The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

Submitted by Steve Gade, VP of sales and marketing

It may sound cliché, but every employee at Duncan Aviation is a member of the family, a fast growing family. And because many of our current employees will help to shape the future course of Duncan Aviation, we find it important to go the extra mile to make sure our people are empowered to do the right thing, and have access to training to enhance their expertise and advancement opportunities.

In order to accommodate our growth at Duncan Aviation, while continuously supporting and strengthening our culture and service to our customers, it became evident that investing in personal and leadership development within our own ranks was simply the right thing to do. Our approach was to create a program called Leadership Dynamics that immerses approximately 25 team members from across all areas and locations of the business into three intense two-day off-site sessions that spanned three months. Every year since 2005, we’ve held several classes facilitated by members of the Duncan Aviation Senior Management Team.

Based on feedback we’ve heard from attendees, the course has been well received and beneficial from a personal, family, as well as a professional perspective. An addition bonus benefit has been the executives and team members getting to know each other on a much more personal level.

There has been interest expressed in briefings with customers and discussions with Duncan Aviation Advisory Board members in having this type of leadership development exported to a wider audience. As a result, we boiled down some of the key concepts into a 60-minute NBAA leadership class led by myself and two other members of Duncan Aviation’s senior management team. This class is offered from 9-10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Our objective is simply to prime the pump and introduce leaders in our industry to the concept that the soft stuff is important stuff and does not have to be the hard stuff.

For more information, please visit Duncan Aviation at booth #C8543 at NBAA 2013 held Oct. 22-24 in Las Vegas, or watch for announcements at www.DuncanAviation.aero/nbaa.

Steve Gade, Duncan Aviation’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, provides leadership and strategic direction to enterprise marketing and communications, Aircraft Sales and Acquisition's services and sales and production in the areas of accessory, avionics and instruments, avionics satellites and parts and components. His aviation career began in 1991.

At the upcoming NBAA 2013 – Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada, Duncan Aviation will present expert advice and guidance through the ever-changing and complex subject of Future Air Navigation Systems (FANS). This one-hour session called “Understanding FANS” will be presented by Duncan Aviation Avionics Sales Representative, Justin Vena, on Wednesday, October 23, during the show.

Attendees will be briefed on the evolution of FANS, how FANS operates, certification and upcoming mandates. Justin will explain Controller Pilot Data Link (CPDLC), Automatic Dependent Surveillance Contract (ADS-C) and how they operate, including details about what happens with initial set-up and operation, including air traffic controller hand-offs, and explain the components included in a typical system. The session will also address FANS mandates in Europe and the North Atlantic tracks.

Duncan Aviation FANS 1/A Resources

FANS 1/A+ is a complex subject, with each aircraft requiring its own unique solution. Because of this complexity, operators have a lot of questions and expert advice is in demand. Duncan Aviation has been instrumental in the development of several resources to assist operators as they work through what is needed for FANS 1/A+ compliance.

With a Straight Talk ebook, a video series, a webinar, multiple blog posts and Duncan Intelligence articles, FANS information by Duncan Aviation has been read and downloaded thousands of times by operators throughout the world. 

Duncan Aviation’s FANS resources include:

Understanding FANS, a four-part FANS video series: http://www.duncanaviation.aero/videos/understanding_fans/index.php

Straight Talk About FANS 1/A, an ebook available for download: http://www.duncanaviation.aero/straighttalk/fans/index.php

A FANS 1/A Webinar, available for download: http://www.duncanaviation.aero/videos/webinars/20121218-fans_1a.php

All of these resources provide current information on the evolution of FANS, how FANS operates, certification and upcoming mandates. In addition, Duncan Aviation offers information and advice regarding FANS operations, and answers the most common questions that operators are asking.

For more information, please visit Duncan Aviation at booth #C8543 at NBAA 2013 held Oct. 22-24 in Las Vegas, or watch for announcements at www.DuncanAviation.aero/nbaa.

The annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) 2013 Convention and Exhibition is quickly approaching and will land soon at the Las Vegas Convention Center exhibit halls. Duncan Aviation is excited to be sending more than 35 aviation experts to the show representing many aspects of Duncan Aviation including airframe and engine services, paint and interior modifications, avionics and parts support, aircraft sales and acquisitions and much more.

Here is a select group of Duncan Aviation NBAA representatives and the message they will be bringing to the show.

Vince Cruickshank

Duncan Aviation Components is represented this year by Vince Cruickshank, rotable manager and landing gear sales rep. He will be in Duncan Aviation’s booth #C8543 demonstrating the latest in online Aircraft Parts Search, including an app for mobile devices. The app allows for searching parts and repair capabilities, requesting quotes, submitting orders and contacting a Duncan Aviation parts expert.

Jeannine Falter

Jeannine Falter is Duncan Aviation’s Vice President of Business Development and co-chair for the NBAA Leadership Conference coming February. Together with vice presidents, Steve Gade and John Slieter, Jeannine will present “Leadership – The Soft Stuff Doesn’t Have to be The Hard Stuff,” from 9-10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. “This one-hour leadership class is designed to raise the personal awareness of how our daily interactions impact others.” Jeannine believes the best way to invest in the future and ensure the ongoing success of business aviation is to develop future leaders and re-investing in those working in the industry today.

Steve Gade

As Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Steve Gade provides leadership and strategic direction to enterprise marketing and communications, Aircraft Sales and Acquisition'sservices and sales and production in the areas of accessory, avionics and instruments, avionics satellites and parts and components. In partnership with Jeannine Falter and John Slieter, Steve will share several concepts targeted at effective communication, gaining agreement, building diverse teams, leveraging emotional intelligence and several other unique and tried-and-true leadership concepts in the class “Leadership – The Soft Stuff Doesn’t Have to be The Hard Stuff,” a one-hour class held from 9-10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Gary Harpster

Gary Harpster is a member of Duncan Aviation’s Avionics Installations Sales team and is the current Chair on the AEA Board of Directors. He is an industry expert on the subject of Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), has presented WAAS presentations across the United States, co-authoring  the Straight Talk About WAAS booklet and Upgrading to WAAS guide, as well as hosting a WAAS video series.

Alan Huggett

Alan Huggett, Duncan Aviation's Northwest Regional Manager, will be at NBAA with a message of growth. "Duncan Aviation’s services have exploded in the Pacific Northwest region with the addition of both a satellite avionics and engine rapid response shop in the Portland, Oregon, area. And we remain dedicated to the expansion of our Provo, Utah, maintenance facility by adding authorizations and capabilities.

Nate Klenke

At NBAA, Duncan Aviation’s Completion & Modifications department will be represented by senior sales rep, Nate Klenke. Nate has over 25 years of design experience, close to 20 have been specific to the business jet market. During the show, Nate would like to talk to you about refurbishment trends and the technology available in the business jet refurbishment industry. "As the (business jet refurbishment) market continues to recover, investments into cabin technology and refurbishments have grown as well. There are a wide variety of options and is important for owners and operators to understand the value of the options available to them."

Sharon Klose  

Sharon Klose is a member of the Duncan Aviation Turbine Engine Service Sales team. She a long history in aviation and is considered an expert in the industry when it comes to engine operations and maintenance. She works closely with Duncan Aviation’s main facilities and Engine Rapid Response teams to ensure that prompt AOG support is available to operators around the globe.

John Slieter

John Slieter is Duncan Aviation’s Vice President of Service Sales, providing leadership for the Sales and Design teams in Battle Creek, Michigan, and Lincoln, Nebraska, the Regional Managers and International Reps along with Government Sales and Program Management teams. As co-presenter for “Leadership – The Soft Stuff Doesn’t Have to be The Hard Stuff,” a one-hour class held from 9-10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, John hopes attendees will begin to think about their professional leadership growth and the responsibility they have to develop their skills for themselves, their families and friends, and their employers.

