As summer draws to a close, the construction progress is stronger than ever.

On average there are 70-75 steel erectors, electricians, and concrete and mechanical experts working diligently to have Hangar B and Building 1 ready to open in January 2019.

Hangar B service pits have been installed, and the entire hangar floor is now in. The Paint Hangar is on track to open in March 2019, and the structural steel is up and being closed in for Hangar C and Building 3 (opening June 2019). The structural steel is also being erected for Building 2 (opening in the first quarter of 2020).

The fuel farm is now onsite and going through the testing and certification stages. Over the next two months, the focus will be to complete the build out of Building 1, Hangar B, and the Paint Hangar. Major system installations in the near future include the RTO system in the Paint Hangar, air compressor system for the campus, and hangar door installation.

The 14" thick ramp took 35,000 yards of concrete, and 6.5 million pounds of steel.

Today marks Duncan Aviation's Founder’s Day. Wednesday, August 22, is the 96^th birthday of our founder, the late Donald Duncan.

This day is made more special as it is also the birthday of his grandson Todd Duncan, Chairman Duncan Aviation. And keeping with the theme of family birthdays, in the not too distance future on September 24^th, Chairman Emeritus, J. Robert Duncan will be celebrating his birthday.

And so we celebrate!

Founder’s Day gives us all the opportunity to pause and reflect on Duncan Aviation’s past while also looking forward to a promising future. This would not be possible without the hard work, dedication and attitudes of each of our team members. Thank you to all of your contributions to the success of Duncan Aviation.

We also want to thank our many customers, partners and friends throughout the aviation world. We appreciate your business and friendship. 

More than 500 of Duncan Aviation’s 2,150 current team members are actively in the military or are military veterans. That’s roughly 24% of the Duncan Aviation workforce.

“Members of the US military are dedicated individuals who bring a unique set of experience and skills to the Duncan Aviation team,” says Jennifer Monroe, Duncan Aviation’s Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist. “Many career skills, both hands-on and soft skills, gained during active duty, transition effortlessly to a position with Duncan Aviation.

“Duncan Aviation actively recruits veterans because their exceptional experience aligns well with our high-quality reputation and core values,” Jennifer continues. “We work very closely with military organizations to transition people from military to civilian careers. We provide transition advice to potential team members and their families in the hopes of providing an easy way to take their military skillset and help them apply it to another career.”

Duncan Aviation partners with a variety of military organizations throughout the county to connect with individuals who are transitioning out of full-time service.  

Entering civilian employment is a major life adjustment, but there are many aspects of Duncan Aviation that veteran team members say remain the same: attention to detail, focus on getting the job done right, and the support from fellow employees.

“Duncan Aviation team members helped me considerably move from a government business to private industry,” says Keith Schell, Duncan Aviation’s Manager of Parts & Rotables Sales, Avionics and Accessories and a former Brigadier General with the Nebraska Air National Guard. “There are similarities between the military and Duncan Aviation, like leadership skills, hard workers, high ethics, etc. But there are tremendous differences, too, such as for-profit management and different employee regulations. Everyone has and continues to help me make the transition after nearly 36 years in military employment, and I couldn’t be more appreciative.”

Duncan Aviation Challenger Airframe Tech Matt McGinn, a former E-5 Aviation Structural Mechanic for the US Navy, agrees that the transition from working in the military to working at Duncan Aviation was easier than anticipated. “The Navy and Duncan Aviation have many similarities, from maintenance documentation to safety policies and many other aspects. With my five years of Navy experience working on MH-60S Seahawk helicopters aboard the USS Nimitz, I was able to test for my A&P upon separation with the Navy and Duncan Aviation sent me to Nashville to obtain my A&P certificated with Bakers School of Aeronautics. I am very grateful for that.”

Jennifer says, “Our veterans have been and will continue to be a huge part of our company, and many team members continue to serve in the Reserves or the National Guard during their careers at Duncan Aviation.”

