The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

During the first week of March, