The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

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.

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. 

Yesterday, Tuesday, March 27, 2018, during an in-booth reception at the 61^st Annual Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) International Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas, Duncan Aviation was named a Gogo Business Aviation Top Dealer for 2017. Duncan Aviation received the highest Gogo Business Aviation dealer honor, The Gogo Business Aviation 51,000 Five. Representing a pinnacle of achievement, the award’s name was inspired by the highest altitude reached by aircraft in the business aviation industry–51,000 feet.

Dave Salvador, Vice President of Aftermarket Sales and Regional Managers Andy Fernandes and Chad Ostertag presented the award to Duncan Aviation Vice President of Components Services & Satellite Operations Mark Cote and Duncan Aviation Business Development Manager Kevin Miesbach. Cote and Miesbach accepted the award on behalf of Duncan Aviation but expressed there was a large group within the company who contributed a great deal of time and effort to achieve this status and all deserve to be recognized.

L to R: Gogo Vice President of Aftermarket Sales Dave Salvador, Gogo Regional Sales Manager Andy Fernandes, Duncan Aviation Vice President of Components Services & Satellite Operations Mark Cote, Duncan Aviation Business Development Manager Kevin Miesnach, and Gogo Regional Sales Manager Chad Ostertag.

“It is an honor to be recognized as one of Gogo's top dealers again this year,” says Cote. “But everyone from the technical expert who wrote the sales quotes to the engineers who drew up the prints, and from the technicians who installed the systems to the quality control personnel who returned the aircraft back to service all deserve to be recognized for their contributions.” He went on to say that without the outstanding teamwork that goes on every day at Duncan Aviation, this accomplishment wouldn't be possible. This is the sixth time Duncan Aviation has received the Top Dealer Award dating back to 2011.

Duncan Aviation is a market leader in business aircraft internet installations with Wi-Fi and is proud to partner with Gogo. Their products have met and exceeded customer needs and expectations for both aircraft communications and High Speed Data solutions.

Broadband internet systems with in-flight Wi-Fi capability can be completed at any of Duncan Aviation’s major service locations in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; or Provo, Utah. In addition, upgrades can be completed at any of Duncan Aviation’s avionics satellite locations. For a complete list of Duncan Aviation's avionics locations, go to www.DuncanAviation.aero/locations.

Are you aware of the reletively new 7X task card 53-60-00-900-601?  No? Then you haven't read the September issue of the Duncan Intelligence.

September Duncan Intelligence

Falcon 7X Body Fairing Screw Installation Duncan Aviation Falcon technicians have noted a few Falcon 7X aircraft with screws pulling through the composite fuselage body fairings. Hawker Corrosion Control: Don’t Let Out of Sight Be Out Of Mind Whenever access to the upper surfaces of your aircraft is possible, inspect and remove minor corrosion. Bombardier Learjet: Piston Care on Main Landing Gear Actuators During recent inspections, Duncan Aviation Accessory Technicians have found corrosion on the pistons in the Main Actuator of a Bombardier Learjet 55 aircraft. ART-2000/2100: Proper Shutdown Procedures to Prevent Unwanted Squawks If your ART 2000 or ART 2100 screen is blank, only showing half a screen, sending you FAIL messages, or creating a noise/vibration when getting powered down, you may not be following proper shutdown procedures.

Susie Corn Joins Duncan Aviation’s Turbine Engine Service Sales Team Read more.  Duncan Aviation CJ3 Pro Line Fusion® Integrated Avionics Upgrade Program in Full Swing Read more.

Did you know Rockwell Collins TDR-94D transponders upgraded in 2014 or before may not be in compliance with the ADS-B mandate? No? Then you haven't read the August issue of the Duncan Intelligence.

August Duncan Intelligence

Falcon 7X: Frame 33 Cabin/Baggage Compartment Door During your next 36 month/2400 hour inspection, pay particular attention to the hinge area of the door that leads from the cabin to the baggage compartment. Pratt & Whitney Canada Service Information Letter Update Update on current P&WC SILs TDR-94D Transponders: Are You Compliant? Owner/operators who upgraded their Rockwell Collins TDR-94D transponders in 2012 or 2013 may not be in compliance with the FAA’s ADS-B Proper Alignment of the SP-101 Spoileron Computer Sometimes assisting customers means helping them identify when a unit needs to be sent in for repair and when it doesn’t. Environmental Testing Beneficial For All Radar Units Our years of experience have taught us it is in the best interest of our customers and the reliability and performance of their units, to run every unit through temperature and altitude tests.

Duncan Aviation Expands Mobile Engine Services to the Ohio River Valley Read More.  Duncan Aviation’s Fort Lauderdale Satellite Shop Upgrades Challenger 604 for ADS-B Compliance Read More.

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.

Have you heard about the Honeywell HTF7500E Stator Vane Seal Inspection Program? How about the cause behind those intermittent software failures on your Avidyne EX-500 MFD? 

No? Then you haven't read the March issue of the Duncan Intelligence. 

 March Duncan Intelligence

Falcon 7X Flap Rigging Precautions  Caution is needed when rigging the flaps on a Dassaut Falcon 7X aircraft. ADS-B Solution for Bombardier Challenger 800/850 SE Aircraft  This was an industry-first installation in the United States and was performed in the customer’s hangar. Honeywell HTF7500E Stator Vane Seal Inspection Program  This inspection program is applicable to the HTF750E model engine. Why Is My Avidyne EX-500 MFD Experiencing Intermittent Software Failures?  Completing a proper shutdown every time will prevent this. Got a crack in your APU Exhaust Support? Don’t Replace It. Repair It.  Duncan Aviation has AWS D17.1 certified welders and inspectors on-site, all capable of welding all types of materials for aerospace applications. The NBAA Tech Committee Wants To Hear From You Progress can only be accomplished if we have regular interaction with and feedback from you, the Citation operator.

Get The Duncan Intelligence In Your In-box

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.

Did you know that we have the exclusive rights to reconfigure AIM® 1100/1200 series attitude indicators and gyros to meet your platform requirements? 

Have you heard that legacy aircraft operators have another transponder option to meet the ADS-B mandates?  

No? Then you haven't read the December issue of the Duncan Intelligence.

Didn't receive the Duncan Intelligence? 

HTF7000 Service Bulletin Update There are a number of Honeywell HTF7000 SBs that have become hot items. These can be accomplished at our Turbine Engine services shop, or any one of our Engine Rapid Response locations across the United States. Don’t Delay When Sending Control Rod Assemblies In For Repair/Overhaul If these units are ever pulled for operational failure, they should be sent in immediately for evaluation. The longer they sit, the more likely corrosion will invade causing more problems at disassembly. NXT-700 Mode S Transponder Satisfies the DO-260B Mandate for ADS-B The ACSS NXT-700 AML STC is complete and ready to meet the ADS-B mandate for many legacy aircraft operators. AIM (Extant) Attitude Indicators Repair/Mod/Loaner Capabilities We have the exclusive rights to reconfigure these loaner units to meet the lighting, power configurations, and tilt angles based on your platform requirements. Keeping Out-Of-Production Parts Available When these units require replacement, your only options are to: 1) buy a whole new servo unit or 2) upgrade the entire avionics package of the aircraft.

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.