Duncan Aviation is a proud support of the Guard and National Reserve (ESGR). As an employer, Duncan Aviation provides managers and supervisors with the tools needed to effectively manage employees who actively serve in the Guard and Reserve. We also pledge our support to hire veterans returning from service to our country as part of the Utah Patriot Partnership Program and as a Michigan Veteran Friendly Employer.

“Service to our country is something that is important to all of us,” Jennifer says.   

A little over 10 years ago, we began the search for a new western location. The need was driven by industry partners, customers, and a general feeling that Duncan Aviation needed a presence in the region. After establishing operations in 2010, we are now within 12 months of opening a new Duncan Aviation-caliber full-service maintenance and modifications hangar in Provo, Utah. Within 14 months of this first hangar opening, we will complete the rest of the nearly 280,000 square-foot campus, including a second maintenance hangar, full paint facility, all supporting back shops, and general customer/employee support areas.

Extending the full-service Duncan Aviation brand west is exciting for several reasons. This is the company’s first greenfield (completely from scratch) full-service construction effort in our 60-year history. We will be closer to longtime customers from all over the western United States. When the campus is up and running, we will have the world’s most innovative and environmentally friendly paint facility for business jet aircraft. All liquid discharge from the process will be evaporated, with minimal remaining solid waste hauled to licensed handlers. All vapor and airborne discharge from the process will be incinerated, using the very latest technology currently available. Our total discharge will be reduced by 98% from the conventional paint process widely used in the industry today. We have focused companywide on green initiatives for many years, and with the new technologies this construction allows us to put in place, this facility represents a quantum leap forward toward our core value of respecting our environment.

This is also an exciting time to be a Duncan Aviation team member! Building an entirely new facility from a native land means that we will need to fill virtually every job function that exists today in our other major facilities. We have been and will continue to work hard as we build an integrated team of experts with widely varied job functions. There are spots for every job from entry level technicians to senior master techs, managers, and team leaders to facilities specialists and customer service experts.

When we began operations in our current Provo facility in 2010, we used a formula of 1/3 seasoned, veteran Duncan Aviation team members, with 2/3 hired from elsewhere in the industry. That ratio proved to be successful at enabling us to quickly pass along the Duncan Aviation philosophy and culture to team members who were new to the company. We plan to follow the same ratio as we ramp up operations for the new campus. Our goal is to offer clients the same level of professionalism and quality service as they would receive at our other locations. They will see familiar faces, along with new. They will experience the same level of attention to detail and professionalism that they are accustomed to at our other locations. And their aircraft maintenance and modifications will be delivered to the same exacting Duncan Aviation standards they have come to appreciate over the years. First-time Duncan Aviation customers to Provo will experience a genuine welcome to the culture and the openness which defines us.

Here are some comments made by recent Duncan Aviation-Provo customers:

“Great crew. We look forward to future projects.” – Lane Clayson, Idaho Investments

“The team at Duncan Aviation-Provo did an excellent job with the 96-month inspection, which transitioned into a challenging pre-buy during the regular inspection. Project Manager Corey Johnston did an excellent job keeping me informed and the work order straight. The invoicing was challenging due to warranty, routine inspection, pre-buy to include buyer and seller, but Corey and the team did an excellent job of following through with any outstanding items and providing explanations for the charges or credits. All-in-all, it a great visit with some challenging moments that the Duncan Aviation team pulled off.” – Bob Baker

“Great crew in Provo and very accommodating. Even with extra squawks, the airplane was delivered on time! Thank you, Jason (Kinnan) and the whole crew!” - Kent Long

“From the top down to the newest tech, all have the best work ethic I have ever experienced in my 40+ years using service centers. As the job progresses and new issues are added to the work load, the can-do attitude is great. My only worry would be that I hope they get some time off! I would be happy to return.” - KC Kenzel

April 2018 Duncan Intelligence

Aircraft Battery Storage
Aircraft batteries have a shelf life and maintenance requirements while in storage. The maintenance intervals and level of maintenance are directly related to the temperature at which the batteries are stored.

KFC 400 Autopilot: Common System Squawks
As an authorized BendixKing service center, we have seen this system in our avionics repair shop many times.

