The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

In 1966, Don Fiedler, who is now the Manager of New Business Development for Components, joined the very young Duncan Aviation avionics team as its fourth employee. Then called American Learjet, the company (Duncan Beechcraft) had recently relocated from Omaha, Nebraska, to the Lincoln Airport, and Don primarily worked avionics, doing repairs and installations in Bonanzas, Barons and King Airs. One Learjet 23 was located on the airport, and he worked on that as well.

Don will wrap up his 50^th year in the aviation industry—all of which he has spent at Duncan Aviation—with his retirement in September 2016. He has distinctive memories of every one of his five decades, and he fondly remembers the 1970s as a decade in which Duncan Aviation expanded and grew its avionics capabilities. 

“We did some avionics installs on Cessnas and some on helicopters for Harry Barr’s company called Panhandle Aviation,” says Don. “But once Donald [Duncan, the founder of Duncan Aviation] and Bill Lear finished their negotiations in the ’60s, we were one of only five Learjet service centers in the United States, and by 1970, we were doing a lot of avionics work on Learjets, too.”

Thinking of Learjets reminded Don of how much the late Bill Lear loved the hamburgers from the King’s Food Host on 15^th & Cornhusker. Although the Lincoln institution was eventually franchised, there were no King’s restaurants in Wichita, Kansas, where Learjet was located.

“Whenever Bill flew a Lear to Lincoln, he’d radio ahead and ask us to have 10 or 15 King’s hamburgers waiting for him. He’d take most of them back to Wichita with him,” says Don, laughing.

After becoming an authorized Learjet service center, Duncan Aviation acquired all of the test equipment and began repairing and installing avionics equipment in Learjets. Donald Duncan was the best Learjet salesman in the country. In his lifetime, Don Fielder remembers that Donald sold more than 450 Learjets.

When an aircraft was in for an avionics installation, Don says Donald could be a bit of a mercenary about getting the work done.

“Donald would say, ‘We’re paying interest on that airplane until it’s sold’,” Don says. “One time, we had a Beechcraft Baron in here that we were selling to King’s Food Host, and we installed a complete avionics package in it, including an autopilot. I worked autopilots in those days, and I had been working on the install and checkout for more than 20 hours. I went home, took a little nap and then kept working. We finally got it working; Larry Collier and I installed it. We tested it at 1 a.m., and it was out the door the next morning!”

Another time in the early ‘70s, Don remembers doing an installation on an older DC-3 for Forke Brothers Auctioneers.

“Back then we didn’t have two shifts—we had the day shift and overtime,” says Don. “It was New Year’s Eve, and we were installing new avionics on an older DC-3. It wasn’t going well, but we had to get it done. We stopped briefly at midnight to acknowledge the New Year, but then we just kept on working through the night and into the next morning.”

In 1974, the Avionics shop was split into two departments—the bench and installations. Don managed the five guys who worked the avionics bench, and Ron Hall ran install, which also had about four guys.

Soon after this split, Clay Lacy brought his aircraft to Duncan Aviation for the first time. He’d acquired a really early Learjet 25, and it had a mixture of autopilots, servos and other older avionics equipment that he wanted to modernize.

“The Learjet was a really early serial number, a prototype, and we were modifying it to match the avionics equipment that was routinely installed in new Learjet 25s in the factory,” says Don. “It needed a whole lot of work, though, and it ended up spending six months in Lincoln so we could modify, install and test all of that equipment.

“That was the start of our more than 40-year working relationship with Clay Lacy,” adds Don.

Ron Hall was the Installation Engineer back in those pre-AutoCAD days, and installations sometimes started out as drawings on the back of a napkin.

“Ron knew those Learjet prints backward and forward, and he knew what had to be disconnected or reconnected and to what. The formal drawings were in a big, bound book, but when he was making changes, he’d always make changes on copies of the original prints,” says Don. “Later, he’d go back and render a formal drawing, but he still drew it by hand. Then, we’d add that formal, final drawing to the prints that went with the aircraft.”

In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Larry Collier who was managing the avionics department at the time pushed to get a license for AutoCAD to render avionics prints.

