Levil Aviation’s Affordable Avionics Revolution

By: Shawn Staerker

Ever dreamed of soaring through the clouds but thought it was too expensive or complicated? Ricardo Leon and the team at Levil Aviation are on a mission to change that by revolutionizing affordable avionics and making the skies more accessible to everyone.

A Family Affair with Aviation

Growing up in a family where nearly everyone flies, Ricardo jokes that it would be easier to list who isn’t a pilot in his family: “My mom, and that’s it.” Originally from Venezuela, the Leon family moved to the US around 2001, bringing with them a passion for innovation and flight that would eventually transform into Levil Aviation.

Ricardo’s sisters are both pilots (one flies Global 6000 jets), and his nephew and niece started logging flight hours at just three and five years old! As Ricardo puts it, “If you’re around us, you’ll get the fever.” Even his sister’s boyfriend, who never considered flying, caught the bug after seeing Ricardo train on a paramotor.

From CNC Machines to Affordable Avionics Innovation

Levil didn’t start as an aviation company. The Leon family began with a CNC shop (computer numerical control—machines that precisely cut materials) in Venezuela in the 1980s before establishing their US business in 2001. They expanded into manufacturing CNC machines themselves, but their path to aviation came through an unexpected route.

In 1995, Ricardo’s father Carlos and his brother Ruben built an experimental aircraft called a Cozy Mark IV. But instead of using a traditional aircraft engine, they installed two car engines, making the plane heavier than planned. Ruben needed lightweight instruments to offset this weight, but the options on the market were too expensive.

“So he decided to build his own,” Ricardo explains. “It cost him more to build his own than just buy the one that’s already built. But he now has his own company.”

Someone saw their homemade instruments and wanted them for their own plane. One request led to another, and suddenly the Leons found themselves developing affordable avionics alongside their CNC business.

Making Aviation Affordable through Innovative Technology

“We’re trying to make aviation more affordable,” Ricardo emphasizes. “We all want to get up in the air, but it can get very expensive.”

Levil’s mission focuses on creating affordable avionics that bring modern capabilities to both new and old aircraft. Their innovative approach? Using iPads.

“Ruben and (Ricardo’s cousin) Ananda said, why don’t we use an iPad as a display?” Ricardo explains. “So I would say we are the pioneers of connecting an AHRS device (which provides artificial horizon and flight data) to the iPad.”

Levil’s product line ranges from portable ADS-B receivers (which show weather and traffic information) to full autopilot systems that can fly your plane for you—all at prices significantly lower than traditional avionics.

One of their most revolutionary products is the BOM, which Ricardo describes as “a smart pitot tube” that mounts under your airplane’s wing. It’s self-powered and self-contained, transmitting air data, GPS information, and ADS-B traffic wirelessly to your iPad. No complex installations, no expensive wiring—just plug-and-play aviation technology.

Testing in the Skies

The Levil team doesn’t just build avionics—they fly with them every day. Their test aircraft, an RV-9, serves as a flying laboratory for developing and testing their products.

“If you see our panel, it’s full of different instruments,” Ricardo says. “People sometimes say, ‘Isn’t that overkill?’ And it’s like, well, we’re flight testing.”

This hands-on approach ensures their products work in real-world conditions. The autopilot system they’re currently selling has been flying in their test plane since 2013 without a single change—a testament to their reliability.

Safety First

Beyond affordability, Levil focuses intensely on safety. Their products often serve as backup systems that can save lives when primary instruments fail.

Ricardo shares a story of one of their first customers who was flying to Oshkosh when he experienced a complete electrical failure while in the clouds. With the BOM as his only functioning instrument, he was able to safely navigate to an airport, get repairs, and continue his journey.

This focus on safety has led to Levil becoming one of the first companies to receive NORSEE approval for many of their products. NORSEE (Non-Required Safety Enhancing Equipment) is an FAA designation that allows certain safety equipment to be installed in certified aircraft more easily.

Beyond Traditional Aviation

Ricardo’s passion for flight extends beyond traditional airplanes. He recently started flying paramotors, which are among the most affordable ways to get airborne.

“You can get into light sport for very affordable, find very affordable airplanes,” Ricardo explains. “There’s so many options to get up in the air that can be an affordable way.”

Getting Started in Aviation

For young people interested in aviation technology, Ricardo offers straightforward advice:

“Always start somewhere. And you’re never too young to start flying. You can start flying at any age.”

He emphasizes understanding the basics of aerodynamics and weather as crucial first steps, and then connecting with aviation communities:

“Aviation is a very, very small world… There’s a lot of groups out there. Facebook has groups of light sport airplanes. There’s always all these people that get together and they’ll get you into it. It’s a community.”

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Want to hear more about Ricardo’s aviation journey and Levil Aviation’s innovative approach to affordable avionics? Listen to his full interview on The Future in Flight Podcast Episode 9—available here: https://futureinflight.com/affordable_avionics_w_levil_aviation

And check out Levil Aviation on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or visit their website at shop.levil.com to join their community of aviation enthusiasts.