The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

2016 marks the 60^th anniversary of Duncan Aviation.

Longevity like that in business aviation is unique and can’t be ignored. The fact that my family has supported the industry for 60 years is different. The way we have responded to customer needs is different. And the caliber and resourcefulness of our people is different.

Our ingrained culture of responsiveness has ensured a continual evolution that has allowed us to change with and sometimes push the industry.

When a customer makes a comment about something that could be improved, we research it, analyze it and look for a better way. When a team member sees a process that could be completed more efficiently, we empower them to explore the options and lead the charge. And when a customer asks us to provide a new capability, we work with industry leaders and partners to make it happen. 

When asked, we have acted.

As we all know, though, companies don’t take action. It’s the people within the company that are responsible for the innovation. And the people who have helped make Duncan Aviation the company it is today certainly deserve the credit. Whether that person is a new or long-time team member, customer or industry partner, that catalyst for change deserves to be recognized.

So we will begin publishing stories about how the people of Duncan Aviation have responded to requests for six decades. We will celebrate with these stories throughout 2016.

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.

And if you’ll be in Las Vegas for the NBAA Convention November 17-19, be sure to stop by Booth #N4910 to see our new booth design, to talk with our technical experts and to make suggestions of things you would like to see in your service experience in 2016 and beyond. Together, we can continue to provide an experience, unlike any other.

Our client wanted an aircraft that stood out among other aircraft. I believe we achieved that goal. What do you think? 

The paint products used for the two-tone aesthetic of the project were two primary systems: Sherwin Williams satin black base with satin clear coat and Axalta Chromalusion’s “color changing” base coat color called Perfect Jade followed by a gloss clear coat.

The Gulfstream GV, N888XY, is branded SEXYjet and is managed by Metropolitan Aviation. For more information about the design collaboration and paint process, go here: http://www.duncanaviation.aero/news/duncan-aviation-unveils-timelapse-of-sexyjet-paint-application

See a time-lapse video of this beautiful paint project below. 

The Fall 2015 edition of the popular Duncan Debrief magazine has been published to Apple’s Newsstand for the iPad.

Newsstand lets us easily deliver the latest edition of the Duncan Debrief. Allowing our readers to receive the most recent copy immediately, as well as providing a quick reference to back issues and linked material, like videos and other articles.

The Fall 2015 edition of the Duncan Debrief features news about the business aviation industry as well as Duncan Aviation customers and team members. Highlights include information about upcoming avionics mandates, photographs of recent projects and new capabilities and services.  

Duncan Debrief App

To install, search for the Duncan Debrief in Apple’s App Store and download it by tapping the Free button. The app is then placed in the iPad’s Newsstand shelves. Once downloaded, users  can request to receive push notifications each time a new Duncan Debrief magazine is published.

The Duncan Debrief is a free, award-winning business aviation publication for aircraft owners and operators. Written and designed in-house at Duncan Aviation, each edition includes articles on topics and trends in business aviation.

You can always dream, but Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) exemptions fall into roughly the same category as unicorns.

When Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus introduced a live unicorn into its lineup in 1985, it created quite a stir. The question that swirled around the animal was whether it was a real horn. Although the horn was real, many people ignored the most important fact; the animal was a goat.

In much the same way, there has been much misunderstanding with regard to a recent ADS-B exemption letter from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Some operators heard ADS-B and exemption in the same sentence and immediately began planning for non-compliance. The reality though is that in 2020 an ADS-B transponder exemption is as likely as Ringling Bros. having an actual unicorn at one of their shows.

The controversy started when Airlines for America, the trade organization that represents the principle U.S. airlines, sent the FAA a request for an exemption. The exemption request indicated that much of the airline fleet was not currently equipped with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Global Positioning System (GPS) units that supported the required navigational performance. Airlines for America also noted that the required performance—even for the correct WAAS GPS—was not always possible. In light of that, the organization requested that the GPS section of the ADS-B mandate be extended to 2025.

The part of the letter that most folks missed was that it only applies to the portion of the ADS-B mandate that deals with new WAAS requirements for GPS. A transponder that transmits in an ADS-B message format is required to operate above 10,000 feet by 2020.

The FAA agreed with Airlines for America and granted a temporary exemption from the GPS accuracy portion of ADS-B. The FAA has since been getting out the word that operators are still required to have an ADS-B-compliant transponder to meet the mandate. (Visit www.DuncanAviation.aero/nextgen for current information on the mandates.)

Owner/operators who opt for an exemption must submit an annual request to the director of the local Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO) until the aircraft is equipped with the mandated receivers. This annual request must include a plan for an eventual upgrade to the mandated WAAS GPS and is subject to approval. For aircraft that are scheduled for major inspections at a facility where a WAAS GPS installation is available, your FSDO may deny your request. “I don’t want to upgrade,” may not be a good reason to apply for an exemption.

