The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

Contributed by Brian Redondo, satellite avionics manager

I have heard from several customers who are upset after receiving a Wi-Fi bill larger than expected, some considerably larger.

I’ve had to explain that all Portable Electronics Devices (PEDs for short, such as laptops, tablets and phones) brought on board an aircraft are factory-set to automatically sync and grab updates as soon as they connect to an available Wi-Fi hotspot. And it only takes one device on a cross-country trip to create an ugly bill.

The default on PEDs is set at the factory to automatically conserve data. What this means is that apps are updated and photos/videos are pushed to the cloud only when they are connected to Wi-Fi.

Let me give you an example. Let’s say you are out walking around with your smartphone on 4G and using it as normal. You stop into your local Starbucks® and your phone finds their Wi-Fi and automatically connects. The pictures you took of your kids while walking in the park are pushed up to the cloud and the latest update to Candy Crush® begins to download. When you leave and the Wi-Fi drops off, you are back to low data usage.

The problem arises when you get on an aircraft and connect to the most expensive Wi-Fi on the planet! Because your PED is set up by default to use the Wi-Fi for big download tasks, that game update just cost you $35 and syncing a video of your kids playing on the swingset to the cloud could be upwards of $1,000.

Most people don’t realize these devices are factory-set in this manner or didn’t think of the impact it would have on the aircraft Wi-Fi bill. The good thing is there are several ways to keep the bills in check.

Gogo® Business Aviation (formerly known as Aircell) helps to block some of these services in order to keep the data charges more reasonable, but unfortunately not all can be blocked. Google Play, Apple Store and iCloud are the notorious offenders and are not able to be blocked. However, most computer backup services such as Carbonite, antivirus software auto updates, browser updates and those pesky ever-present java updates are blocked by Gogo® Biz (also known as the ATG-2000/4000/5000).

Gogo® Business Aviation now provides SwiftBroadband service and has three optional levels of filtering to help control your costs. Contact a Gogo® Business Aviation representative for more information.

Those using Satcom Direct for SwiftBroadband service can opt in to their SkyShield service. This service offers several levels of data filtering or you can request custom filtering as well. Ask your SatCom Direct representative for more information.

Another simple step is to put any unused devices in Airplane Mode or to simply shut them off. Open Wi-Fi networks should also be avoided as tablets and phones may automatically connect to an open network, add a simple password such as the tail number to prevent unwanted devices from connecting. Remember it takes just one device on one trip to cost you a lot of money.

Below are short, simplified steps you can take on your Android or Applie device to avoid another outrageous Wi-Fi bill. Please understand that because there are different versions of iOS and Android, your device may require different action. If that is the case, consult the User’s Guide for your device.

PREVENTING THE AUTOMATIC UPLOAD OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

General Instructions for an Android phone and tablet

	1. Go to your photos folder where all of the photos and videos are stored on your device.
	2. Tap on Settings (three dots in upper right corner).
	3. Tap on Auto Backup.
	4. Shut off Auto Backup. This will end the automatic uploading of your photos when taking new ones.

General Instructions for an Apple iPhone and iPad

	1. Go into Settings.
	2. Tap iCloud. 3. Tap Photos (If you have iCloud Drive set up, you can shut this off here as well).
	4. Turn off My Photo Stream

TURNING OFF AUTOMATIC APP UPDATES

General Instructions for an Android phone and tablet

	1. Open the "Play Store" and go to the menu (generally in a corner at the top).
	2. Tap Settings.
	3. Tap Auto-update apps.
	4. Select "Do Not auto-update apps" or uncheck auto-update apps. Keep notifications checked to receive notifications when an update is available.

General Instructions for an iPhone and iPad

	1. Open Settings and go to "iTunes & App Store."
	2. Scroll down to the Automatic Downloads section. 3. Toggle updates to OFF to stop apps automatically updating.

Submitted By Jeff Schipper, Project Manager PVU

Duncan Aviation’s Provo, Utah, facility both gave and received an early Christmas present this year in the guise of an Embraer Legacy 144-month (L24) inspection. During this inspection, we restored the landing gear and installed an Aircell ATG5000 cabin Wi-Fi system, among many other smaller items.

Space constraints presented the Provo crew with unique challenges, but with the requested outdate in mind, our teams worked together and creatively resolved those challenges. We aggressively dealt with the turntimes on the landing gear in order to meet our customer's limited downtime. The landing gear team at our Lincoln, Nebraska, facility finished the overhaul and shipped the landing gear back to Provo within a day of the requested return date.

Another challenge resulted from a missing aircraft Electrical Load Analysis (ELA) document. The ELA is comparable to the aircraft Weight and Balance Manual—only it’s for the aircraft electrical system. Our avionics install team worked with our Embraer contacts and procured a manual for this serial number in time for our team to perform the final calculations and produce the appropriate paperwork on our end for delivery.

To limit yet maximize downtime for this popular charter aircraft, our interior team worked with the customer on which repairs we could accomplish after the interior was removed for the inspection. The team ended up finishing several high-profile pieces of woodwork and had everything looking like new by the time installation day rolled around.

As often happens, a couple of gremlins dogged the final day—a landing light burned out and a flow pack gave up just before delivery. Troubleshooting and procuring parts ended up pushing delivery back a day, but the aircraft arrived at its home on Tuesday, December 23.

Once home in Scottsdale, the delivery gremlins reappeared; this time, an APU issue sent our Scottsdale Rapid Response team into action and they resolved the issue by early the following morning. 

One of the things that really shined through to our customer with this project was the way Duncan Aviation as a team banded together to support them no matter what facility they were in. This aircraft was worked on in our Provo facility, the landing gear was completed at our Lincoln location and when the aircraft needed after-delivery support in Scottsdale, our Rapid Response team there was quick to respond. This inspection was a true multi-shop, multi-site success story.

Since becoming a Legacy Authorized Service Center, we’ve completed several types of inspections, including L1, L2, L4, and this most recent L24.

Jeff Schipper is a Project Manager at Duncan Aviation's Provo, Utah, facility serving as the central point of contact for his customers' projects ensuring overall project quality and timely aircraft delivery. His aviation career began in 1987.

The Embraer Legacy takes off from Duncan Aviation's picturesque view in Provo, Utah. 

No one in the aviation industry likes to see an instrument or piece of avionics equipment labeled as No Fault Found (NFF).

Equipment is labeled NFF when the squawk it is sent in for cannot be duplicated in the repair bench environment. Additionally, many problems with avionics equipment and instruments are intermittent; the equipment doesn’t fail outright, it just periodically stops performing as needed. That makes diagnosis even more difficult.  

So what do you do when your unit is returned with the ambiguous label NFF? Well you can buy a new unit (potentially expensive) or send it to another shop for a second opinion (could get NFF again).

10-25 percent of the components that Duncan Aviation’s avionics / instrument shop receives are labeled NFF at a different shop.

So just how does Duncan Aviation tackle these diagnostic dilemmas?

Experience Saves Money

There are hundreds of years’ worth of experience among the technicians working on gyros, weather radar, antennas, autopilot equipment, and navigation/communications systems sent to Duncan Aviation.

It is because of this experience Duncan Aviation is known for its ability to resolve NFF problems. Because Duncan Aviation technicians are assigned to dedicated stations and work all day, every day, on the same types of components and instruments, they become familiar with even the most uncommon problems and failures.

Randy Bauer has worked at Duncan Aviation for 25 years. As a Gyro Team Leader, Randy explains that a faulty gyro could cause wing rock. However, determining what’s wrong in a gyro isn’t that easy. “In the vertical gyro, wing rock may be caused by defective gimbal bearings, low liquid level, or free drift rates. And in rare instances, the directional gyro could cause the same wing rock discrepancy if it has defective gimbal bearings or if the free drift rates don’t conform to specifications.”

Instrument Master Technician Ed McCranie has been with Duncan Aviation for 37 years. He specializes in repair and overhaul of attitude indicators. Some of these indicators have a new replacement cost of up to $40,000, so repair is preferred. The motors used to drive the attitude and command displays in some attitude director indicator models have intermittent failures. If the motor fails just once every 300 cycles, that would prevent it from being acceptable for continued service. These parts are carefully inspected to minimize the chance of in-flight failures.  

Environmental Testing

Duncan Aviation’s Avionics and Instrument Shop uses chambers that simulate the temperature extremes equipment experiences in flight. For instance, a weather radar antenna in an aircraft’s nose cone may experience 100-degree temperature swings from ground to altitude. To duplicate and diagnose problems, Duncan’s chamber can re-create those extremes (-40C to +70C).

In addition, the shop houses an altitude chamber to simulate the changes in altitude and pressure that equipment undergoes during flight. And a vibration simulation re-creates the shaking and shuddering of an aircraft under various flight conditions.

State-of-the-Art Diagnostic Equipment

Duncan Aviation also invests in the most current tooling and repair manuals. When Team Leader Nic Evans works on autopilot instruments, he uses a Duncan-developed automated test set called Date-1B. Instead of spending eight hours standing and monitoring the diagnostic test on a faulty autopilot, he hooks the unit to a computer for testing. While the tests are running, he’s free to work on other units.

Developed in-house by Duncan Aviation’s Research & Development experts, the test set performs diagnostics and produces an analysis that technicians use to pinpoint the problem. A major benefit of this automation is that it allows technicians to repeat lengthy tests many times in an attempt to duplicate intermittent problems that would normally take days to find, making this not only more cost effective but creating a higher probability that the fault will be identified.

Narrow the Field

Duncan Aviation has four avionics/instrument tech reps who provide support for the shop by speaking directly to customers to help troubleshoot problems.

When a part or unit arrives with a tag that simply says, ‘broken’ or ‘doesn’t work’,” it is very difficult for a technician to discern what is wrong. Tech reps will call the customer directly and talk through the problems he or she has been experiencing to help pinpoint the source of the malfunction.

Sometimes after talking with the customer, it is discovered the unit may not be the source of the problem. Troubleshooting with the customer is an important step that helps ensure the customer do not waste money sending in the wrong boxes.

Up to the Challenge

Locating the true nature of problems with avionics and instrument equipment is not always easy. The technicians at Duncan Aviation go to great lengths using experience, knowledge, environmental and diagnostic testing equipment and sheer determination to find solutions to components problems and save customers time, money and frustration.

Duncan Intelligence

Duncan Aviation produces a free, technical newsletter for business aircraft owners and operators. The Duncan Intelligence is 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.

Read the latest Duncan Intelligence here.

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NextGen is shorthand for the Next Generation Air Transportation System, and it’s all about tapping into the technology available in our digital age to make air travel and communications safer and more efficient. Shifting from a ground-based air-traffic system to a satellite-based system will give air-traffic controllers (ATCs) greater ability to track and communicate with aircraft.

Monitoring aircraft over land and sea will result in shorter, more direct routes (reducing fuel consumption and saving time) and fewer delays. When ATCs can see and communicate with all of the aircraft in their airspace, they can put the aircraft closer together so fewer aircraft will stack up on runways, awaiting takeoff.

When you consider the cost of upgrading your avionics equipment and are tempted to take advantage of the exemption, be sure to weigh the following factors. And keep in mind that you’ll usually be flying oversea routes at night.

Cost / Benefit Analysis

Without the upgrade, you will:

• Fly outside the six, optimal tracks
• Use more fuel per trip, increasing costs
• Fly less safe routes—less situational awareness from flying crowded routes at night, relying solely on sight as opposed to ATC guidance
• Experience flight delays—priority is given to aircraft that are in compliance

If you go with the upgrade, here are a few of the benefits—tangible and intangible:

• Faster flight times—priority given to aircraft in compliance
• Use one of the six North Atlantic tracks (NAT), increasing fuel efficiency and time
• Enhanced safety with constant pings from ATC

NextGen Mandate Timeline

Transitioning the safety of the skies from ground-based tracking systems to satellite-based systems of air traffic control requires new standards and upgraded avionics equipment.Check our timeline to see what mandates may apply to your aircraft and when.

Duncan Aviation's Avionics Satellite are located within 200nm of 90 percent of the 50 busiest general aviation airports in the United States.

In addition to your everyday and AOG avionics needs, they lead the industry for avionics installations to meet upcoming NextGen Mandates.

