Tenant Spotlight: “Micro” products, lifesaving results at Micro AeroDynamics
June 23, 2026 | News
Micro AeroDynamics (Micro) was founded in 1989 with a mission to enhance the safety, performance, and utility of general aviation aircraft worldwide. Founder Charles White began this journey developing a vortex generator (VG) kit for the Beechcraft Baron twin-engine airplane. Since that first kit, Micro’s core product has remained consistent while their catalog has grown to cover nearly every applicable model on the market.
Micro’s VGs are small aluminum tabs affixed to the top of aircraft wings that generate vortices over the wing surface, reducing stall speed by 5–10 mph and increasing controllability at lower speeds. Designed for propeller-driven planes seating 2–8 passengers, they’re a niche product that looks insignificant to the untrained eye. But for bush pilots navigating remote Alaskan airstrips, agricultural pilots flying low and slow over fields, small airline operators (like San Juan Airlines), and private pilots, these small tabs can mean the difference between life and death – and they already have.
“We’ve received over 100 calls from customers telling us that Micro’s products saved their lives,” said General Manager Chandler White, son of founder Charles. “As a local business supporting local families, it’s a great feeling to know that what we make here has saved lives all over the world.”
Today, Micro operates out of the Anacortes Airport with a small tight-knit team, manufacturing and delivering products to a global customer base. The company has been a part of the Anacortes Airport business community since 1990, and, having recently committed to another 20 years at the Airport, they will be serving pilots and supporting our community for years to come.
You won’t find their products on a commercial jet aircraft, but if you want to see what Micro’s VGs can do, check out short takeoff and landing, or STOL, competitions online. These pilots push their custom planes at the absolute edge of maneuverability, and nearly every aircraft in these competitions relies on Micro’s products to do so safely and controllably. It’s worth a look.
Micro is a prime example of what makes the Anacortes business community distinctive: a small, specialized company that is quietly delivering lifesaving products to customers around the world. The Port is proud of this long partnership and looks forward to many more years to come.
Learn more about Micro: https://microaero.com/