The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

Last fall, Duncan Aviation’s Interior Team in Battle Creek, Michigan, transformed the dated interior of a Challenger that had been used as a charter jet. The new owner, a first-time Duncan Aviation customer, liked the Challenger’s size and flight range and thought the interior configuration would meet his needs with some minor tweaks.

Scott Fitzgerald, the owner’s representative, called Duncan Aviation’s Completions and Modifications Sales Rep Adam Bruce, and they had a month of conversations that resulted in a quote for a new paint job and partial interior completions.

“I reached out to Duncan Aviation initially for a quote on paint and interior based on their reputation as one of the top paint shops in the industry,” says Scott.

With preliminary quotes in hand, Duncan Aviation Multimedia Illustrator Ken Reita and Adam flew to Miami, Florida, for a personal visit to show the customer design options. After seeing the designs, the customer opted for an interior makeover.

“Once we decided to completely renovate the interior, it was helpful to have Duncan Aviation’s team fly to Miami with suitcases of materials to choose from. The result of this early collaboration is a truly unique, custom airplane,” says Scott. 

Although Duncan Aviation team members take pleasure in all of our varied projects, because of the level of customization here, everyone--from the sales team to the designers, and the Interior and Fabrications teams to the Paint Shop--truly enjoyed working on this distinctive aircraft refurbishment.

“The Duncan Aviation team was a pleasure to work with from start to finish,” says Scott. “They were very accommodating and willing to adapt to our changes throughout the term of the project.”

Denver? Chicago? Lincoln? It doesn't matter where you go. You're going to get the same great service. 

It was the Sunday night before Thanksgiving; Mark Tucker, Director of Aviation and Chief Pilot for WC Aviation, LLC was flying into Centennial Airport (APA) in Denver, CO, with his company’s Falcon 50 aircraft. The Honeywell TFE731 engines were scheduled for major overhaul and a team of Duncan Aviation Engine Rapid Response (RRT) Technicians were waiting for him to land to get started on the triple R&R. The event required a tight turn-time due to the approaching holiday and an international trip scheduled to leave on that Thursday. The aircraft was already several hours behind schedule.

When Mark landed, he expected to be met with grumblings and frustration. But what he got was a team of men who shook his hand, introduced themselves, and went to work.

“They swarmed the aircraft immediately and got down to business,” said Mark. This was at 7 pm, a time when most have already put in a full day at work and are headed home. “I have witnessed several times when the 6 o’clock bell sounds signally quitting time the teams drop everything and leave. Not his team. They didn’t hesitate and went straight to work. They stayed late to get it done and always with a great attitude.”

Mark left and went to dinner with the team still hard at work. When he returned at 9 pm, they had two of the three engines off. Within 36 hours, the aircraft was returned to service and ready to fly. Mark was very impressed with the amount of work done in a short period of time with such professionalism. And what made this even more impressive to Mark was that this Duncan Aviation RRT team had not worked together before, but performed as if they had been together for years. They knew what needed to be done, who was responsible for what, and was in constant communication with each other to keep things moving forward.

Only Brian Weathers and Eric Hanson were local from the APA shop. Aaron Hutton and Taurean Midgett work out of the Duncan Aviation RRT shops in Northeast area, and Kevin Watrus was brought in from Seattle.

After the engine overhaul was complete the post-CZI R&R was performed in Alton, IL, by another Duncan Aviation Engine RRT team. Mark witnessed the same great Duncan Aviation work ethic. “Another great group of guys,” said Mark. “It may have been a completely different team, but it was the same level of professionalism and Duncan Aviation service.”

This second team included Tyler Spurling, Rustin McCullough and Warren Wiatrek all from Lincoln, NE. Joining them was Kris Werth out of the Chicago RRT shop.

According to Mark both teams were very customer focused. “I know how difficult it is to find such great talent. They weren’t there to just do a job. They were there to help. And I appreciate that.”

To meet the teams who worked on this project, read the rest of the story in the Spring 2017 Duncan Debrief. 

 The ADS-B Deadline Will Not Change

For several years now, Duncan Aviation has been encouraging its customers to upgrade to ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast). We’re aware that as the FAA’s ADS-B mandate deadline—January 1, 2020—draws nearer, there will be a critical shortage of hangar space at qualified shops, not to mention a shortage of skilled avionics technicians who can perform and install the upgrades.

