and finally Amphenol Aerospace in 1983. “Our position was staked as a leader in the industry pretty early on. After the introduction of MIL-DTL-38999 in the late 1960s, our breadth of product grew significantly. From that point forward, through many internal product developments/introductions and acquisitions, Amphenol has continued to grow into the largest interconnector company in the world, especially in the military and aerospace markets,” said Cappello.

AAO’s LRM surface mount connectors

AAO’s products have evolved in tandem with military specifications and requirements.“The first major milestone were Scintilla magnetos on the Spirit of St. Louis. Following that, Scintilla magnetos were on every major aviation milestone — Admiral Byrd, Chamberlin, Earhart, etc. Their connectors and ignition systems were used on early jet aircraft,” said Cappello. “We work closely with the prime defense contractors and subcontractors to support their needs directly and also the needs of the end customer, which includes various branches of the military and the warfighter.”

On the factory floor in the 1940s

As its first century progressed, AAO moved beyond aviation and into space. “PT connectors were extensively used on early space programs — Atlas rockets, Glenn’s Friendship 7, all Apollo missions,” said Cappello. “Then, multiple connector series were custom-designed and used on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs.”

AAO’s Sidney plant in the 1990s, before floods damaged the original site

Throughout it all, the company has remained in Sidney. Two major floods, in 2006 and 2011, led to significant disruptions at the original plant, prompting the construction of a new, state-of-the-art connector manufacturing facility one mile away from the old plant in 2014.

AAO’s modern manufacturing facility in Sidney

“It’s an incredible achievement for a company like Amphenol Aerospace to have not only survived, but thrived in small, rural Sidney, New York, for 100 years,” said Cappello. “It’s a testament to the management who constantly focused on technology evolution, the incredible engineering team, the experienced workforce, and the support of the local community.”

Visit Amphenol Aerospace to see its products. Learn more about the company’s anniversary in this WICZ interview.

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