The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

That’s 508 team members with thousands of years of military experience—and counting.

During this Veterans Day, we pause to remember the sacrifices our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have made in serving our nation where and when they were needed.

From one generation to the next, young men and women have willingly joined the ranks of America's Armed Forces. Aware of their obligations as citizens of the greatest nation on earth, they answered its call; they served the United States with courage and commitment.

Duncan Aviation wants to say thank you to all veterans who have sacrificed much in the defense of this country. We proudly support our veteran employees and are honored by their sacrifice and are proud to work side by side with these brave men and women. We cannot thank them and their families enough for the sacrifices they have made for our nation.

Duncan Aviation openly supports our Reserve and Guard members, who continue to sacrifice for our country.

We honor each of you, America’s veterans, who served so faithfully and honorably. Through your sacrifices you have secured for millions of others the blessings of freedom, democracy and the unmatched opportunities that we enjoy in the United States today.

May each of you have a safe Veterans Day. God bless each of you and your families, God bless our armed services and God bless the United States of America.

Putting Your Military Skills to Good Use

 

 

We strongly encourage military personnel to apply for career opportunities.

Duncan Aviation is an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer.

After 50 years at Duncan Aviation, Don Fiedler retired on September 30, 2016. He was not allowed to go gentle into the good night. Instead he was sent off with celebrations and a reception in his honor.

During his last “Years of Service” celebration he was given the floor to speak to everyone in attendance about the highlights of his career and why it will be difficult to leave.

“I was part of something remarkably special,” says Don. “The Duncan Aviation way epitomizes excellence in the aviation industry—the company simply did everything right. Duncan Aviation treats its customers and employees with great respect and has created a culture and friendly environment that bring out the very best in everyone.”

On his last day in the office, hundreds gathered to shake his hand one more time and wish him well. He is an employee who will not soon, if ever, be forgotten. CEO Todd Duncan is especially appreciative of Don’s dedication to Duncan Aviation over the years.

“It’s really hard to find the words to thank Don for everything he’s done for Duncan Aviation and our family; he was more than a good friend,” says Todd. “Don exemplified Duncan Aviation’s core values of delivering quality service, respecting customers and co-workers, and being proud to be the best in the business.”

Don Fiedler Scholarship

As a tribute to Don and the many years he mentored and guided team members at Duncan Aviation, the Duncan Family Trust has decided to award a scholarship to the Southeast Community College Career Academy in Don’s name. The Don Fiedler Scholarship will directly benefit an employee here at the company, and the first Don Fiedler Scholarship will be awarded at the Karen K. Duncan Scholarship breakfast in the spring of 2017.

Read more about the impact Don Fiedler had on Duncan Aviation during his 50 years.

 

 

 

Did you know the annual average salary of manufacturing workers in the US is more than $77,000?* Yeah, neither did I!

Yet, only 35 percent of parents say they would encourage their children to pursue a manufacturing career, despite the advanced skills and high pay that are characteristic of work in today’s advanced manufacturing industry.**

This is due to a perception of manufacturing that existed a generation ago but does not represent the current reality of the industry.

Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t.

Today, more than 2,440 manufacturers across 49 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and three Canadian provinces are hosting events and inviting high school students, their parents and educators to come for a visit. 

Left to right: Duncan Aviation Sheet Metal and Turbine Engine Technicians

Duncan Aviation "Dream It. Do It."

Duncan Aviation is hosting a "Manufacturing Day - Dream It. Do It." event today at its Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. During this all-day event, more than 100 high school students from Lincoln and the surrounding area were welcomed by Duncan Aviation's chairman, Todd Duncan and his wife Connie, guided on a tour of the company's maintenance hangars and visited with Duncan Aviation employees about the opportunities available in the business aviation industry.

Sponsored by The Manufacturing Institute, the "Dream It. Do It." program is designed to address the national and local skills shortage by helping students, parents, and educators understand the global and local challenges employers are faced with when trying to find skilled workers.