Justin Vena

Justin Vena is a Senior Avionics Installation Sales Representative located at Duncan Aviation’s Battle Creek facility. His passion for understanding the world’s NextGen initiatives has led to extensive research on the subject of FANS and the development of Duncan Aviation’s e-book Straight Talk About FANS 1/A. At NBAA, Justin will present expert advice and guidance through the ever-changing and complex subject of FANS in a one-hour session called “Understanding FANS,” on Wednesday, October 23.

Make stopping by booth #C8543 a priority during NBAA 2013. Visit with one of Duncan Aviation’s NBAA representatives and discover how Duncan Aviation is able to support you with all of your business aviation needs. 

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Duncan Aviation Systems Engineer, Nick Grzebielski will be attending the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) U.S. East Regional Meeting at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, presenting a course on Cabin Management Systems (CMS).

A CMS controls all of the powered items in the cabin of an aircraft such as the lighting, cabin temperature, call and even lavatory flush. It also controls the cabin entertainment items such as LCD monitor video select, speaker audio select, volume, head set control, DVD and Bluray players and XM radio. During his course, Nick will cover the basics of CMS getting into the nuts and bolts of installing, interfacing and supporting various cabin management systems. Discussions will include everything from switching to displays, Wi-Fi and more. The session will conclude with time for questions and the critical exchange of pilot and crew debriefs.

In response to the recent explosion of new and exciting CMS entertainment and control options for business aircraft, Duncan Aviation has written a Straight Talk e-book to help guide operators through their many options. Every day, Duncan Aviation Tech Reps field questions on cabin management and entertainment, and these resources cover the most common equipment requested by Duncan Aviation customers and explain what equipment is available and how it can benefit aircraft cabin systems.

To read the Straight Talk About Cabin Management Systems e-book, go to www.DuncanAviation.aero/resources.

For avionics installation support, contact a Duncan Aviation expert http://www.duncanaviation.aero/contact/tech_reps-avionics.php.

Nick Grzebielski is a systems engineer for Duncan Aviation located in Lincoln, Neb. He has designed full-up CMS systems in multiple Part 25 airframes and has recently been involved in the design and certification of multiple Wi-Fi STCs. His aviation career began in 2007.

Most communication systems on aircraft are relatively simple, with a transmitter/receiver, corresponding antenna and a controller. However, the HF system is more complex with additional components needed to get the job done.

Duncan Aviation avionic tech reps, Dan Magnus and Scott McKenzie, field numerous calls weekly from pilots, directors of maintenance and aviation technicians around the world needing assistance in troubleshooting their HF systems when they squawk. At the upcoming Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) U.S. East Regional Meeting at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Dan and Scott will put their combined years of experience together for a joint training session to assist attendees in understanding common HF issues.

Their class, HF Mysteries in Troubleshooting, will be at 8 a.m. on Friday, September 27, 2013, at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina Convention Center in in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They will cover the basics of HF technology and get into the quirks inherent in these systems. Discussion will include tuning, grounding and idiosyncrasies of different systems, as well as antennas. The session will conclude with a Q&A session and the critical exchange of pilot and crew debriefs.

You can register for any AEA meeting, by visiting https://www.aea.net/events.asp. While there plan on stopping by Duncan Aviation’s table to speak to all of our avionics experts representing.

 Dan Magnus is an avionics instrument technical representative located at Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Neb., location. He specializes in ADF, Comms, Control Heads, CVR, DME Gables Control Heads, Receivers, Nav-Comm/Receivers, Radar Systems, GPS, GNS, Transponders and UNS Components and Systems Specialist. His aviation career began in 1976.

Scott McKenzie is an avionics tech rep located in Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He specializes in troubleshooting the latest in avionics systems installed on aircraft today. His aviation career began in 1995.

Reproduced with permission from Avionics News, May 2013

At the 2013 Aircraft Electronics Association International Convention & Trade Show, Gary Harpster of Duncan Aviation was elected as the new chair of the AEA board of directors. Recently, Patricia Luebke, Avionics News contributor, spoke with Harpster to learn more about his background and aspirations as AEA’s newest chairman.