Among the information we’ve shared with our customers is a list of excuses we’ve heard for waiting on performing the upgrades:

• #1 There’s plenty of time
• #2 The deadline will be extended
• #3 The prices will drop
• #4 We’re going to sell our aircraft anyway

Several months ago, we countered every argument on our ADS-B web site (www.duncanaviation.aero/adsb). In light of remarks made at the Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In & Expo in Lakeland, Florida, in April 2017 by an FAA spokesperson, we’d like to revisit #2.

At the Linder Regional Airport, the FAA’s Acting Deputy Administrator, Victoria Wassmer, reiterated that the mandate deadline for ADS-B is firm, and she didn’t mince words!

“I’m going to say this as plainly as I can: The ADS-B equipage deadline is not changing,” says Wassmer. “If you plan to fly your plane in most controlled airspace after December 31, 2019, you’re going to need to install ADS-B.”

We at Duncan Aviation can confirm that we’ve seen an uptick in installation activity so far in 2017. Duncan Aviation and its 27 Satellite Shops and workaway stations completed 47 ADS-B installations in Q1, and we have an additional 55 scheduled for the second quarter. As a result of the recent comments by Ms. Wassmer, Duncan Aviation has seen an uptick in the number of ADS-B upgrades scheduled for the third and fourth quarters of 2017, and we have customers who are scheduling for 2018 and 2019 now, too.  

In an effort to accommodate our customers who are planning to upgrade to ADS-B in the next couple of years, Duncan Aviation has set up a slot program. Customers may buy a slot to reserve a confirmed date, hangar space, and qualified technicians for their aircraft at one of the Duncan Aviation Satellite Shops, which are located at the busiest airports throughout the United States.  

Contact the Duncan Aviation Satellite Shop nearest you (www.duncanaviation.aero/locations/#satellites), one of our Duncan Aviation Avionics Installation Team members (www.DuncanAviation.aero/services/avionics-installation/contacts), or Regional Avionics Sales Manager Mark Francetic (Mark.Francetic@DuncanAviation.com or 

+1-702.303.4888) or call +1 402.475.2611 for more information about ADS-B upgrades and the slot reservation program.

Duncan Aviation would also like to remind our world-wide customers that after midnight on January 1, 2020, their aircraft must have functioning ADS-B equipment if they intend to fly in United-States airspace. The FAA’s ADS-B mandate deadline is several months earlier than the EASA deadline.

 

 

 

Duncan Aviation’s Aircraft Interior Team in Battle Creek, Michigan, completely transformed the dated and dark interior of an older charter jet. The new owner liked the size and flight range of the model and was looking for some minor interior tweaks.

The metamorphosis of the aircraft was instead dramatic and complete, and this first-time Duncan Aviation customer was extremely excited by the transformation.

“That’s what you have to call it,” says Completions and Modifications Sales Rep Adam Bruce. “It was a transformative experience!”

Because Battle Creek Multi Media Illustrator Ken Reita felt the interior really needed a more thorough renovation, he and Adam flew to Miami, Florida, to show the customer both sets of designs. The customer was thrilled with the designs for the more complete refurbishment and even came up with several ideas for the color scheme. 

“Although the customer had originally planned just a cursory rehab of the interior so he could turn around and sell the aircraft, he changed his mind after seeing the designs,” says Adam. “This was a really fun project to be a part of, and the customer was enthusiastic from the start.”

The wood in the old interior was scratched and pitted, and the finish was foggy. The plating throughout the interior is all chrome now, and there are orange accents in the custom carpet. Adam says the new, hand-finished wood is probably the most impressive change.

“We replaced the pitted, scratched, dark wood with a light beige wood with graphite striations through it,” says Adam. “With its high glos

s, you can see gold and silver mineral deposits in the wood. It’s just beautiful how the flecks shine when the light hits the brilliant finish.”

The seats are fresh and attractive with their new, single-toned leather. Replacing the worn, faded leather on the divan is a new plush, light-colored fabric that has softened the interior. Orange pillows add a splash of accent color and help draw out the subtle orange threads in the carpet.

