Continental Testing

Continental Testing calibrates, tests and repairs measuring instruments for many industries, with a special focus on aviation. It is based in Union, Ohio, close to Dayton Airport and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It also has a lab in Colorado, with a Denver office. The company says its technicians service more than 5,700 manufacturer models, even some the maker no longer supports.

The Ohio site has a 14,000 square foot in-house calibration lab. The company offers fast turnaround times and AOG service. AOG means aircraft on ground, a case where a grounded plane needs help right away. Its labs handle mass, dimensional, electrical and chemical calibration, and the work is traceable to NIST standards.

The company was an early user of mobile calibration labs. These are fully equipped, air conditioned trucks that bring ISO traceable calibration to customers across the country. The idea began because aviation maintenance organizations needed mobile calibration for aviation specific items.

DuWain and Laura Ake bought the company in 2010. DuWain Ake is president and owner. He is an electrical engineer with 25 years of instrument design experience. This background lets the team repair unusual and one-of-a-kind items. The company reached ISO 17025 accreditation in 2012.

The technicians go through drug testing that meets Department of Transportation rules. They also complete training in-house and outside. Some were trained by the U.S. Air Force in avionics and metrology. Metrology is the science of measurement.

Continental Testing says over 500 airlines, military and government maintenance facilities trust it to check their tools. Certificates show full as found and as left data at no extra charge. Minor adjustments and common fuses and batteries are also covered at no extra charge. Records are kept for at least seven years. The company is C.A.S.E. compliant and audited, and it uses a computerized tool tracking system.

Customers can view their calibration certificates and tool inventory online. The website offers a sample certificate and sticker, and a form to request service.