When ASA began its journey in 1940 as Merrell Aviation Ground School, the company’s primary goal was the training of post-war military pilots returning from active duty to work in the early civilian airlines. Plotters, regulations, and training manuals were the first products. In 1960, the company broadened its production and development efforts with additional pilot supplies and books added to the ground school training line.

In 1969, the company became Northwest School of Aviation. The goal was to franchise the popular Merrell Ground School under the name Aviation Seminars of America, or ASA.

In November 1976, Aviation Supplies and Academics replaced Aviation Seminars of America as the name to go with the ASA acronym, and the company again broadened its product line to add cassette courses, new books, and training materials. The company was incorporated in 1977 and publishing and manufacturing became its principal mission.

In 1984, the sale of the ground school (Aviation Training and Research, Inc.) and the retail store (The Aviator’s Store) allowed all of ASA’s efforts to be directed towards becoming a major supplier of pilot supplies and educational material in the United States. In 1985, ASA moved to larger quarters in Georgetown, and then again to its present Coal Creek location in 1990 to provide more warehouse and office space.

The ASA FAR/AIM has been in publication since 1945, and the ASA Test Preps have been in production for more than 60 years. Since those early days, many products have been added to the line including textbooks, software, apps, online courses, videos, flight instructor tools, aviation maintenance technician materials, logbooks, flight computers (manual E6-B and the electronic CX-3®), aviation plotters, kneeboards, flight bags, remote pilot and drone materials, and more. Additional pilot supply items and book titles are being added as our team of authors and subject matter experts continues to grow.

Our distribution network has grown as well, with domestic and international distributors promoting and representing the full ASA product line around the globe. ASA products are used worldwide in all training environments: ICAO, CAA, FAA Part 61, 107, 141, 147, manufacturers training, colleges, universities, STEM/magnet programs, ab initio training, general aviation airports, and by aviators everywhere for self-study.

Aviation Supplies and Academics, Inc., does business as ASA. ASA is the leading publisher of aviation books and the largest producer of pilot supplies in the USA today, providing trusted materials for more than 80 years.