Larry presented his idea to then President Robert Duncan, who agreed. “After that, rendering formal drawings was much easier. Before AutoCAD, Larry or Ron would have to redraw the whole print every time anyone made a change. With the computer program, they just made modifications to the drawing,” Don says.

One of Don’s favorite memories from the 1970s was related to electronics but not necessarily avionics. He remembers the bag phone that Donald Duncan had in his Cadillac. It was one of the first mobile phones anyone at Duncan Aviation had ever seen.

“He loved that phone,” recalls Pam Orr, Travel Coordinator and 39-year Duncan Aviation employee. “When Donald suffered his heart attack and died in 1981, the phone was buried with him.”

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2016 is a special year. It is Duncan Aviation’s 60th year of helping business aircraft operators be safe, efficient and productive. For six decades, customers have asked us for solutions and services. We are celebrating our 60 years by telling the stories about the people of Duncan Aviation who listened and took action.

Celebrate with us by subscribing to the Duncan Download blog, following us on Facebook and Twitter (@DuncanAviation) and visiting our anniversary website at www.DuncanAviation.aero/60.

In March 2015, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation named family owned Duncan Aviation as a Gulfstream authorized warranty facility. Duncan Aviation is the only Gulfstream authorized warranty facility in the United States, and this news thrilled many Duncan Aviation customers who had been asking us to look at adding these capabilities.

“I was happy to hear that Duncan Aviation is now a Gulfstream authorized warranty center,” says Sanderson Farms’ Aircraft Maintenance Manager Allen Ulmer. “I’ve been a customer of Duncan Aviation for 17 years, and we’ve been taking our three G150s to Lincoln for a year now. We’ve had work done on our interiors and engines, and we’ve also taken the aircraft in for inspections, paint and avionics modifications. I’ve been very pleased with all of the work we’ve had done.”

In addition to the Lincoln facility, Battle Creek, Michigan is also able to perform warranty work and provide maintenance services and repairs within our regulatory approvals on the G100, G150 and G200 aircraft. The Duncan Aviation facility in Provo, Utah can perform warranty work and maintenance services and repairs on the G100 and G150 airframes. 

“There is no question this is an exciting opportunity for us,” says Tech Rep Tim Garity. “And the nice thing is we’re already familiar with these models. We’ve been married to the G100/Astra for the last 30 years. It’s a really unique aircraft, with quite a devoted following. Mechanics love to work on them because they’re easy to maintain and the parts are accessible. And pilots love to fly them."

In order to comply with the terms of the agreement, Duncan Aviation agreed to invest in team member training. As a result, more than 20 team members from all three of our main facilities have gone through avionics and airframe training for the G100, G150 and G200 at FlightSafety in Dallas, Texas.

Other technicians are scheduled to complete further training in the coming months. Thus far, Duncan Aviation has invested more than $250,000 in tuition alone for training and more than $200,000 in tooling for the three models. We want our customers to be confident that Duncan Aviation’s technicians are among the most knowledgeable and skilled in the aviation industry and that our facilities are more than capable of completing the work they need.

“This partnership, which represents a new chapter in our long history with Gulfstream, is a source of great pride for all of us here at Duncan Aviation,” says Chairman Todd Duncan. “Gulfstream is recognized the world over for the exceptional quality of its business jets and its commitment to excellence. We are excited to begin providing our mutual customers with access to three additional facilities in the United States.”

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From the Fall 2015 Duncan Debrief Magazine

 

The industry is buzzing with questions about the upcoming mandates for NextGen, namely for ADS-B and FANS 1A. Duncan Aviation NextGen experts attending the NBAA convention in Las Vegas are prepared to answer those questions.

After hosting free NextGen seminars throughout 2015, Duncan Aviation avionics representatives know the questions operators are asking and have immersed themselves in the developing world of NextGen avionics so they are able to answer those questions.

These experts include the following:

Chris Christianson. Christianson is an avionics tech rep with Duncan Aviation who has been with the company more than 16 years. He has nose-to-tail knowledge of every avionics system installed and retrofited for today’s business jets from the analog systems of the Cessna 550 to the large, digital and fully integrated systems of the Falcon 7X, the Gulfstream G-450/550 and Global Express. His experience has involved every facet of avionics installation projects from STC development to standard field approval type installations/modifications with deep levels of integration.