What does being AEA’s chair of the board of directors mean to you?

One thing I’ve learned throughout the years is that people assimilate new information in a multitude of different fashions. I’ve always prided myself at being able to listen and not form any opinions until the final person has spoken. I hope I can use this characteristic in this new role. The AEA has been working hard to become a sound resource for accurate aviation information, so when we convey a message to the members, we need to be conscious about how it’s perceived. The AEA has a good track record, and I want to build on that.

Do you have a specific agenda in your new leadership role?

I’m not so sure I have a specific agenda, as much as a desire to contribute 110 percent of whatever is asked of me during this time. There are lots of different avenues a person could delve into, but I want to make sure the board supports a coordinated effort that returns the most benefit to the AEA members. I know one effort will be to introduce members to the various committees the AEA has and encourage more members to find a topic of interest and serve on a related committee. It is vital that we continue to seek opinions, network with each other and become more involved in our industry and its future.

Is there a particular area that interests you as chairman?

Duncan Aviation is the largest privately held MRO (maintenance repair and overhaul) facility in the world, so we not only work on a large variety of aircraft on a daily basis, we have worldwide exposure, as well. I’m hoping I can pass on ideas for other facilities to consider as work opportunities and/or solutions. Right now, the AEA has a great relationship with the FAA, so I’d like to get a chance to contribute ideas that would allow our members to do what they enjoy with a less cumbersome bureaucracy and, hopefully, fewer paperwork challenges

What is your background?

I grew up next to Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Neb. We lived about 3 miles from the airport, so whenever there was an opportunity, my sister and I would ride our bikes by the airfield and wait on the approach end of the runway for aircraft to pass overhead. As soon as they were right on top of us, we would stand up and let the prop blast blow us down the hill. This avionics was in the early 1960s, long before we had the security we have today. We would come home smelling like kerosene that permeated our clothes, so my mother knew right away where we’d been. I still can’t help but look up every time a plane passes overhead.

Click here to read Patricia Luebke’s complete interview with Gary Harpster.

Contributed by Chris Christianson, Avionics Tech Rep

When I was asked if I would give a class at the 56^th Annual Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) International Convention and Trade Show on Cabin Management Systems (CMS), the answer was an easy yes. CMS is one of the avionics subjects that I am most passionate about.

With the recent explosion of new and exciting CMS entertainment and control options for business aircraft, my colleagues and I wrote a Straight Talk booklet about Cabin Management Systems and developed the CABIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS - CMS STRAIGHT TALK course for the AEA convention to help guide operators through their many options. Every day, Duncan Aviation Tech Reps field questions on cabin management and entertainment, and these resources cover the most common equipment requested by Duncan Aviation customers. The sessions at AEA will cover the basics of cabin management systems and get into the nuts and bolts of installing, interfacing and supporting various systems. Discussions will include everything from switching to displays, Wi-Fi and more. The session will conclude with a Q&A session and the critical exchange of pilot and crew debriefs.

This presentation at the AEA gatherings will be the first for me. I hope to use this opportunity to see what else is out there in the Avionics world and learn from it and hopefully give something back to the Avionics field with my experience. I hope to see you at the 56^th Annual Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) International Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 25-28, 2013.

Duncan Aviation offers several informational business aviation resources for download, including the CMS Straight Talk Book, here: http://www.duncanaviation.aero/resources/index.php

Chris Christianson is an avionics installation tech rep located at Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, NE, facility. He specializes in a broad array of avionics & CMS for the following business aircraft: Challenger, Embraer, Falcon, Gulfstream, Hawker, Learjet, Global, Cessna, King Air, Astra and Westwind. His aviation career began in 1997.

Contributed by Diane Heiserman, Web Marketing

 

Todd Duncan (center) accepts the Top Dealer award from Ted Naimer (right) as John Slieter looks on (left).