With manufacturers, such as Universal Avionics, Honeywell Aerospace and Rockwell Collins offering incentive programs for Flight Management Systems (FMSes) and transponder upgrades, now is the time to include new WAAS/Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) and ADS-B in your aircraft’s budget at your next major inspection.

Don’t bet on the unicorn.

For the most current information on the NextGen mandates visit 

Adrian Chene is an avionics tech rep for Duncan Aviation providing troubleshooting and technical advice to business aviation operators on avionics installation services. He specializes in custom, integrated HSD solutions. He began working in aviation in 1996.

We tore down our website and built a new one. One that we are sure you’re going to love!

But we haven’t moved.  You can still find us at the same address, www.DuncanAviation.aero.

Watch the highlight video below. 

Choosing wool carpet for the interior of your business aircraft is an investment that will keep your cabin interior looking pristine for years to come. In order to keep it looking and performing at its best, regular cleaning is necessary.

The following information is an informal guide to the maintenance of your wool carpet. It is by no means a comprehensive list of methods for cleaning. Always consult the manufacturer's guide to cleaning.

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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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Duncan Aviation has acquired the capabilities to completely overhaul and repair landing gear for both commercial and business Embraer aircraft at our Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. With the necessary technical data, maintenance manuals and aircraft landing gear parts, Duncan Aviation's Accessories Services has received and successfully overhauled its first set of ERJ-145 landing gear.

Before

"We have been completing landing gear inspections and overhauls on the most popular business aviation make/model landing gear for 30 years," said Tony Curtis, accessories team leader. "There were no surprises with the Embraer landing gear."

He explained that landing gear all perform the same basic function and have similar features and load capacities appropriate for the aircraft. The only difference was learning the uniqueness of the Embraer gear.

In 2013, the aircraft accessories shop in Lincoln, Nebraska, went through major renovations that more than doubled the shop area, gaining approximately 6,300 square feet of service area, doubling its work benches and adding new tooling and in-house capabilities, including an overhead crane and a new paint booth with curing room.

After

Tony's team is trained, experienced and equipped with the proper tooling and access to Embraer parts and repair processes. 

Duncan Aviation Embraer Landing Gear Capabilities include the following:

• Embraer 135 (Legacy 600/650) business aircraft
• Embraer 145 series commercial airline

For more information, contact Duncan Aviation accessories service sales for quotes and scheduling information.

Take a moment and watch this before and after ERJ-145 overhaul video. 

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In 1991, there were a number of aircraft broker dealers conducting business in ways that were less than completely ethical. Several concerned individuals in the industry joined together to address the lack of standards and issues.

Robert Duncan was among them. 

"There were a lot of things happening that affected the ability of honest broker dealers to conduct business in the aircraft-resale market. We knew we had a stronger voice if we band together and formed an association," Robert says.

The founders of NARA (pictured in 2004 left to right) Robert Duncan, John Foster, Jack Prewitt, Dan Dickinson, Susan Sheets, James Markel, Johnny Gantt, Jerry Smith, Matt Huff and Johnny Foster.

The National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA) was formed to establish a set of standards for member companies to follow that raised the ethical bar. Each company who joined promised to abide by a code of ethics and represent the best interests of their customers. Together, they formed a lobbying organization for the benefit of the general aviation industry.

Every year since the association was formed, members of Duncan Aviation's Aircraft Sales team have remained actively involved. In 2010, Steve Gade, vice president of business development and marketing, was appointed to serve as the association chairman.

"NARA gives a prospective client, whether buying or selling an aircraft, a safe and trusted place to conduct business," says Steve. It also gives associate members access to resources and services they may not have available in-house, such as insurance, legal and title. This great wealth of resources is a result of the network of NARA members.

To find out more about our long histories with other industry alphabet associations, read the Spring 2015 Duncan Debrief.

How are you planning to effectively budget for the upcoming mandates on your Falcon airframe when you don’t know how much the ugrades will cost or how long your aircraft will be down? The answer is, you can’t…

…until know.

For years it has been a Duncan Aviation mission to help our customers become “smarter” business aircraft operators by providing valuable and relevant information in order for them to make the best-informed decisions.

Our Falcon specific Mandate Service Guides contain estimated costs and downtimes to be used for budgeting purposes as you look ahead to the coming months and years.

Available Falcon Service Guides
Falcon 2000
Falcon 2000EX
Falcon 900EX
Falcon 7X

Reguest your Falcon NextGen Service Guide now. 

A lot more goes into planning and budgeting for mandates than just numbers. When you are ready to gather proposals specific to your aircraft (all airframe models) and schedule, reach out to anyone in Duncan Aviation Avionics Sales.