Mark Francetic. Francetic is Duncan Aviation’s avionics regional sales manager and a Duncan Aviation team member for nearly 20 years. He has an associate’s degree in avionics and holds an A&P license. He has been educating operators about NextGen initiatives for two years at more than 20 different venues, is a member of the Honeywell and Bendix King Dealer Advisory Boards and has helped Duncan Aviation develop business plans for AML STCs on ADS-B and FANS/1A retrofit systems on multiple aircraft.

Dennis Kruse. Kruse is an avionics sales representative who has been with Duncan Aviation for 10 years. He spent eight years installing various avionics systems for Duncan Aviation and also worked as an avionics technician in the U.S. Marine Corps.

 

Melissa Raddatz. Raddatz is an avionics sales representative who has been with Duncan Aviation since 2011. She has an associtate’s degree in Aircraft Electonics, an A&P license, and a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Aviation Management. She has nearly three years of experience installing multiple avionics systems and has received formal training on the Falcon 50 and Falcon 50EX, Challenger 300, Troubleshooting and the Primus EPIC EASyII Line Maintenance. She has developed service guides for the Falcons on the mandates. In addition, she has attended several Dealer Advisory Boards for Rockwell Collins and Garmin.

Stop by anytime to meet these NextGen experts. Or take advantage of our Expert Hours and ask your most pressing questions to any of our full attending contingent of avionics gurus.

NextGen Expert Hours

1-3 p.m. Tuesday
9-11 a.m. Wednesday
9-11 am Thursday

For the most current information on the NextGen mandates, visit 

Do you know what ADS-B is? Do you need it? Are you ready? 

Those are questions worth asking and Duncan Aviation is commited to helping you find the asnwers. 

Two of our own avionics experts were quoted last week in the new industry white paper, “Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Mandates Worldwide.”

We are pleased to be part of the effort because it fits perfectly with our belief that giving our customers information empowers them to make wise choices when it comes to their aircraft. We may or may not be dancing in our hangars, but we’re definitely proud to be a part of this well-written, information-intensive paper. The paper is a collaborative effort between two well-respected companies in the aviation industry: Honeywell, a global leader in manufacturing integrated avionics and engines and provider of various aviation services, and AIN, an independent media company that publishes industry news and analysis.

"It is great to see the thoughts, comments and suggestions from Duncan Aviation's team of respected avionics professionals included in industry white papers," said Mike Minchow, manager airframe service sales. "Our avionics sales team and tech reps spend a tremendous amount of time educating themselves on important topics like ADS-B so they in turn can be a valuable resource to our customers to help answer questions, provide options and direct aircraft owners and operators to the correct solution for their aircraft based on how they operate it."

The white paper details the history and mandates of the Federal Aviation Association’s NextGen initiatives and features information and insight from Duncan Aviation’s Avionics Installations Sales Rep Steve Elofson and Regional Avionics Sales Manager Mark Francetic.

"Knowledge is crucial to making sound decisions regarding your aircraft. We at Duncan Aviation will always provide you with the most current and accurate information so that you can make the best decisions for your aircraft and your company. Feel free to give me or our team a call about your ADS-B and NextGen systems," says Regional Avionics Sales Manager Mark Francetic.

For more information about ADS-B and the other NextGen initiatives contact Mark, Steve or any one of Duncan Aviation's knowledgeable avionics professionals (DuncanAviation.aero/nextgen).

If you’d like to read the white paper, it is free and available from AINonline Special Reports when you register here: http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/ads-b-mandates-worldwide-what-why-when-and-how?method=site.

 

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In 2015, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Duncan Aviation Avionics Satellite Network with locations at the busiest business airports across the United States. And to think it all started with a trip to the store to buy shoes. 

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In the early 1980s, Karen and Robert Duncan were shopping for shoes in Hovland Swanson, a locally owned department store in Lincoln, Nebraska. The experience was a pleasant one, and Robert mentioned to the manager how impressed he had been with the salesman’s knowledge and efficiency. The manager then surprised Robert by telling him that Hovland Swanson knew what it didn’t know about shoes and had asked a national retailer to rent space in the shoe department and sell its shoes at Hovland Swanson.