Hawker: Troubleshooting Inefficient Cabin Cooling
Have you ever experienced poor cabin cooling on the ground while the APU was in operation? Keep reading...

ADS-B And Non-Performing Emitters
According to the most recent data from the FAA, slightly less than 10% of all U.S. registered ADS-B-equipped aircraft are NPE, or non-performing emitters.

Aircraft For Sale: New Offering 1Q 2018
Duncan Aviation has a large selection of business aircraft for sale. View the latest offerings for 2018 and see what is coming soon.

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In The News

After A Little April Fool’s Joke, FAA Reiterates ADS-B Deadline Firm
Read more.

 

 

Duncan Aviation’s Parts Search & myDuncan Translate to Several Languages
Read more. 

 

Do you know how to close the outside baggage door on your Falcon 900 without having to turn on any generator or battery switches? Or have you heard we expanded our Honeywell Primus II Capabilities? No? Then you haven't read the December issue of the Duncan Intelligence.

December Duncan Intelligence

Falcon 900: Closing the Baggage Door
Want to know how to close the outside baggage door on your Falcon 900 without having to turn on any generator or battery switches in the cockpit?

Citation Sovereign Inspection Safety
Citation Sovereign has many items that come due at high hours/cycles. We have performed work on items that the rest of the fleet has yet to realize will be required.

CASP Elite And ADS-B
There are many advantages offered with the CASP Elite aftermarket warranty program that specifically target ADS-B upgrades.

Cessna CIL-21-03: Water Separator Corrosion Repair
Duncan Aviation has the proper tooling to provide Cessna operators a more cost-effective option with a reasonable turntime on Cessna CIL-21-03.

Duncan Aviation Adds To Honeywell Primus II Capabilities
We've added repair and overhaul capabilities for the primary interface used to control the Primus II radio system in the Primus 1000 and Primus 2000 flight decks.  

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The Duncan Intelligence is a free, technical newsletter for business aircraft owners and operators. Written in-house by Duncan Aviation's technical representatives, each edition includes technical tips and advice on topics and trends in business aviation. It is a free, monthly e-mail subscription for aviation enthusiasts around the world.

Last week more than 1,100 exhibitors and attendees from all 50 United States and dozens countries walked the floors of the 2017 NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hundreds of them, aviation professionals, operators, enthusiasts, and students alike, came to the Duncan Aviation booth.

Here's a pictorial recap of our time at 2017 NBAA.

  Big Announcements Were Made!

Duncan Aviation Named North American Winner of Bombardier Authorized Service Facility Excellence Awards 

Keith Hickman, Manager, Authorized Service Facilities, Bombardier Business Aircraft, presented the award to Robert Duncan, Chairman Emeritus, and Aaron Hilkemann, President and CEO, Duncan Aviation during a ceremony at NBAA-BACE.

 

 

 

 

Duncan Aviation and GE Aviation Collaborate to Provide ADS-B Benefits to GE’s OnPoint℠ Customers

Nate Klenke, Duncan Aviation Sales Manager; Elizabeth Bevacqua, GE Services Marketing, Business & General Aviation; Chad Harris, GE Aftermarket Services & Customer Support Leader, Buseinss and General Aviation; Mark Francetic, Duncan Aviation Regional Avionics Sales Manager; Mike Minchow, Duncan Aviation Vice President of Sales.

 

 

We Participated In Panel Discussions

 Robert & Todd Duncan Joined Us At NBAA

Some Of Our Work Was On Display At Static

(Photo courtesy of Gogo Business Aviation)

Gogo Demonstrates Avance L5 Advantage

We Talked With Customer

A Lot Of Customers

On August 4, 2017, in Lincoln, Nebraska, and August 5, in Battle Creek, Michigan, the Duncan Aviation Silver Wings club inducted 45 new members. This special club honors team members who have devoted 25 years of their careers to Duncan Aviation.

This year’s inductees bring the grand total of Silver Wings members to 326! “Given the mobile nature of our society, it is quite a feat to have more than 300 people who have dedicated 25 years to this company,” says Chairman Emeritus and Silver Wings founder Robert Duncan.

