Aviation pioneer Herb Elliott, co-founder of Elliott Aviation, died in Naples, Fla., on Dec. 10. He was 90 years old.

“This is a sad time for the entire Elliott Aviation family,” said Wynn Elliott, president of the Moline, Ill.-based aviation company. “Herb was truly an aviation pioneer and a wonderful patriarch of our company and our family.”

Elliott founded Elliott Flying Service at Cram Field in Davenport in 1936, using $350 in savings he earned as a bass fiddle player in a dance band to purchase his first airplane. Under his leadership, the company grew from a flight school to become a full-service business aircraft sales and technical services company.

Now one of the oldest aviation service businesses in the country, Elliott Aviation has facilities and dealerships in the Quad Cities, Des Moines, Minneapolis and Omaha. The majority of the Elliott’s business comes from sales, service and modifications to business aircraft costing $1 million and up, for companies throughout the country. The company also provides charter aviation services.

Herb Elliott has been recognized by the National Air Transportation Association with its Distinguished Service Award and the William A. Ong Memorial Award, and in 1997 was inducted into the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame.

As founders of one of the first independent Beech dealerships, Elliott and his wife, Arlene, who survives him, were honored by Beech Aircraft Corp. in 1977 as the company’s “Team of the Year.” They were also inducted into the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame, and have been members of many aviation, business and civic organizations.

Memorial gifts may be contributed in Elliott’s name to the Alzheimers Support Network, 660 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, FL 34102. Online memorials maybe completed at https://www.alz.org/donate/eprocess1.asp, and clicking Local Chapter Support and entering Zip Code 34109, or by calling 800-272-3900.