Aero Tire & Tank, Inc. was started in June of 1971 by Elmer L. Klopfenstein. Aero was at that time primarily a fuel cell repair station and a warehouse delivery point for BFGoodrich and Thompson Aircraft Tire Corp. Also, Aero was a stocking BFGoodrich distributor of aviation products. In 1984 David Kirby became the General Manager and introduced a wheel and brake service shop for small and regional aircraft. In 1987 Aero sold to Thompson Aerospace. At that time, Aero had developed into a premier wheel and brake service center which interested Thompson and their growth plans. After developing with Bendix wheel and brake division the carbon brake refurbishment process and providing these services to all airlines flying the Boeing 767, Bendix purchased Air Treads wheel and brake service centers. This caused Thompson to close their Dallas facility. David Kirby, grandson of Elmer Klopfenstein and acting General Manager of the Thompson Dallas facility, purchased the equipment and reopened as Aero Tire & Tank, L.L.C. To provide product indentification, two service companies were established, Aero Tank Specialist for the fuel cell repair, sales and overhaul, and Dallas Centerline for the wheel and brake repair and overhaul. Mr. Kirby is assisted by Karla Kirby as VP production/Sales Director, Brenda Ashenden as AR/AP CFO., and Ricky Riddle as Quality Control Manager. Together they have assembled operations for Fuel Cells, Wheels, and Brakes for the aviation community with a dedication to quality service and unprecedented support to the small to medium airline market.

Elmer L. Klopfenstein, founding father of Aero Tire & Tank, started his aviation career with the Lockheed Co. of Burbank, California during World War II as one of the Team Leaders that worked on the Howard Hughes project to develop integral fuel tanks for aircraft of that time. In 1946, Elmer moved to the Dallas area with a company called Aircraft Tank Service, which implemented single point refueling systems on business aircraft. In 1971 he started his own company repairing integral fuel tanks and repairing bladder fuel cells. He retired in 1987 on a ranch in New Braunfels. He died January 9, 1994 due to liver cancer. (Born July 15, 1909)

David L. Kirby, the grandson of Elmer Klopfenstein, worked around the shop in the summers since he was eight years old. Learning the bladder fuel cell repair trade, he was a full-time employee in 1980. He now holds a repairman certificate for fuel cell, wheel and brake repair.

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