The partnership worked; the national retailer had access to Hovland Swanson’s local customers, and the customers had access to well-made shoes sold locally by a national retailer.

The experience reminded Robert of Duncan Aviation’s busy avionics shop. The techs had the skill and expertise to fix anything, but there were a finite number of them, and they were located in Lincoln while potential customers with avionics problems were at airports in other cities around the country.

Artis rendering of the first aircraft avionics satellite shop circa 1985.

With the model of Hovland Swanson and the national shoe retailer in mind, Robert conceived of a similar business model for Duncan Aviation. He envisioned a series of partnerships with well-respected shops at busy airports around the country. There were several established shops that catered to our core aircraft but lacked an aircraft avionics presence.  

“At this point, I give credit for the whole program to Don Fiedler,” says Robert. “It was my concept, but it was Don Fiedler who ran with it.”

Robert harnessed Don’s energy to his vision and within two years, Duncan Aviation had opened its first satellite location at the William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas. Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio followed later that year, and in 1986, Duncan Aviation added two more satellite avionics shops.

“I looked for business partners who shared Duncan Aviation’s ideals of exemplary service and integrity,” says Don.

In the intervening 30 years, Duncan Aviation has added 21 more shops at airports near our customers in an effort to make avionics work on their aircraft or parts as easy and convenient as possible. We now have a network of 25 avionics satellite shops around the United States from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale and Bridgeport to Van Nuys.

 

Duncan Aviation recognizes the crucial role trust plays in all relationships, but most particularly in working relationships. Regardless of whether those relationships are among co-workers or between Duncan Aviation’s team members and customers, trust is the foundation upon which the business was built.

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Jerry Cohoon, Director of Maintenance
The Coca-Cola Company
Atlanta, Georgia

“I’ve been at Coca-Cola for 33 years and have done business with Duncan Aviation since 1984. I have a great rapport with Sharon Klose (a turbine engine service sales rep). I trust what she says and feel she’s completely honest with me. Because of that, I can be completely honest with her, too.

One time, she taught me a valuable lesson: Your word is only as good as what you say.

I had verbally agreed to some work but before signing the contract, I decided to go with a competitor who gave me an extra discount. Sharon told me that if I want to maintain a good reputation in this industry, where everyone knows everyone, I’ll have to keep my word. She’s right. I don’t want to do anything to damage my reputation.”

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Erick Bonar, Director of Maintenance
Oakmont Corporation
Reno, Nevada

"In the 13 years I've been with Oakmont Corporation, I've always brought our aircraft to Duncan Aviation, and the No. 1 reason is the people. The character of the people who work on our make/model and their level of experience instills trust far beyond comfort. They have an unmatched knowledge base due to their many years of experience working on our make/model of aircraft."

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Phil Carrell, Director of Maintenance
Cin-Air
Cincinnati, Ohio

“When we need refurbishments or paint, I always call Tim Klenke in Lincoln. My company and I have always valued our relationship with Duncan Aviation because of the honesty and integrity of everyone at the company. Honesty is paramount in our business. We will absolutely continue to do business with Duncan Aviation, and we’ve started taking our aircraft to the Battle Creek, Michigan, facility because it’s so much closer for us here in Cincinnati.”

To read more about about our customer relationships, view the Spring 2015 Duncan Debrief.

The late Stephen R. Covey, author, motivational speaker and business professor, said: Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.

Duncan Aviation connected with...

94 new customers in January 2015.
1,159 International customers from 2013-Present
6,190 Domestic customers from 2013-Present
7,696 unique aircraft between 2010-2015

Tha'ts a lot of trust.

The Golden Rule

Duncan Aviation Project Manager Tammie Burns knows that building relationships with customers is the best way to earn trust and confidence. Many of her customers are from Mexico and are not familiar with Lincoln, Nebraska, at all.

“I just put myself in my customers’ shoes,” says Tammie. “If I were to go to a country that I’d never visited before and didn’t speak the language, I’d welcome all of the help I could get. It’s all about treating our customers how we’d like to be treated.”

