The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

We have customers who fly from Europe to have maintenance completed at one of Duncan Aviation's United States locations. The fact that they're willing to make that trip tells us we're doing something right; their words tell us exactly what we're doing that makes the flight worth it.

Germany

Nataly and Ernst Langer, Owners / Pilots of Bombardier Global 5000

Nataly and Ernst Langer are owners and pilots of a large, long-range business jet. Watch and listen all about their incredible paint scheme application.

Air Alsie, Denmark

- Klaus Rasmussen, Technical Manager

"Cost control is made easy by the use of Duncan Aviation’s web-based approval system, myDuncan.aero. Milestones can be followed, even if an operator is not on-site. I haven’t seen any other MRO with such a system.

"Duncan Aviation’s state of the art facilities and dedicated experts offer unique service. We receive very good support from Arjen Groeneveld, Duncan Aviation representative in Europe and we appreciate having a dedicated Project Manager with each event.

"At Duncan Aviation, final invoices are complete upon departure and our recent C-checks completed with them have not exceeded original budgets. This is much appreciated by our owners.”

Aircraft Serviced:

• 2 Falcon 2000EX EASy’s for C-checks, winglets and paint

• Falcon 2000 for 2C and paint

Sporavia, Spain

- Eduardo Jiménez Martín-Ventas, Maintenance Manager

"Working with Duncan Aviation is a real pleasure. At Sporavia we feel that it is important to give operators consistent quality, no matter where they are flying or where they are going to maintain their airplanes. Duncan Aviation holds those same values and so we look forward to working closely with them in the future.

"Duncan Aviation’s AOG support is quick and successful. Their European representative, Arjen Groeneveld, is always available to help operators get the services they need. In addition to AOG support, I have great respect for Duncan Aviation’s modifications and technical support.”

Beechcraft Berlin Aviation GmbH, Germany

– Edgar Boehlke, Managing Director

"We enjoy working with Duncan Aviation because their team is well educated and we always receive professional and competent support. We look forward to working with Duncan Aviation on more projects in the future.

"The friendly and competent sales and support teams at Duncan Aviation are appreciated by our logistics department. Duncan Aviation’s availability of spare aircraft parts and knowledge in international shipments provides us excellent support.

"Extensive projects involving engineering support from Duncan Aviation are handled professionally and there is always a solution oriented team from Duncan Aviation available for answering our questions."

Global Aviation and Piper Parts, Germany and United Kingdom

– Dieter Griesel, Board of Directors Member

"Duncan Aviation’s customer base extends far beyond what I can reach in Germany. They have the opportunity and ability to sell parts that we cannot.

Through Duncan Aviation’s consignment program, operators have a chance to profit from items that they would otherwise consider scrap. I could not have generated this money in sales in Europe. After many years, I find Duncan Aviation to be an excellent partner, serious and fair with everything. Take your surplus inventory, put it in a box and send it to Duncan Aviation today!"

Regional Managers

Duncan Aviation’s Regional Managers are strategically located across the world to better support our customers. 

Each travel throughout their region, meeting with aircraft operators, management organizations and other service providers with the goal of maintaining and building lasting relationships, providing customer service, educating operators and learning more about the region’s regulatory issues and processes while engaging in industry forums.

Get to know the Regional Manager for your region now.

Join Duncan Aviation in the Big Easy on January 14-17 at the 2014 NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference (SDC2014)! Right in the middle of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center along the main aisle, drop by booth #834 and visit to Duncan Aviation attendees representing the many aspects of Duncan Aviation’s FBO and maintenance services.

Here are the Duncan Aviation SDC2014 representatives and the messages they will be bringing to the show.

Travis Grimsley Travis Grimsley is the supervisor of FBO services at Duncan Aviation’s Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, Michigan, locations. During SDC2014, Travis will be showing off pictures of the newly remodeled Duncan Aviation FBO lobby in Kalamazoo (KZO), Michigan, including added amenities, benefits and office space for lease. Stop by booth #834 to talk to Travis.