This program provides a pathway to obtain the necessary skills that lead to career opportunities with local companies like Duncan Aviation to strengthen our economy.

Duncan Aviation is the largest family owned aviation maintenance company in the world and employs more than 2,000 aviation professionals around the world. To learn more about the career opportunities at Duncan Aviation, visit www.duncanaviation.aero/careers.

*Source: http://www.mfgday.com/resources/manufacturing-infographic

** Manufacturing Institute: www.TheManufacturingInstitute.org

 

Hundreds turned out for the ‎GAMA ‎Michigan ‪‎Jobs Rally held last Friday at Duncan Aviation in Battle Creek, MI, to recognize the importance of aviation and its contributions to our communities and state.

Duncan Aviation's President, Aaron Hilkemann, along with U.S. Senator Gary Peters, from Michigan, and other aviation business leaders from Avfuel Corporation, L-3 Communications, and Williams International spoke in front of those gathered. 

Each speaker addressed the crowd giving examples of how the aviation industry has positively impacted the economy of the state of Michigan, as well as the benefits to their communities, employees and families. 

Hundreds gather at rally, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters speaks, and Duncan Aviation employee Mark Strong listens.

Duncan Aviation's President Addresses Crowd

Below is the speech Aaron Hilkemann gave before several Duncan Aviation employees, aviation industry leaders, and students from Western Michigan University. 

2016 is a special year for Duncan Aviation. We are celebrating 60 years of providing business aircraft operators with safe, efficient and high-quality services. In 1956, Duncan Aviation was started by Donald Duncan when he bought a Beechcraft distributorship in Omaha, Nebraska. He had a passion for flight and an entrepreneurial spirit. He passed both along to his son, Robert, who ran Duncan Aviation for more than 40 years, and his grandson, Todd, who took over as Chairman in 2007 and is still very involved today.

The Duncan family operates several businesses, but Duncan Aviation is the one they identify with the most. They love flying, they love the people involved with flying, and they’re proud of the culture they have built at the Duncan Aviation facilities. As a family owned aviation company, a culture of constant improvement, teamwork, focused vision and family atmosphere is vital to our growth. And it is a culture that we work hard to instill in all of our locations.

In Battle Creek today we employ more than 600 people and we are currently hiring and expanding the team.  These are interesting, career-inspiring jobs at many levels that include good health insurance,  vacation time, 401(k) opportunities, a wellness culture and many other benefits.

This is a place where people want to work.  We see that in the number of job applicants who have been recommended by current team members, many of them family members.  96 Duncan Aviation team members have a family member working here in BTL, with more than 40 different families represented. We love it when our good, hard working team members recommend their own family members.  One example is the Slee family. The Slees have had three generations who have worked here. Four Slees are currently employed by Duncan Aviation. Tom Slee Senior, who is now retired, started the tradition by taking a position in the paint shop. He was followed by his sons, Matt, who works in Structures, and Tom Jr in Paint. Now, Matt has two sons working here, Josh in Structures and Mike with the Fuel Team. 

In addition, we have nine husband and wife combinations employed here at Duncan Aviation Battle Creek. Some even initially met their spouse here.

Our company and general aviation as a whole offer a broad range of career progression opportunities. One example would be Tom Burt, who spoke earlier at this rally. He worked his way through college as a flight instructor and then started at Duncan Aviation as a beginning airframe mechanic.  He progressed through customer service, sales, sales management and eventually into senior management. 

This is also an industry that provides long, solid careers for many team members.  Here at our Battle Creek facility, we have 24 team members who have been working in the company for more than 30 years. In fact, this year, Dale Vandelare celebrates his 40th anniversary. That is a nice, long, career and we want to congratulate him on that longevity.

Our industry is also well-known for providing opportunities to veterans and those transitioning from the military. At Duncan Aviation, we have hundreds of team members who have served or are serving in the military.  In Michigan, nearly 22% of our team members have military experience.  We are proud to be in an industry that employs so many veterans!