Often, too, the project manager is the only point of contact for many customers. One Saturday before Christmas, several of Tammie’s customers from Mexico had gone to the Nebraska outlet mall store located between Lincoln and Omaha. While there, they accidentally locked the keys in the trunk. The rental agreement and all of the insurance information were locked inside the car.

Tammie was one of a handful of people they knew in the area, so they called her. She made a few phone calls to find out which rental company they had gone through and what insurance coverage they had, and she called the car rental company. A representative for the rental company took the stranded shoppers a new car so they could drive back to Lincoln, and he waited at the mall for a locksmith.

People Are People

Lincoln Customer Service Manager Monte Reeves says there’s no magic formula for building trust and confidence.

“It comes from taking the time to get to know each customer as a person,” says Monte. “Once you find out about their hobbies outside of work, where they like to vacation or what their spouse and kids’ names are, you have a way to connect. Regardless of whether you’ve known someone for four or 40 years, the bonds grow and thrive.”

In 2006, Vice President of Marketing and New Business Development Steve Gade proposed having customer dinners every other week at local restaurants in Lincoln and Battle Creek as a way to relax with our customers outside of work and to let customers meet and visit with one another.

“The Wednesday night customer dinners were originally planned to simply allow us to show our appreciation for those customers who were in town overseeing projects.  They have since evolved to also facilitate the creation of a sense of community amongst our customers,” says Steve. “I think the rule of degrees of separation in the aviation industry could be reduced to two degrees instead of six; so many of our customers share common experiences and relationships. Another unexpected benefit for us is that it provides our customers the opportunity to give our senior leadership unsolicited, casual feedback on the industry, our competition and our company.”

Rich Boyadjian, director of maintenance for TWC Aviation in Van Nuys, California, says, “Duncan Aviation has the customer service side of its business down. Everyone is included in the customer lunches and dinners, regardless of the cost or scope of the project. I especially like the customer dinners because they provide a way to relax away from the work day, and I get to talk with other owners and operators I’d probably never otherwise have met.”

Carlos Martinez Canchola, powerplant engineer for Aerolineas Ejecutivas, in Toluca, Mexico, was at Duncan Aviation’s Lincoln facility with his company’s Learjet during a frigid February that produced a stretch of single-digit temperatures.

During introductions at one of the customer lunches, Carlos said, “This is my first time in Nebraska, and I do not like the cold at all. But everyone here at Duncan Aviation has made us feel warm and welcome. The people here are really very kind.”

Following Advice

In an effort to build relationships, encourage open communication and foster the trust and confidence of our customers, Duncan Aviation also established a Customer Advisory Board (CAB) in 2004.

“Listening to our customers is critical to our continued success. We convened the first Customer Advisory Board to help us accomplish our mission of continuous improvement and customer-centered innovation,” says Jeannine Falter, vice president of business development.

By working with boards in Europe, Latin America and the United States, Duncan Aviation hopes to tap into the insightful perspectives of the various members to gain a clearer understanding of business aviation and customers’ expectations around the world.

“Board meetings always involve lively, intelligent discussions about pressing business aviation challenges,” says Jeannine. “CAB recommendations have influenced company decisions on billing policies, customer service best practices, the use of technology and social media and many other important aspects of our business.”

Tim Ganse, aviation manager at Cimarex Energy Company in Englewood, Colorado, has been a member of the Duncan Aviation CAB for two years.

“The leadership at Duncan Aviation is open to the input and suggestions from CAB members. They encourage creative thinking,” says Tim. “Serving gives me the opportunity to discuss issues and items that affect operators who don’t have a seat on the CAB, too. Trying to solve problems and help Duncan Aviation evolve to become more successful is a goal that all CAB members take very seriously.”

By fostering opportunities to communicate with customers in as many settings as possible, Duncan Aviation hopes to keep the level of trust high. That, in turn, helps build the foundations of long-lasting business and personal relationships.

Read more Duncan Aviation customer stories in the Spring 2015 Duncan Debrief. 

In the seven years Technical Manager (Director of Maintenance) Klaus Rasmussen has worked for Denmark-based Air Alsie, he’s traveled to Duncan Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan, many times. 