	Troy Hyberger Increasing the awareness of the available maintenance services is a priority of Troy Hyberger while at SDC2014. As the supervisor of FBO services at Duncan Aviation’s Lincoln, Nebraska, location, Troy understands the value of prompt, attentive and friendly courtesies and free amenities for all pilots, passengers and customers, as well as being able to provide the option of full-service maintenance capabilities.
	Luke Swager Luke Swager is the assistant manager of customer service in Battle Creek, Michigan. He works directly with customers when they are at Duncan Aviation for maintenance events. While at SDC2014, Luke will be available to assist and answer any questions about the maintenance services and capabilities available at all of Duncan Aviation’s full-service MRO facilities.
	Rhonda Hawkins As the flight deck team leader, Rhonda Hawkins is well aware of what a customer expects when they arrive at the Duncan Aviation lobby at Battle Creek, Michigan. That is why she has a team of professionals that are already making things happen before they arrive. While at SDC2014, she wants to talk with attendees about the added amenities and concierge services at all of Duncan Aviation's FBO locations.

Oakley Giveaway

Want a chance to win a custom pair of Duncan Aviation Oakley sunglasses? You know the eyewear that is created for “world-class athletes, who see the limits of possibility as just another challenge?”

I thought so.

Drop by booth #834 and talk with Travis, Troy, Rhonda and Luke. Get to know them and what Duncan Aviation has to offer. You’ll be glad you did. While you're there, download the Duncan Aviation AOG app and drop a business card on the box. 

In addition to the Oakley Giveaway, there will be hourly drawings for some Duncan Aviation swag. 

Make stopping by booth #834 a priority during SDC2014. Discover how Duncan Aviation is able to support you with all of your business aviation needs.

Contributed by Kaela Paseka, graphic design lead

During an in-booth reception today at NBAA, Universal Avionics awarded Duncan Aviation the Top Dealer in North America for the second consecutive year. This award represents the outstanding sales performance of only one North American dealer out of several hundred in its Authorized Dealer network that has achieved outstanding sales performance.

Duncan Aviation’s Chairman was present to accept the award from Universal Avionics President and CEO, Ted Naimer. "We are honored to be acknowledged by Universal Avionics. Our companies share the same business ethics and family values. We also share a passion for aviation and they too have a long standing aviation history. The Top Dealer Award highlights the great relationship we share, founded on the principle of working together to provide our mutual customers with leading edge avionics solutions for the business jet market.

Stop by the Duncan Aviation NBAA booth #C8543 to congratulate Todd and the rest of the Duncan Aviation avionics team.

Kaela Paseka is Duncan Aviation’s Graphic Design Lead at its Lincoln, Nebraska, headquarters. She isresponsible for all elements of visual communication, including publication design, industry advertising and companywide branding. She is currently attending NBAA 2013. Her aviation career began 2006.

Contributed by Kaela Paseka, graphic design lead

On Wednesday during the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Meeting and Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, Duncan Aviation was again recognized by Bombardier as a top authorized service facility for its support of Bombardier customers. Judged on a set of criteria that included quality, compliance, customer satisfaction and customer influence, Duncan Aviation’s Battle Creek, MI, facility was named the winner of the North America category of the 2013 Bombardier Authorized Service Facility Excellence Awards.

Bombardier Aerospace Vice President, Aircraft Service Centers, Stan Younger spoke to the award winners at a private ceremony at NBAA. “It is our ASFs attention to quality and their dedication in providing customers world-class service and support that is being recognized today. Each winner demonstrates a commitment to putting customers first,” said Younger.  

Duncan Aviation President Aaron Hilkemann and John Biever, Vice President Airframe Services in Battle Creek, Michigan, accepted the award from Stan Younger and Chris Milligan, Director, Authorized Service Facilities for Bombardier.

“We enjoy representing Bombardier and their products in supporting of our mutual customers. It is a great mutually beneficial partnership that has worked for many years,” says John Biever.

More than 30 Duncan Aviation representatives are attending NBAA this year, representing several Duncan Aviation services, including airframe and engine services, paint and interior modifications, avionics and parts support and aircraft sales and acquisitions.

Stop by the Duncan Aviation NBAA booth #C8543 to congratulate Aaron, John and the rest of the Duncan Aviation team.