Today during the 65^th annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Meeting and Convention, Universal Avionics awarded Duncan Aviation the Top Dealer in North America for 2012. This award represents the outstanding sales performance of only one North American Universal Avionics dealer out of the several hundred in its Authorized Dealer Network.

President and CEO of Universal Avionics, Ted Naimer, presented the Top Dealer award to Todd Duncan, Duncan Aviation Chairman and John Slieter, VP of Sales and Marketing. Naimer expressed his appreciation of the Universal Dealer network and the important role that they play. “Our dealers help make us what we are today. We are successful because of them.”

Slieter credits an emphasis on consistent daily prospecting and a team effort between Duncan Aviation and Universal Avionics. Duncan Aviation proactively identifies customer aircraft that are eligible to be equipped with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)/Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) Flight Management Systems (FMS) upgrades and installations, and aggressively pursues EFI-890R Advanced Flight Display upgrades, which played a significant role in our 2012 sales success.

Stop by the Duncan Aviation NBAA booth #5580 to congratulate Todd, John and the rest of the Duncan Aviation avionics team.

Diane Heiserman leads Duncan Aviation's blog, and is currently attending NBAA 2012 at Duncan Aviation booth #5580. She began her career in aviation in 2006.

From left to right: Robert Duncan; Eric Martel, Bombardier President; Steve Gade; John Slieter;
Aaron Hilkemann; Tom Burt; Chris Milligan, Directory of Authorized Service Facilities; Todd Duncan; Stan Younger, Vice President Aircraft Service Centers; and Jeannine Falter.

Contributed by Diane Heiserman, Web Marketing

At the beginning of the 65^th Annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Meeting and Convention in Orlando, FL, Duncan Aviation was again recognized by Bombardier as a top authorized service facility for its support of Bombardier customers for 2012. 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 Bombardier Authorized Service Facility Excellence Awards.

Bombardier President Eric Martel spoke to the award winners at a private ceremony at NBAA. “Our ASFs are very important to us. You represent us well and raise the bar for everyone else every year. What we do depends on what you do.”

Duncan Aviation Chairman Todd Duncan and Tom Burt, Executive Vice President Chief Operating Officer – Battle Creek Operations, accepted the award from Bombardier President Eric Martel, Stan Younger, Vice President Aircraft Service Centers and Chris Milligan, Director, Authorized Service Facilities.

“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 Tom Burt.

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.

Visit www.DuncanAviation.aero/nbaa for booth information and the latest resources.

Diane Heiserman leads Duncan Aviation's blog, and is currently attending NBAA 2012 at Duncan Aviation booth #5580. She began her career in aviation in 2006.

The interior refurbishment included new carpet, lower sidewalls, seat tailoring and cabinet touch-up. The paint was completed in Duncan Aviation’s new state-of-the-art paint facility in Lincoln, NE, and featured an overall white with Black Pearl and Platinum Pearl Stripes.

“Working with Duncan Aviation to complete this refurbishment has been a pleasure. The project was completed on time and on budget and right on time to present at NBAA,” says Jim Beckstein, Vice President - PreFlown Aircraft Sales. “This is our first Embraer-Certified PreFlown Legacy 600 (note new registration number N974EC). It highlights our PreFlown’s commitment to bringing the highest pedigree aircraft to the marketplace.  Partnering with Duncan Aviation on this refurbishment only accentuates that point."

PreFlown is a division of Embraer that receives aircraft that have been traded in, assess their condition and identify the most cost effective plan to prepare them for the business jet secondary-market. “We were happy to work with PreFlown and hope that we can continue to partner with Embraer to refurbish more of their aircraft,” says Matt Spain, Completions and Modifications Senior Sales Rep.  “Having an aircraft that has been painted and the interior refurbished by Duncan Aviation is an advantage to selling the aircraft quickly.”

If you are attending NBAA in Orlando, Florida, plan to visit Embraer’s static display at the Orlando Executive Airport. Or stop by Duncan Aviation’s NBAA booth (#5580) and visit with Matt Spain about the new Duncan Aviation paint facility with multiply bays and new down-draft airflow technology