2017 New Members

John Bates, Team Leader for Interior Completions, BTL

Curt Beckenhauer, Finish Master Specialist, LNK

Mike Bernholtz, Senior Sales Rep & Sales Team Leader Engine Services, LNK

Darren Blaser, Team Leader Cabinet Shop, LNK

Mike Brouwer, Assistant Manager Airframe, BTL

Barry Burkey, Master Technician Avionics & Instruments, LNK

Cliff Casburn, Cabinet Master Specialist, LNK

Mark Earnest, MPI Team Leader, LNK

David Epley, Vehicle Maintenance Mechanic Facilities, LNK

Greg Fenster, Master Technician Airframe, LNK

Terry Fransen, Project Manager, LNK

Jon Fredrick, Master Specialist Upholstery, LNK

Steve Gade, Vice President Business Development Initiatives, Marketing & Sales, LNK

Terry Gieselman, Technician Accessories, LNK

Rob Gray, Team Leader RTS Modifications, LNK

Dennis Gulley, MPI Technician III, LNK

Russ Haugen, Assistant Manager Customer Service, LNK

Ted Hinkle, Crew Leader Cabinet Shop, LNK

Tim Horner, Cabinet Master Specialist, LNK

Pete Hubbard, Senior Sales Rep Airframe, LNK

Troy Hyberger, Manager FBO Services, LNK

Brad Lennemann, Senior Sales Rep Airframe, LNK

Bob Masek, IT Tech Support Specialist, LNK

Jeff Morgan, Alternate Shift Supervisor Interiors, LNK

Kevin Olson, Completions Master Specialist, LNK

Jim Overheul, Tech Rep, BTL

Mark Pawlowski, Engineering Team Leader & Alterations Planner, LNK

Todd Reckling, Crew Leader & Team Leader Avionics Install, LNK

Monte Reeves, Project Manager, LNK

Lanny Renshaw, Assistant Manager Engine Dept, LNK

Bryan Rothchild, Alternate Shift Supervisor Avionics Install, LNK

Scott Shefke, Tech Rep, LNK

Gordon Smith, Crew Lead, Fort Lauderdale Satellite Shop

Aaron Spulak, Master Technician, LNK

Kristi Steward, Project Manager IT, LNK

Matt Stolz, Alternate Shift Supervisor Airframe, LNK

Dennis Sweeney, RTS Inspector, LNK

Bong Tran, Upholstery Specialist, LNK

Chris VanderWeide, Chief Inspector International Airworthiness & ODA Unit Member, BTL

Dick Veik, RTS Inspector Quality, LNK

Russ Walker, Avionics Tech, LNK

Rod Whitehead, Team Lead Interiors, LNK

Rick Wilen, Master Tech Calibration Lab, LNK

Paul Wiles, Pilot in Command for Medium Jet, LNK

Louis Williams, Preventative Maintenance Specialist Facilities, LNK

Did you now the U.S. House of Representatives are expected to vote on the privatization of the ATC? How about how to help prevent corrosion to the avionics units in the radome? No? Then you haven't read the July issue of the Duncan Intelligence.

July Duncan Intelligence

You Have 48 Hours To Stand Against The Privatization of ATC    The General Aviation industry stands against the privatization of ATC. They need our help.  Honeywell Issues Reliability Service Bulletin AS907-73-9005 This Honeywell SB replaces the main fuel control on the AS907-2-1G model engine found on the Gulfstream G280 aircraft. Pratt & Whitney Canada Service Bulletin Update This is a brief update and guidance on maintenance topics for Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW500 engine family. Is Your Radar Unit Always Corroded? Check the Radome. A solid seal around the radome will help prevent corrosion of the avionics units inside. Intermittent Switches on JET Yaw Damper Computers  The Yaw Damper switches are well known for becoming intermittent and stuck causing the unit to not function.

Duncan Aviation’s First Honeywell TFE731 CZI Event Lands in Lincoln Read More. Duncan Aviation Assigns Dedicated Program Admin for After Market Warranty Programs Read More.