Learn why he continues to fly the more than 6,500 kilometers for aircraft service.

Of the 20 aircraft Air Alsie manages, 15 of them are Falcons. Although Air Alsie is a factory authorized Dassault Line Center and performs smaller inspections, minor repairs and warranty claims, Klaus says he still sends the Falcon aircraft he manages to Battle Creek for major structural repairs and modifications and for C inspections because Duncan Aviation is a Dassault authorized heavy service center.

Starting the Relationship

In 2011, Klaus attended the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he met Duncan Aviation’s European Regional Manager Arjen Groeneveld. Klaus remembers wondering how Duncan Aviation’s prices compared to the European service centers.

Arjen quoted three C checks, some avionics installations and minor modifications. Klaus was impressed with the prices, and after taking those first Falcons to Battle Creek in 2011, he was also pleased with the workmanship.

“On that first trip to Battle Creek in 2011, we were checking out the quality. We’ve been to other facilities for inspections and interior work. In the end, our decision was based on the fact that we’ll get good quality at better prices at Duncan Aviation than at the other facilities,” says Klaus.

Another reason Klaus values Duncan Aviation is because of the transparent approval system. Duncan Aviation’s online project tracking system, myDuncan, lets him follow the check almost in real-time, and, when the work has been completed, all of the paperwork is finalized immediately.

“I appreciate it that we don’t have to wait. We get all of the paperwork, invoices and certification immediately,” says Klaus. “We check the invoice, and the prices are always pretty close to the figures that we had budgeted before going in. That’s extremely important to us because we don’t own the aircraft – we manage it – so all of the costs are passed along to our customers.”

Deepening the Relationship

L to R: Project Manager Shawn Busby, Technical Manager of Air Aisle Klaus Rasmussen and Airframe Service Rep Alan Monk.

Since that first trip, Klaus has been back to Battle Creek numerous times, and he’s developed close relationships with Senior Airframe Sales Representative Alan Monk and Project Manager Shawn Busby.

“The personal relationships make it easy to get in touch with the right people when there are issues. And, let’s face it, there are always going to be issues,” says Klaus. “It’s important to me to know Arjen, Alan and Shawn so well I can reach any of them at any time. I don’t want to have to go through a layer of people who don’t know me or care about me or my aircraft. I want to go to them directly, and I can and do.”

Often work relationships develop into close personal friendships, and Alan considers Klaus a friend as well as a customer.

“We both have families, and Klaus and I often talk about our kids. It’s interesting because parents seem to face similar issues no matter what part of the world they call home,” says Alan.

Shawn also values the close, personal relationship he has with Klaus.

“Personally, I consider Klaus as much of a friend as I do a customer. I enjoy hearing about his daughters, what they’re doing, and their horseback riding adventures,” says Shawn.

Read more Duncan Aviaton's customer in the latest issue of the Duncan Debrief.

Tim Garity, a longtime Tech Rep with Duncan Aviation, loves aviation, but he also enjoys the people he has met along the way.

Like many 18-year-olds, he joined the military so he could see the world. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Tim was thrilled to be stationed on a naval aviation base in Hawaii and rotate from there to bases in Thailand, the Philippines and Japan. His stint in the Navy did more than offer travel opportunities; through it, he found his calling in life.

In 1977, Tim began working in the business aviation industry. In the intervening years, industry changes have been numerous and momentous, and he has enjoyed being on the forefront of aviation technology and mechanics.

However, what he values most are the ongoing, long-term relationships he’s established with Duncan Aviation customers over the years – particularly those who own Astra aircraft.

“I’ve enjoyed working on the Astra because I know the aircraft pretty well, and I’ve always thought the Astra is a well-built, easily maintained plane,” says Tim.

Tim first learned about the Astra in 1985, the year they were type-certificated. And in his Tech Rep position at Duncan Aviation, he began working on the newly certified Israel Aircraft Industries’ Astra in 1986.

“Astras have a niche in the industry where the pilots and mechanics both really like the aircraft,” says Tim.  “Owners who have bought one tend to buy them again and again.”

It’s All About Relationships

Phil Carrell, Director of Maintenance at Cin-Air, shares Tim’s long history with the Astra. Phil went to A&P school at the Somerset State Vocational Tech school in Somerset, Kentucky, and the opportunity for hands-on experience is what drew him to aviation in the first place.

“When I was growing up in Bloomington, Indiana, my next door neighbor built airplanes in his garage,” says Phil. “It intrigued me that someone could build an airplane out of nothing.”

In the late 1980s, Cin-Air managed a fleet that included a Citation II, a Westwind and a King Air, and looking to replace the Westwind, Phil’s boss began researching the Astra. They had worked with Duncan Aviation in the past, so when they decided to add to their fleet, they contacted Rene Cardona, a member of Duncan Aviation’s Aircraft Sales and Acquisition team.

“We had worked with Rene in the past and trusted his recommendations,” says Phil. “Our boss believed that the Astra would be a good fit for our company, and when Rene confirmed it, we decided to fly over to the UK and take a look at one.”

In 1990, Phil and Tim traveled to Manchester, England, to look at an Astra SP. Based on that assessment and the market information Rene had provided them, Cin-Air bought the Astra.

Extending the Family

“We liked the economics of the Astra and appreciated its operational capabilities; it was a high-speed, long-range aircraft with a stand-up cabin, and it had all of the latest comforts,” says Phil. “The Astra was a great airplane, and I loved to fly it. It was reliable, and I got to know it well over the years.”

In 2000, Cin-Air added another SP to its fleet because they were so pleased with the aircraft’s reliability. Cin-Air kept the first Astra SP for about 14 years, and in 2004, traded it in for an SPX. Last year, they traded both Astra aircraft for a G200.

“We like the G200 quite well; it was the second in our fleet,” says Phil. “We got our first G200 brand new in 2006. Because we know and like this airplane, and it’s in the same family of aircraft, we bought a third, so now our fleet consists of three G200s.”

Despite changing the composition of the fleet, one thing has remained fairly constant in the last two and a half decades: Cin-Air has turned to Duncan Aviation to service its fleet and provide sales assistance on many occasions.

“When we need refurbishments or paint, I always call Tim Klenke,” says Phil. “My company and I have always valued our relationship with Duncan Aviation because of the honesty and integrity of everyone at the company. Honesty is paramount in our business. We will absolutely continue to do business with Duncan Aviation, and we’ve started taking our aircraft to the Battle Creek, Michigan, facility because it’s so much closer for us.”

In 2014, Mark Francetic, Regional Avionics Sales Manager for Duncan Aviation, hosted several free, day-long NextGen seminars. Because interest in information and equipment is increasing as we draw closer to the 2020 deadline for the NextGen mandates, Mark will once again host a series of free seminars in 2015.

“We’ve been talking about the mandates and how they affect all of us for several years now,” says Mark, “and the discussion is shifting from the theoretical to the practical. Instead of asking, ‘What is ADS-B?’ and ‘What is FANS 1A,’ we are now asking, ‘What equipment do I need to outfit or retrofit my aircraft so it complies with the mandates stipulated in the rapidly approaching 2020 deadline?’”

Mark’s mission is to provide practical information about precisely what equipment owner/operators need and what certified equipment is currently available or will be soon.

Many of our channel partners now offer certified equipment that fulfills the ADS-B and FANS 1/A mandates. As Mark hosts NextGen seminars at key locations throughout the United States in 2015, many of those partners, including Cobham, Universal, Safran Engineering Services, GoGo Business Aviation, Satcom Direct, ICG, Honeywell, L-3 and True North, will join him.

The free seminars feature presentations about new and existing NextGen products and Q&A sessions. The seminars are popular and fill up quickly.

“Last year, we had one attendee who drove 445 miles to attend the seminar in Seattle, Washington,” says Mark.

Mark will kick off the seminar series at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on January 29. Space is limited for these free seminars, and lunch is included.

Mark is also hosting a seminar in Salt Lake City on February 19 and one at AEA in Dallas on April 7. He plans to host five more throughout the year but dates and locations for those are not yet determined.

Contact Mark for information about registration or to RSVP.

Mark.Francetic@DuncanAviation.com

702.303.4888 (Mobile)

702.262.6142 (Office)