Kaela Paseka is Duncan Aviation's Marketing Graphic Design Lead, and is currently attending NBAA 2013 at Duncan Aviation booth #C8543. She began her career in aviation in 2006.

Contributed by Kaela Paseka, graphic design lead

At static on the first day of NBAA, business aviation owners, operators and enthusiasts continually flowed through this Falcon 900B aircraft on display and were impressed by its transformation with a stunning interior and avionics package upgrade.

Avionics Transformation

Duncan Aviation and Universal Avionics partnered to transform a Dassault Falcon 900B by installing Universal’s EFI-890 glass box cockpit. This cockpit upgrade replaced 25 older instruments, significantly improving reliability and situational awareness, and offers advanced capabilities like WAAS-LPV and FANS 1/A.

“If you want an aircraft that’s predictable to operate, properly supported and can hold its value this newly retrofitted aircraft is the way to go,” says Gary Harpster, senior avionics installation sales rep for Duncan Aviation.

Additional avionics installed include Rockwell Collin’s Venue Cabin Management System that allows passengers to watch movies on demand on high-definition displays and conduct business, seamlessly. With Collin’s new Skybox cabin sharing, passengers can securely share movies, TV shows and music wirelessly between the on-board Apple iTunes library, Apple iOS devices and the cabin displays.

Interior Transformation

In addition to the avionics installations, Duncan Aviation completed several interior upgrades, including complete soft good refurbishment, new cabinet veneer, Duncan Design Collection PSU overlay panels, EMTEQ LED lighting and much more.

You still have time to visit and walk through this Falcon 900B today and Thursday. The aircraft is currently at NBAA static display #140 at the Henderson Executive Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gary Harpster and Duncan Aviation’s Avionics Tech Rep, Chris Christenson, will be on-site for a personal tour and demonstration.

Click here to view more NBAA photos on Duncan Aviation's facebook page.

Kaela Paseka is Duncan Aviation’s Graphic Design Lead at its Lincoln, Nebraska, headquarters. She is responsible for all elements of visual communication, including publication design, industry advertising and companywide branding. She is currently attending NBAA 2013. Her aviation career began 2006.

Right now there are approximately 20 to 25 Falcon 900Bs on the market available for sale. In talking with these owners, I’ve learned the majority of these aircraft were placed up for sale over the concern there was no upgrade path to meet the upcoming mandates and essentially rendering the aircraft as domestic use only.

I totally get it. Who wants an aircraft capable of Mach .84 - .87 that can travel 4,600 miles and only be able to fly it in the 48 contiguous states? 

Universal EFI-890

On the Falcon 900B, the engines, airframe and accessories are still highly supported. Therefore, the weak link in this analysis becomes the avionics. However I am hear to tell you, when it comes to meeting the needs of the mandates for both the U.S and abroad, there is a clear path.

With the installation of the Universal EFI-890 solution, a Falcon 900B gains many of the same capabilities of new production aircraft and in some cases, even more. Charts, weather, synthetic vision, electronic engine gauges, camera input, new LED displays, WAAS FMS with LPV and the necessary accuracy to fly in Minimum Navigation Performance Specifications (MNPS) airspace.

Want to fly to Europe and fly in the most favorable tracks doing so? This is the solution.

Want to jump up into the airspace over Europe on the bosses schedule and not when air traffic allows you to depart? This is your solution.

Add winglets, new custom interior and paint, a state of the art entertainment system and you have yourself one heck of an aircraft that will meet the needs of the future for the next 10 years.

Or as an option you could buy a used aircraft with these capabilities for more than seven and a half times what this upgrade would cost you.  Keeping in mind that if you wanted the custom paint, interior and entertainment – that would all be additional.

On Display at NBAA

Why just read about it when you can come see it. During NBAA at static display #140 on the Henderson Executive Airport in Las Vegas, I personally invite you to walk through and see a Falcon 900B with the first EFI-890R cockpit retrofit upgrade. I will be on-hand to answer any of your questions, as well as representatives from Universal Avionics.

Also featured on this aircraft is a newly designed interior, new paint and new cabin/management/entertainment system; all completed by Duncan Aviation. 

How weak is that link now?