Featured Installs

• APA/BJC - Gulfstream IV: Aircell Axxess II with Gogo Biz® Wi-Fi install

• FXE - Broadband/Wi-Fi install on a charter fleet for flight in Caribbean

• HOU/IAH - Duncan Aviation’s Wi-Fi STC for Learjet 45 aircraft was engineered in HOU on a customer’s fleet

• MKC/SUS - Falcon 900B: Dual NZ-2000 6.1 software upgrade with WAAS/LPV in customer’s hangar

• PDX - Global Express: First Inmarsat high speed data upgrade with Broadband/Wi-Fi router

• STP - Installing USB power port installations on a fleet of eight aircraft

• TEB/MMU - Falcon 2000: Broadband/Wi-Fi install

• VNY/BUR - Boeing 727: Future Air Navigation System (FANS) compliance including: Flight Management System (FMS), Universal UniLink, Iridium phone, Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance (TCAS) 7.1, Cobham SwiftBroadband and transponder (TDR) upgrades to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) DO260A

Avionics Satellite Directory

Duncan Aviation's Avionics Satellites are strategically based at more than 25 business airports across the United States. Each location is interdependent, sharing staff and resources to support customers anywhere they land, live or hangar their aricraft. 

Click on photo to the right to download your copy of the Duncan Aviation Satellite Directory. 

A refurbishment can completely transform and revive an aircraft, but those dramatic interior updates also come with a significant downtime and a price tag. Almost every aspect of an aircraft interior can be handcrafted, right down to the stitching on the seats, making each experience unique. 

Although unique projects don’t necessarily lend well to generic FAQs, a general pattern of questions do emerge from prospects looking to have their aircraft refurbished. We've gathered a few, and as the answers demonstrate, it’s all in the planning.

With two full-service aircraft service locations and 25 satellite avionics shops strategically placed throughout the United States, Duncan Aviation recently reached a milestone, installing its 500th in-flight connectivity system from Aircell, the business aviation division of Gogo®.

With more than 500 installations, Duncan Aviation holds a prominent position as leader of the aftermarket installation of in-flight internet and aircraft Wi-Fi upgrades such as Aircell Gogo Bizand SwiftBroadband systems.

According to Mike Minchow, Completions and Modifications Marketing Manager for Duncan Aviation, there is strong market demand for products that increase the productivity of business aircraft. “Wireless internet certainly filled a need for business aviation, and Aircell has been a leader in that market. On-board Wi-Fi has completely transformed the travel experience, allowing operators to be much more efficient in the air and allowing for a true office-in-the-sky experience.”

“Combining the benefits of our Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) and multiple locations, we’re able to offer owners a great deal of flexibility as well as the confidence that their aircraft is in the care of the most experienced technicians in the industry and a company known for its service and support,” he continues.

Duncan Aviation has invested heavily in the Wi-Fi market. The company owns 13 STCs for broadband with Wi-Fi. The Duncan Aviation Engineering Team completed the STCs under Duncan Aviation’s ODA, which includes STC, Major Repair and Alterations (MRA) and Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) authority. Duncan Aviation holds STCs for in-flight Wi-Fi for the following models: Hawker 800A, 800XP, 850XP, 900XP, the Falcon 2000, 2000EX, 2000EX EASy and 900EX, 900EX EASy, the Cessna CJ2, CJ2+ and CJ3, the Citation 680, 750, the Challenger 300, 601-3A/R, 604, 605, the Lear 45, the Embraer Legacy 600, 650 and the Gulfstream GIV, GV.

John Wade, Aircell’s Executive Vice President and General Manager, says, “Duncan Aviation has now installed approximately 20% of all the Gogo Biz systems in service globally, making a significant contribution to the worldwide adoption of in-flight Internet services in the business aviation market. They’ve fully embraced connectivity technologies on behalf of customers, invested in STCs and built deep technical expertise.”

An Operator's Guide to Aircraft Internet Options

As operators research Wi-Fi and in-flight internet options, it’s easy to get confused with all the systems, capabilities and coverage zones. Duncan Aviation's Field Guide: Making Sense of Wi-Fi helps make sense of it all.

Written by industry experts, the document outlines the criteria for planning a Wi-Fi installation in business aircraft, and includes coverage maps, recommended equipment and available rates.