If you replace or change the magnetic compass or components on your aircraft’s compass system, it is appropriate to swing the compass to verify or align it to minimize errors.

The following alignment steps apply to all make/model aircraft and are based on MIL-STD 765A. Your aircraft’s compass system may have different methods of alignment. Always refer to and use the manufacturer’s procedures if they differ from this method.

Formulae:

North (N) / South (S) Correction = ½ [N error - S error]

East (E) / West (W) Correction = ½ [W error - E error]

Index Correction =

¼ [N error + E error + S error + W error]

Compass Swing Procedure with example:

South

1. Align the aircraft to the South magnetic heading (180°) per the compass rose
2. Note the indicated heading (Example: 175°)
3. Note the deviation error (-5)
   1. Positive (+) if greater than 180° and negative (-) if less

West

1. Align the aircraft to the West magnetic heading (270°) per the compass rose
2. Note the indicated heading (Example 276°)
3. Note the deviation error (+6)
   1. Positive (+) if greater than 270° and negative (-) if less

North

1. Align the aircraft to the North magnetic heading (0°) per the compass rose
2. Note the indicated heading (6°)
3. Note the deviation error (6)
   1. Positive (+) if greater than 0/360° and negative (-) if less

East

1. Align aircraft to the East magnetic heading (90°) per the compass rose
2. Note the indicated heading (90°)
3. Note the deviation error (0)

Swing Results

              Actual        Indicated     Deviation error

N             000                 006                        +6

E             090                 090                        +0

S             180                 175                        -5

W            270                 276                        +6

N/S Correction = ½ [N error - S error]

= ½ [(+6) – (-5)]

= ½(+11)

= +5.5° error

Align the aircraft to 5.5° indicated and adjust the N/S correction to read 0° indicated

E/W Correction = ½ [E error - W error]

= ½ [(+0) – (+6)]

= ½(-6)

= -3° error

Align the aircraft to 87° indicated and set E/W adjustment to read 90°                                                                            

Index Correction = ¼ [N error + E error + S error + W error]

= ¼ [(+6) + (+0) + (-5) + (+6)]

= +1.75° error

Align Flux Valve to subtract 1.75° from existing indicated heading

If you have any questions about this procedure, feel free to reach out to Duncan Aviation Avionics Instrument Tech Rep, Curt Campbell.  

Duncan Aviation recently refurbished a 12-year-old Gulfstream G550, giving it a whole new interior, a new exterior paint scheme, and an upgraded CMS (Cabin Management System). During this refurbishment, we also performed scheduled maintenance to minimize the impact of the downtime for the client’s flight schedule.

“Because of the reliability of Gulfstream aircraft, they continue to be dependable business tools, regardless of age,” says Completions/Modification Sales Manager Nate Klenke. “This serial number was a top performer in our client’s fleet, so they decided to give it a facelift and keep it flying.” 

A New Interior

Duncan Aviation Lead Designer Rachael Weverka redesigned the interior, proposing an updated color scheme, all new soft goods (fabrics, seat upholstery, headliner fabrics) in the cabin and a unique combination of natural veneers and colored accents.

The galley designs featured multi-colored finished surfaces coupled with high-gloss veneer finishes. The upper galley cabinets, for instance, were treated with a light cream color to coordinate with the headliner fabric.

View our Gulfstream Interior Gallery

Based on Rachael’s designs, the production teams created sleek new drink rails, and redesigned the PSUs (Passenger Service Units), adding veneer and plating to modernize the panels. Rachael grouped lights and gaspers into pods for each chair and added plated accents to the handrails.

We also reconstructed the front door in the galley from a sliding door to a drop-down door. The door is now a single piece, and it pivots with hinges on each corner so it can be angled and rotated into a functional workspace.

Before & After

During the project’s planning, the client requested the new design be consistent with the rest of their fleet. With a very conservative budget, Rachael was able to incorporate stylized design elements using the existing panels and structure to develop a cabin environment that was spot-on with the client’s request.

The seats pop with new French stitching (a double topstitch on top of the leather), and the extra detailing on the armrests and lower sidewalls was inspired by the stitching on the seats.