But our influence goes much further than the jobs we directly support. Our aviation business also supports a lot of good jobs in our communities. Because most of our customers come from a great distance, they often stay in local hotels, rent cars, eat in our local restaurants and spend money in our stores.

We estimate that every year our customers buy 4,500 hotel nights in Battle Creek or Kalamazoo. They purchase more than 13,500 meals at our restaurants. They rent cars more than 5,000 days per year. And some, especially our international customers, leave with aircraft full of products purchased in our local stores.

And we’re not alone. General aviation companies and jobs are good for our communities and states and we must be sure they continue to be properly supported and recognized for their contributions.

 

In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed this day, August 19, to be National Aviation Day to celebrate the history and development of aviation. This date coincides with the birthday of Orville Wright who, together with his brother Wilbur, made significant contributions to powered flight.

Today, like every other day of the year, Duncan Aviation celebrates aviation as the largest, family owned business aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company in the world, with over 2,000 employees. We celebrate with gratitude, as the perseverance of the Wright brothers has made a huge impact on the lives of everyone within business aviation. 

For the next two days, Duncan Aviation will celebrate its Founder’s Day, commemorating Donald Duncan’s birthday. Donald is the company’s founder and the grandfather to Duncan Aviation’s Chairman, Todd Duncan. This is a day for Duncan Aviation team members to pause and reflect on Duncan Aviation’s rich history while looking forward to a promising future.

That history is based upon a set of ideals passed down from Donald through Robert Duncan, Duncan Aviation’s Chairman Emeritus, and now to Todd Duncan. These values are dedicated to keeping a family culture as the company grew, no matter how many employees or locations. From the beginning, Duncan Aviation’s Core Values were not something that had to be memorized or learned by employees because they were simply a description of who they were and how they did business every day. Duncan Aviation team members embody excellence and a passion for aviation that shows in their work every day.

Duncan Aviation Across Six Decades

Duncan Aviation was established in 1956 in Clarinda, Iowa, during the prosperous years after WWI and earliest years of business aviation. You could say they have been in the business from the beginning and played a major part in its early development.  

Over the next six decades, Duncan Aviation grew from a single location in Omaha, Nebraska, to an international business aviation pioneer with locations all across the United States and team members around the globe.

Duncan Pride

Aviation is obviously very important to us. We live it every day. For many team members, who hold personal and commercial pilots license and still go flying on evenings and weekends after they have spent their entire day or week working on someone else’s aircraft, it is a passion. They say it’s in the blood.

Watch Duncan Aviation’s Core Values video, as team members express why the company’s Core Values resonate so much with their teams and how they can be seen in every aspect of their workday.

Let’s All Scream For Ice Cream

Every day is the National Day of something. And because there are so many things wanting their day in the spotlight, some have to share. So while we reminisce about aviation history, how it’s changed and where it’s headed, go out and grab your favorite soft-serve because it’s National Soft Ice Cream Day too!  

As the fourth generation of  the Duncan family joins the team, the company is focused squarely on the future. 

In this video, listen as Todd Duncan explains the strength of Duncan Aviation and what it means for the long-term.

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“It's a long term prospect for my family. It's a long term prospect for our team members. And for the customers who use us, they understand it's a long-term prospect for our relationship."  

—Todd Duncan, Chairman. 

Investing. It’s a bit of a gamble, but if done well, the rewards are worth the risks. At Duncan Aviation, we invest in our facilities and our people. We know those key elements lead to an incredible customer experience.

From left to right: Todd and Connie Duncan pose on the LNK ramp with their twin sons Harrison (left) and PK (right). A team member works on an engine. Hangar H houses, almost exclusively, Bombardier Challenger and Global aircraft.

Our Facilities

As part of our strategic plan, we invested $100 million in updating and improving our facilities during the past 10 years and plan to invest another $100 million during the next decade.

