The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

The doors to NBAA 2016 were barely open an hour before there was already a flurry of activity in Duncan Aviation’s booth.

Hundreds were on hand as representatives from Rolls-Royce and Duncan Aviation joined in a signing ceremony to officially recognize Duncan Aviation being named to Rolls-Royce’s network of Authorized Service Centers for its CorporateCare ® customers.

(L to R) Aaron Hilkemann, Duncan Aviation President, Kimberly Rubush, Rolls-Royce Services Manager, Andrew Robinson, Rolls-Royce Deputy SVP Services—Aerospace, Robert Duncan, Duncan Aviation Chairman Emeritus, Jörn Lindstädt, Rolls-Royce, Head of Aircraft Availability Centre, Business Aviation, Steve Gade, Duncan Aviation VP Marketing & New Business Development, and Tom Burt, Duncan Aviation EVP/COO, BTL Operations. 

The contract authorizes all of Duncan Aviation’s MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) facilities in Battle Creek, MI, Lincoln, NE, and Provo, UT, and 14 Engine Rapid Response locations to service AE 3007A, BR710 A1/C4/A2, as well as, Tay 611-8/8C engines.

For several years, Duncan Aviation has been supporting Rolls-Royce powered aircraft around the country with line maintenance so many of our technicians are already factory trained for line maintenance and borescope inspection. Beginning the first quarter of 2017, Duncan Aviation will begin providing warranty claim processing and on-site parts, along with in-house engine maintenance on-site parts and warranty claim processing for all Gulfstream G500/G550, G400/G450, G300/G350, Bombardier Global Express and Global 5000/6000, Embraer Legacy 600, and 650 operators enrolled on Rolls-Royce Corporatecare.

“This is a huge benefit to our customers who already rely upon us for airframe maintenance and inspection,” says Duncan Aviation Airframe Service Sales Rep Brad Lennemann. “Now they can rely upon us to manage all of their warranty maintenance, airframe and engine.”

If you are at the 2016 NBAA show in Orlando, Florida, we’d love you to stop by our booth (#3126) and say hi.

For more Duncan Aviation NBAA announcements, visit www.DuncanAviation.aero/News.

At last year’s NBAA Show, Duncan Aviation and Rockwell Collins announced that they would be collaborating on the CJ3 Fusion Flight Deck upgrade. At this year’s NBAA, the launch aircraft was flown to Orlando to display the future of CJ3 flight. Monday evening, the companies hosted a reception at the Orlando Executive Airport for CJ3 operators who have committed to or are considering the upgrade.

The new flight deck provides operators with an ADS-B mandate solution while enhancing their ownership and flying experience. The Pro Line Fusion upgrade replaces the factory-installed portrait displays with larger 14.1-inch landscape touchscreen primary flight displays. The new system includes intuitive, touch-interactive maps, and easy-to-use icons, giving the pilot the ability to control items on the screen through touch.  Also, it eliminates the need for Flight Management System (FMS) control display units originally installed in the pedestal.

According to the test pilots, who were available to answer questions Monday evening, the aircraft is a joy to fly. 

The Pro Line Fusion flight deck upgrade has been met with much enthusiasm from CJ3 operators and the early adopters who have committed to the technology and will soon be scheduling their upgrades.

“The collaboration, effort and professionalism shown between the Rockwell Collins and Duncan Aviation teams have been impressive and are the reasons the program has successfully reached this point,” says Steve Gade, Duncan Aviation’s Vice President of Business Development, Aircraft Sales and Marketing. “Certification will be complete in a few months and we are excited to begin transforming the CJ3 fleet with this exceptional avionics option.”

To learn more about the upgrade, visit www.DuncanAviation.aero/cj3prolinefusion

To see interior and paint options for the CJ3, visit www.DuncanAviation.Aero/cj3prolinefusioninteriors

Within 24 hours of Duncan Aviation’s Honeywell Heavy Maintenance Authorization announcement, my cell phone and email blew up with messages of congratulations from friends, colleagues, and industry contacts.

They were all happy for us!

“Great news!”

“Congratulations!”

“Excellent news.”

Most were not surprised.

“Congratulations on the Heavy Maintenance! It has been a long time coming.”