“We worked to modernize the materials, taking it from what was a bit standard and going a few steps beyond,” says Rachael. “The seats now have an ergonomic design, providing passengers with greater lumbar support, making the seats comfortable as well as attractive.”

Using two-toned leather for the drink rails made them more durable than if they’d been covered in fabric or veneer.

“We used hand-tipped the leather to maintain a soft textural feeling,” says Rachael. “It helps give the lower sidewalls a bit of visual interest as opposed to a solid color.”

Read about the rest of this project in the Spring 2017 Duncan Debrief magazine.

Duncan Aviation is participating in the NextGen Mandate Solutions panel discussion at the SCAA’s (Southern California Aviation Association’s) luncheon at Ross Aviation in Long Beach, on April 28, 2017. Duncan Aviation’s Regional Avionics Sales Manager Mark Francetic will be a member of the panel, which is moderated by Matt Thurber, Senior Editor of Aviation International News.

“As the ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) mandate deadline nears and the demand for upgrades increases, more and more questions are being raised,” says Duncan Aviation Southwest Regional Manager Alfredo Garcia. “We are proud to join this panel to help answer any questions operators may have.”

For the last several years, Duncan Aviation has taken a leadership role in providing our customers and the business aviation community with the most comprehensive information possible on the ADS-B mandate by offering its free seminars. As the deadline for the mandate draws nearer and hangar space at reputable shops dwindles, Duncan Aviation is offering its customers the opportunity to reserve slots now for ADS-B upgrades in 2018 and 2019.  

The Duncan Aviation slot program allocates two spots per satellite per month for ADS-B upgrades. This program holds a confirmed date and hangar space for one aircraft, and operators can call now to reserve the spots for 2018 and 2019 and throughout the rest of 2017.

At our three main facilities in Battle Creek, Michigan, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Provo, Utah, and throughout our network of 27 Satellite Avionics Shops and work-away stations, Duncan Aviation has already upgraded nearly 300 aircraft of all makes and models. The skilled technicians on the Avionics bench at the Lincoln facility have also upgraded 132 TDR-94/TDR-94D units, bringing them into compliance with the ADS-B mandate.

Each shop has knowledgeable, experienced avionics technicians who have already brought dozens of aircraft into compliance with the ADS-B mandate, and there are two Duncan Aviation locations in Southern California: The Van Nuys Satellite Avionics shop and the San Diego workaway station. Manager Tony Russo (+1-818.355.0761) oversees both locations, and Tony and Crew Lead Joe Vittling (+1 818.298.7489) will be happy to answer questions and provide quotes.

Contact a Satellite Avionics Shop to reserve a slot (www.duncanaviation.aero/locations/#satellites) or call Duncan Aviation (+1 402.475.2611) or Regional Avionics Sales Manager Mark Francetic (702.303.4888) for quotes and/or information.

Arguably, business aviation has seen more rapid change in aircraft technology and transaction complexity in the last five years than the previous 25. The ramification of making an error during the transaction process is more costly and time consuming today than ever. Clients are demanding an advantage from their aircraft broker and successful brokers like Duncan Aviation must deliver.

When I first entered the industry in the late 1980s timely access to information was the key to being a successful broker.  I joined my father’s firm near Pal-Waukee Airport at age 13 where we had a phone, a fax, and a telex machine. Our knowledge of the Beech King Air and two gigantic binders of aircraft data was our competitive advantage. This information was so critical, we couriered it next-day air from New Jersey. I had the privilege of updating the binders upon arrival. As an early subscriber, our information advantage lasted several years. One year, we sold almost 20 King Airs with the help of this resource.

Today, email has replaced the telex and the internet has replaced the binders (thankfully!). Some aircraft brokers have moved from a professional office to the dining room table or the local internet coffee house to lower costs. The barrier to entry is low and the competition, fierce. All the while, the technological advancements in aircraft have accelerated and transaction complexity continues to increase.  Frankly, most aircraft brokers agree that the sales environment is more demanding, the deals take longer, and there are more moving pieces in each deal today than ever before.

