What if Bayo's story was a Christmas tale?

Here comes the holiday season, the time for family reunions, a good wood fire in the fireplace, and comforting hot chocolate. And of course, beautiful stories passed down from generation to generation.
It makes us want to tell our own story, that of a large family serving aviators. Bayo's story is not very old for a family, but already honorable for a company, as it started thirty-five years ago. Settle comfortably in your chair, because we’re going to travel back in time aboard our... flying machine, of course.

Once upon a time in Bailleau...

Here we are in 1988, and this little trip already helps solve what might be a mystery for you: where does the name of your favorite online store come from? Well, simply from its birthplace! The brand was created at the Bailleau-Armenonville airfield, near Chartres.
At that time, Bayo was not yet the general supplier of accessories for pilots that you know, with its catalog of about 1250 items. Our company started as a specialist in installing GPS systems on aircraft. But our DNA was already firmly established, with the desire to offer our customers the best: a selection of products from the leading aeronautical GPS brands, a constant search for the most innovative technologies, and demanding service for their installation.

A story of a chalet

But Bayo is restless. In 1990, the company leaves Bailleau-Armenonville and takes with it the brand name that will remind it for a long time of the time and place of its birth. It lands – and brings its bags – at the Auxerre-Branches airfield. And discovers its new nest: in the neighborhood, the playground has a brand new paved runway, equipped with a complete instrument landing system (ILS) and remote-controlled night lighting. The perfect place to attract the crème de la crème of pilots and make new friends!
Bayo sets up home in a place designed to bring the family together: a chalet! Pilots are welcomed in a 300-square-meter store. Their planes are pampered in an adjacent 600-square-meter hangar. The Auxerre chalet becomes one of those iconic places of French aviation, gathering many pilots near Paris. And it has stayed in many memories since.
In this context, Bayo's reputation grows and allows it to expand its services. In 1995, an exclusive contract was signed with Garmin, the world leader in geolocation. The business expands to maritime and land devices.
In 1999, the Auxerre-Branches workshops receive JAR 145 certification from the aircraft maintenance organizations. Its know-how grows, as does its reputation. The team is capable of renewing LSA-IFR/VFR certifications or repairing various radio equipment: GPS, VHF, VOR, ATC, DME, ADF, MKR, etc. It works on Garmin, King, Narco, Collins, Becker, Icom, and many other devices.

Success Story in Auxerre

The business is thriving. A second workshop, dedicated to after-sales service, is opened for aeronautical, maritime, and land products. It handles repairs, updates, inspections, and certifications. Over the years, the store and hangar diversify with new brands and products.
The turn of the millennium marks a major turning point for Bayo: the company creates its own brand. A pioneer, it opens a new "mapping and geolocation" department to publish what was then considered – in those distant times! – a cutting-edge technology: CD-ROMs displaying maps of France at a 1:25,000 scale continuously on a computer screen. Through a partnership with the National Geographic Institute (IGN), Bayo is the first to digitize and market these maps with its CARTOEXPLORER product. IGN mapping becomes accessible to the public thanks to Bayo.
Fleet management and remote navigation software are also created. This diversification is a true success story. And don't think that these innovations, which may seem outdated given how quickly technology has advanced, have been forgotten. They were so well designed that customers still share their nostalgia for these product lines today.
The Christmas story doesn't stop there. In 2002, the premises are expanded. The chalet-store grows to 425 m². A second avionics hangar completes the company's domain, bringing the total hangar area to 1,150 m².

From ECT to NSE: The Group Spirit

This success does not come without upheavals. It is difficult to sustain such growth without joining a solid group that can meet investment needs. The fairy godmother is called ECT Industries; in 2008, it acquires Bayo, making it a 100% subsidiary. ECT Industries was specialized in the design, manufacture, and maintenance of electronic equipment and systems for the aeronautical, naval, and industrial sectors.
Three years later, ECT Industries is itself acquired by NSE Group. Naturally, Bayo’s activities follow suit and integrate into this Auvergne-based flagship, which develops electronic systems worldwide, particularly for aviation, defense, transportation, industry, and consumer electronics.
2012: As the Auxerre airfield declines, Bayo’s integration within NSE becomes more tangible with a move to the Auvergne region. The pilot equipment store is now entirely online; its team has settled in Abrest, near Vichy in the Allier, where the group's administrative headquarters and after-sales service are located.
As for the aeronautical activities, they take place at Clermont-Aulnat Airport (63). The PART 145 and APDOA PART 21 certified workshop occupies a 2,200 m² area, while geolocation is based in Emerainville, in Seine-et-Marne.
This integration into the NSE group represented a major evolution, offering opportunities to significantly improve the means and growth prospects of the business.

The Adventure Continues

In this new configuration, Bayo's dynamism continues. The Aulnat hangar has preserved the spirit of service and rigor that marked its history and continues to attract a beautiful international clientele of private aviation.
For its part, the online store evolves by partnering with the most innovative brands in the fields of aviation headsets, aviation GPS, radios and intercoms, aviation watches, and many other navigation equipment…
In 2014, it unveiled a new logo clearly showing its affiliation with the NSE group. Then, in the following years, its team actively participated in major aviation events such as France Air Expo, the ULM World Show, and the Le Bourget Air Show. This way, it ensures it stays close to its customers and up to date on innovations, trends, and the activities of other players in the market.
In 2021, the commercialization of CARTOEXPLORER was halted, but the site continues to offer up-to-date products, whether in the form of aeronautical charts or aviation GPS.
Today, Bayo.com continues to improve its services to pilots, whether through its product selection and range, with over 1250 references from more than 40 suppliers, the navigation experience, and the service provided by the site, its blog, which tells other great stories related to its products and the aviation world, or its increasingly active presence on social media. Always curious and eager to share our passion for new products, we’ve added a new section to the store: flight simulator equipment here.
Over all these years, our experience as a supplier of pilot equipment has also built the trust you place in us. We accompany you in all your aerial adventures. We are committed to providing you with superior quality products and exceptional service. We are proud to be part of almost every action that allows you to navigate, like good little Christmas elves watching over your flights.
And the story of Bayo continues: the story of enthusiasts serving your passion.