Two years ago, customer requests and the trend toward larger, long-range business jets resulted in the building of a larger, more modern paint facility. Once it was complete, we considered our maintenance hangars. They were full. Actually, they were bursting at the seams. We knew we needed more space to meet customer demand.

Doing the Right Thing for Our Customers, Our Facility and Our People

So we built an additional hangar facility. Yes, it was a huge investment during a time when the economy wasn’t booming. Yes, it was a bit risky. Yes, we chose materials that would make the facility environmentally responsible.

The first hangar bay opened in January. The second was complete in May. Since then, the new hangars have been full of large business jets while our recently updated older hangars still service the light and very light jets. It’s already apparent the addition was vital to remain flexible enough to provide services for our customers.

Our People

In order to provide the best customer service, we also need to invest in our people. By providing a great work culture, maintaining a focus on wellness and safety and investing in the proper training, our team members will benefit professionally and personally. They will also make careers at Duncan Aviation and provide a wealth of knowledge and experience to our customers that they simply can’t find elsewhere.

So far, that belief has worked, evidenced by the fact that we have 245 people in our Silver Wings Club, which honors those who have dedicated 25 or more years to the company.

In order to provide top-notch service, we need to be up-to-date on all aircraft training. That technical training accounts for a large portion of our training budget. The rest is dedicated to training leaders, helping our team members move into new, more diversified roles and broaden their knowledge.

Besides the traditional technical and “soft skills” training, we have a subsidy program that reimburses team members for some of the expenses they occur when obtaining private pilot licenses and instrument ratings. After all, Duncan Aviation was founded with a passion for flight, and we want team members interested in flying to have the opportunity to do so.

When I reflect on the business we have built around our passion for aviation, I see proud team members, an immaculate facility and customers who love their experience so much that they refer friends and colleagues. That tells me we are doing the right thing. We will continue that tradition, because we are Duncan Aviation.

Duncan Debrief

The Fall 2014 Duncan Debrief is now available. In this issue, you can read more about how we invest in our facilities and our people to create an incredible customer experience.

The Duncan Debrief is a free. You can subscribe to receive a printed copy of the magazine or access the current and past editions online at www.DuncanAviation.aero/debrief.

Or if you are truly on-the-go, the Duncan Debrief is available on Apple’s Newsstand for the iPad.

His dreams of travel, adventure and variety were at odds with the reality of life on his family's farm. But that didn't stop him from traveling the world and experiencing several lifetimes of adventure. 

Meet Richard Gardner

Capitalizing on his mechanical aptitude, Richard Gardner of Scargill, North Canterbury in New Zealand, attended the training school at Air New Zealand and put in a 10,000-hour apprenticeship as an airframe engine mechanic. He earned his New Zealand aircraft maintenance engineers license and completed B737-200 and BAe146 type ratings exams.

At 22, he traveled the world and earned A&P licenses in the United States, United Kingdom (UK), Latvia, Trinidad and Tobago; obtained certification for Boeing 767s; and earned an Open University Certificate in Management in the UK. He visited the FAA at Heathrow and was signed off to sit for his FAA A&P exam. Upon completion, he traveled to Dallas, Texas, for a seven-day course and completed his A&P exams and practical tests.

With the necessary credentials, Richard worked for London Business Aviation in Hatfield and then Marshall Aerospace in Cambridge. In November 1992, Richard traveled to Africa to work as a line maintenance mechanic on C130 Hercules transport jets flown by the Red Cross and the United Nations. He rode on some flights as they picked up aid relief in Mombasa, Kenya and dropped it throughout Somalia in Kismayo, Mogadishu, Bosaso and Berbera.

“One time we broke down in Somalia and managed to limp to Djibouti. We left the aircraft on a taxiway at the airport that night and came back the next day to fix it when the parts arrived from Nairobi. I remember sitting on the aircraft ramp after finishing the job. It was very hot, and the fence beside the aircraft was the airport perimeter. It had signs not to cross the fence because there was a mine field on the other side. We sat there in the sun eating ham and cheese baguettes and fantastic crème brulee. It was a very strange situation, really,” says Richard. 