Client’s requirements for greater technical, transactional and support resources during the transaction process and beyond increases each day. After all, the ramifications of a costly error are too great, and the client relationship is too important to lose if something goes amiss. At the defense of the brokerage community however, few brokers offer these capabilities in-house because clients have not demanded it…yet.

For the last few days many have asked me, “Why did you join Duncan Aviation?” Simply put, I believe that in today’s business environment, our clients require more, deserve more, and should expect more resources from their aircraft broker. I also, believe they will come to the same conclusion as I did about Duncan Aviation.

Duncan Aviation Aircraft Sales, Did You Know? :

• Did you know that Duncan Aviation has 2,150 aviation experts, each with an average of 12 years with the company? Did you know that the aircraft sales team partners with these experts to provide technical support before, during and after the aircraft transaction? Do you know that Duncan Aviation can consider a combined brokerage and support services offering?
• Did you know on any given day there are 125 aircraft in-house at Duncan Aviation locations, and 175 aviation experts in-the-field, making technical, sales and service visits, providing the aircraft sale team more exposure to service issues than other brokers in the business?
• Did you know that during the past four years alone, Duncan Aviation has performed more than 75 aircraft imports, 20 exports, and a multitude of Experimental and Supplemental Type Certifications? Did you know that our staff holds both Airworthiness and Manufacturing Unit Member authority and our in-house International Compliance Officer assists in eliminating costly “gotchas” that might arise during complex cross-border transactions?
• Did you know that Duncan Aviation facilities in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah; have conducted more than 100 pre-purchase evaluations for aircraft transactions over the last two years and those experiences help our clients factor in potential pre-purchase and refurbishment costs?
• Did you know that in the last 36 months, Duncan Aviation has conducted business with 79 of the 86 Fortune 100 companies that own aircraft?
• Did you know that our technical team provides regular technical advice to other aircraft brokers and that we take great pride in collaborating with them to make transactions smooth and efficient? We also enjoy working with other brokers to uncover opportunities that suit clients’ requirements?
• Did you know the majority of Duncan Aviation's Aircraft Sales customers return when it is time sell or purchase their next aircraft?
• Did you know most first time aircraft sales customers are referred by existing satisfied Duncan Aviation Aircraft Sales customers?
• Did you know that Duncan Aviation started as a business aircraft sales company, is a founding member of NARA (National Aircraft Resale Association), and has conducted over 3,500 transactions since 1956? Did you know that Duncan Aviation’s Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions team has an average of 28 years of experience?

Now you know why Duncan Aviation provides an Experience, Unlike Any Other. Call me to discuss how we can be of service. 

Meet The Team

Corrosion doesn’t care what make/model aircraft you have or how many flight hours it sees. All it cares about is getting its start and hoping you are not paying attention.

Types of Corrosion

Over the past 60 years, Duncan Aviation has seen and repaired corrosion damage on nearly every make/model business aircraft that has ever flown. Here are some common types of corrosion.

Filiform Corrosion: Occurs under painted surfaces when the protective coating has been compromised. The corrosion extends out from the original corrosion pit causing degradation of the protective coating.

Galvanic Corrosion: An electrochemical action of two dissimilar metals in the presence of an electrolyte and an electron conductive path, causing corrosion. It can occur when dissimilar metals are in contact.

 

Surface Corrosion: Chemical or electrochemical attack on surface of metal. It is a general roughening, etching, or pitting of the surface of a metal.

These photos are evidence of severe neglect. At Duncan Aviation, we have seen issues like this on business aircraft left outside quite often and subjected to the salt air (ocean air) without regular preventive maintenance and inspections for corrosion. 

Paint only needs to crack once to allow oxygen and moisture to get underneath and deteriorate the surface protection. Typically, this occurs anywhere there is a seam on the fuselage, wing, empennage or flight control surface. Corrosion remains hidden by the painted surface, or has been touched up with paint over the surface, trapping the growing corrosion underneath.

These examples of airframe corrosion could occur anywhere on the aircraft that the metal is not protected.  If the anodizing, alodine, or other surface protection is missing in that area, then surface corrosion, galvanic, (dissimilar metal) corrosion, or other forms of corrosion can occur.

It is very important to maintain the surface protection, and to perform regular inspections of all areas to detect corrosion before it grows.