“Congrats to Duncan Aviation getting the heavy ticket, I knew it was just a matter of time.”

“About time, Duncan Aviation.”

“Congratulations. This will be great for Duncan Aviation, Honeywell and the CUSTOMER!”

“This is a game-changer!”

And this guy is ready to ink the deal!

“Wonderful news! When can I send my engines for a Core Zone Inspection? I want to be the first engine in the door!”

I’ve been in this industry for a LOT of years and talked to even more people. But it never gets old to hear appreciation from your peers. It’s having friends and business associates like these that continued to drive us towards expanding Duncan Aviation Turbine Engine Services knowing full well that if "we build it" they may come.

Speaking of building things, did you hear our other Minor announcement?

Our MRO in Lincoln, Nebraska, is now a Honeywell AS907 (HTF 7000) Series Minor Maintenance facility.

We have been a Honeywell Authorized Service Center for more than 30 years. Now we have Heavy Authorization on TFE731-2,-3,-4,-5,-20,-40,-50,-60 engines and Line Authorization on CFE738 Engines, GTCP36-100/150, RE100 series and RE220 series APUs.

Thank you for your support.

Thank you for your business.

Most importantly, thank you for your friendship.

If you happen to be at NBAA in Orlando, Florida, this week, I would love for you to stop by and see me.

No matter what devilish ghouls come your way this haunted Halloween, rest assured that we at Duncan Aviation have your back (and wings and landing gear and engines and interior and pretty much anything else you need us to cover).

Have a spook-tacular night, and we'll see you in Orlando at NBAA tomorrow.

After 50 years at Duncan Aviation, Don Fiedler retired on September 30, 2016. He was not allowed to go gentle into the good night. Instead he was sent off with celebrations and a reception in his honor.

During his last “Years of Service” celebration he was given the floor to speak to everyone in attendance about the highlights of his career and why it will be difficult to leave.

“I was part of something remarkably special,” says Don. “The Duncan Aviation way epitomizes excellence in the aviation industry—the company simply did everything right. Duncan Aviation treats its customers and employees with great respect and has created a culture and friendly environment that bring out the very best in everyone.”

On his last day in the office, hundreds gathered to shake his hand one more time and wish him well. He is an employee who will not soon, if ever, be forgotten. CEO Todd Duncan is especially appreciative of Don’s dedication to Duncan Aviation over the years.

“It’s really hard to find the words to thank Don for everything he’s done for Duncan Aviation and our family; he was more than a good friend,” says Todd. “Don exemplified Duncan Aviation’s core values of delivering quality service, respecting customers and co-workers, and being proud to be the best in the business.”

Don Fiedler Scholarship

As a tribute to Don and the many years he mentored and guided team members at Duncan Aviation, the Duncan Family Trust has decided to award a scholarship to the Southeast Community College Career Academy in Don’s name. The Don Fiedler Scholarship will directly benefit an employee here at the company, and the first Don Fiedler Scholarship will be awarded at the Karen K. Duncan Scholarship breakfast in the spring of 2017.

Read more about the impact Don Fiedler had on Duncan Aviation during his 50 years.

We are currently holding our 6^th European Customer Advisory Board (ECAB) meeting in Barcelona, Spain, today (October 13) and tomorrow. Members of the Duncan Aviation ECAB have traveled from Denmark, Czech Republic, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Malta, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, and other parts of Spain to participate in the meeting.

The board was created due to our commitment to our customers and to improve service. It represents various business jet stakeholders who provide a broad perspective of the industry. Board members play a big role in exchange of information about important industry and service issues. This dialogue is extremely important to us as it depends heavily on ECAB’s input when making critical decisions related to the business.

Over the last few years we learned that European operators like to see more harmonization between the competent authorities of individual countries. Last year we invited Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA, and had the opportunity to talk about several EASA rule making topics. Patrick shared with the group his view on developments in future rulemaking. In follow up on ECAB 2015 we compiled a document with Top 10 EASA topics.

After last year’s event, we remained in close contact with both EASA and GAMA (General Aviation Manufacturers Association) to talk about these Top 10 issues. During this year’s ECAB, we are talking with Eugenia Diaz Alcazar, Regulations Officer–Continuing Airworthiness of EASA.

Besides harmonization on EASA rulemaking, there are other interesting topics on the agenda. These include the Duncan Aviation Alliance Group program, 2020 Mandates Solutions, Creating Competitive Advantage and discussing the potential benefits of creating a European Maintenance Managers Conference (EMMC).

Our European Regional Manager, Arjen Groeneveld, and facilitator of this year’s ECAB meeting, describes the Duncan Aviation ECAB as an open community where several maintenance managers come together with differing viewpoints of the industry. “People learn from each other’s perspectives, share the challenges they see in their day-to-day operations and develop new friendships. It is really nice to see over the years that ECAB is a great moment to come together and develop added value to the business aviation industry.”

To learn more about Duncan Aviation, visit www.DuncanAviation.aero or stop by the Duncan Aviation booth (#3126) at NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition to be held Nov. 1-3 in Orlando. Visit www.DuncanAviation.aero/nbaa to see Duncan Aviation attendees and show announcements.

Did you know the annual average salary of manufacturing workers in the US is more than $77,000?* Yeah, neither did I!

Yet, only 35 percent of parents say they would encourage their children to pursue a manufacturing career, despite the advanced skills and high pay that are characteristic of work in today’s advanced manufacturing industry.**

This is due to a perception of manufacturing that existed a generation ago but does not represent the current reality of the industry.

Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t.

Today, more than 2,440 manufacturers across 49 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and three Canadian provinces are hosting events and inviting high school students, their parents and educators to come for a visit. 

Left to right: Duncan Aviation Sheet Metal and Turbine Engine Technicians

Duncan Aviation "Dream It. Do It."

Duncan Aviation is hosting a "Manufacturing Day - Dream It. Do It." event today at its Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. During this all-day event, more than 100 high school students from Lincoln and the surrounding area were welcomed by Duncan Aviation's chairman, Todd Duncan and his wife Connie, guided on a tour of the company's maintenance hangars and visited with Duncan Aviation employees about the opportunities available in the business aviation industry.

Sponsored by The Manufacturing Institute, the "Dream It. Do It." program is designed to address the national and local skills shortage by helping students, parents, and educators understand the global and local challenges employers are faced with when trying to find skilled workers.

This program provides a pathway to obtain the necessary skills that lead to career opportunities with local companies like Duncan Aviation to strengthen our economy.

Duncan Aviation is the largest family owned aviation maintenance company in the world and employs more than 2,000 aviation professionals around the world. To learn more about the career opportunities at Duncan Aviation, visit www.duncanaviation.aero/careers.

*Source: http://www.mfgday.com/resources/manufacturing-infographic

** Manufacturing Institute: www.TheManufacturingInstitute.org

When something this good becomes available, operators take notice.

In the spring of 2016, we designed and fabricated a new and innovative step treatment for a Bombardier Global Express airstair. You can read more about R&D process here.

It didn’t take long for the word to spread throughout the industry about the new stainless steel treatment available for most Global operators. So much so, operators are beginning to contact our team of professionals to discuss options for their aircraft. 

Well…we did it again, but this time in blue!

Senior Completion & Mods Services Sales Rep, Tracey Boesch, immediately recognized that the new step tread treatment would complement the overall interior design concept for her client who was scheduled to arrive at our Lincoln, Nebraska, facility for a complete interior and paint. “I just knew he would love the design. It fit perfectly with the blue LED lighting, carbon fiber, metal surfaces, and other custom details.”

As soon as she showed him the detailed presentation sheet, he was hooked.

Fabulous Fab!

Duncan Aviation’s Fabrication Shop has talented team members who love to meet challenges like this. Bryan Hart, Fabrication Shop Team Leader, based the original concept and design on nothing but a few pictures sent by email.

After considerable research they found the perfect materials, conducted required tests, and were soon able to present a sample to the customer that had the brushed stainless and neoprene accents they had envisioned. The results speak for themselves.

To see more unique interior and paint solutions by Duncan Aviation, visit www.DuncanAviation.aero/gallery.

Hanging in Duncan Aviation's Calibration Services Lab is a poster about the History of the Egyptian Cubit. It depicts the beginning of tool calibration more than 5,000 years ago. Many similarities to modern calibrations still remain.

It is believed that around 3,000 B.C. the Egyptian unit of length was established. The Royal Egyptian cubit was decreed to be equal to length of the forearm from the bent elbow to the tip of the extended middle finger plus the width of the palm of the hand of the Pharaoh ruling at the time. The Royal Cubit Master was carved from a block of black granite to endure for all time (the equivalent of today’s primary standard).

Workers building tombs, temples and pyramids were supplied with cubit sticks made of wood or granite. The Royal Architect or foreman of each construction site was responsible for maintaining and transferring the unit of length to the workers’ cubit sticks (modern tool calibration). It was required that the cubit sticks be brought at each full moon (calibration cycle) to be compared to the Royal Cubit Master to ensure their accuracy. Failure to do so was punishable by death (OK…some things have changed).

The strict accuracy of the cubit is why many magnificent structures, such as the Egyptian pyramids, survive today. Egyptians took their metrology very seriously and as a result, their measurement accuracy was impressive. Over a distance of 230 meters, measurements typically varied by only 0.05%.

Maintaining tool accuracy through periodic tool calibrations remains extremely important to guarantee a unit or measure can transfer from one aircraft to another and one country to the next. 

The next time you reach for that torque wrench or micrometer, ask yourself, “am I getting the most accurate reading I need? How do I find out?”

Duncan Aviation Calibration Services

Duncan Aviation’s Calibration Services use NIST traceable standards to calibrate measuring & test equipment (M&TE). Bring your tools with you the next time your business aircraft is serviced at one of our full-service maintenance facilities. They will be returned to you when you are ready to leave, properly calibrated and ready for use.

Can’t be long without your tools? Send them to us and we’ll have them back to you in fewer than five days.

Calibration Services

• Certified to ISO/IEC 17025:2005
• Certified ASQ-CCT technicians
• Calibration data available
• Repair capabilities on most M&TE

For a complete list of our calibration capabilities, download the Duncan Aviation Calibrations Fact Sheet.

Hanging in Duncan Aviation's Calibration Services Lab is a poster about the History of the Egyptian Cubit. It depicts the beginning of tool calibration more than 5,000 years ago. Many similarities to modern calibrations still remain.

It is believed that around 3,000 B.C. the Egyptian unit of length was established. The Royal Egyptian cubit was decreed to be equal to length of the forearm from the bent elbow to the tip of the extended middle finger plus the width of the palm of the hand of the Pharaoh ruling at the time. The Royal Cubit Master was carved from a block of black granite to endure for all time (the equivalent of today’s primary standard).

Workers building tombs, temples and pyramids were supplied with cubit sticks made of wood or granite. The Royal Architect or foreman of each construction site was responsible for maintaining and transferring the unit of length to the workers’ cubit sticks (modern tool calibration). It was required that the cubit sticks be brought at each full moon (calibration cycle) to be compared to the Royal Cubit Master to ensure their accuracy. Failure to do so was punishable by death (OK…some things have changed).

The strict accuracy of the cubit is why many magnificent structures, such as the Egyptian pyramids, survive today. Egyptians took their metrology very seriously and as a result, their measurement accuracy was impressive. Over a distance of 230 meters, measurements typically varied by only 0.05%.

Maintaining tool accuracy through periodic tool calibrations remains extremely important to guarantee a unit or measure can transfer from one aircraft to another and one country to the next. 

The next time you reach for that torque wrench or micrometer, ask yourself, “am I getting the most accurate reading I need? How do I find out?”

Duncan Aviation Calibration Services

Duncan Aviation’s Calibration Services use NIST traceable standards to calibrate measuring & test equipment (M&TE). Bring your tools with you the next time your aircraft is serviced at one of our full-service maintenance facilities. They will be returned to you when you are ready to leave, properly calibrated and ready for use.

Can’t be long without your tools? Send them to us and we’ll have them back to you in fewer than five days.

Calibration Services

• Certified to ISO/IEC 17025:2005
• Certified ASQ-CCT technicians
• Calibration data available
• Repair capabilities on most M&TE

For a complete list of our calibration capabilities, download the Duncan Aviation Calibrations Fact Sheet.