Richard’s travels then took him to the United States, the UK, Colombia, Barbados and all over Europe. Although he lived for the adventure and learned about the people and customs everywhere he went, the conditions weren’t always ideal. In Latvia working on BAe146 aircraft, he worked outside year round because there were no hangars.

“The winter was very cold and had a lot of snow. We had to do everything outside, including engine changes at night at minus 15-degrees C [5 degrees F],” says Richard. “But I learned a lot working there about the Latvian and Russian people. Riga was a great town.”

Backpack living lost its luster, and Richard returned to Air New Zealand. He transitioned from the hangar floor to an account manager for the company-owned P&W JT8D engine overhaul shop. He managed accounts with a turnover of approximately $25-million U.S. dollars per year.

One of his customers owned a TFE731 Honeywell Approved Heavy Service Center, and Richard took a job as General Manager of the shop in Perth, Australia, for nearly four years.  By the time he moved back to New Zealand in 2007 and started his own business, SinglePoint Assist, he had traveled to 53 countries and filled up three passports.

During his years servicing engines, Richard had become acquainted with Duncan Aviation and had accompanied some of his customers to Lincoln. Becoming a representative for the company seemed a natural step for Richard.

“When I first dealt with Duncan Aviation, it was with the engine shop, and we never had a problem. The shop does a great job, and it’s easy to represent a company that does a great job,” says Richard.

As a regional manager for Duncan Aviation, Richard continues to travel, visiting customers in Australia, South Africa and the United States, but he has a great appreciation for his home, New Zealand. He and his wife Rhonda live in Wellington, on the north island, with their two boys, Laughlin (5) and Alexander (4). Their house sits on the side of a hill overlooking the deep blue waters of the Wellington Harbour.

“We in New Zealand didn’t get the diamonds, uranium or minerals like Australia, but we got natural beauty,” says Richard. “And you can’t dig that up and ship it anywhere.”

 Duncan Aviation Regional Managers

Duncan Aviation has 13 regional managers stratigically placed across the world in an effort to better support our customers. Download the Duncan Aviation Regional Manager map and contact the one in your area. 

Military Departure Advice

Getting out of the military soon? If you are interested in beginning or continuing your aviation career with Duncan Aviation, we offer a few tips on transitioning from military service to civilian employment. This advice comes directly from Duncan Aviation employees.

Plan early

Don’t wait until four weeks before your departure date to begin preparing your resume. As soon as you make the decision to leave the military, begin planning your transition. Resume Writing Tips.

Use all available resources

Today’s technology allows almost anyone to search and apply for employment nearly everywhere in the world. Take advantage of the internet; utilize all resources your branch of the military has to offer and network with military friends and other connections. Military Transition Assistance FAQ.

Narrow the scope of your job search

Knowing what you want to do or where you want to live can help you focus your efforts & conduct a more controlled & effective search. Do you want to stay in a particular geographic area or focus on a targeted occupation?

Use proper terminology

When creating a resume and filling out applications, do not assume that the corporate recruiter will understand military terminology. Be clear on how your military training can translate into the job for which you are interviewing.

Putting Your Military Skills to Good Use

For many years at Duncan Aviation, some of our best employees and mechanics have been trained by and served for our country. As a matter of fact, more than 25% of our employees serve or have served in the armed services. Almost every branch of the military is represented at Duncan Aviation in departments and shops such as airframe maintenance, avionics install, turbine engine services and engineering, to name a few.

Although entering civilian employment will be a major life adjustment, there are many things at Duncan Aviation that will remain the same: attention to the details of your work, focus on getting the job done right and the support from fellow employees. We are proud of our employees and the quality workmanship they put into the products and services we offer.

We strongly encourage military personnel to apply for career opportunities.

Duncan Aviation is an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer.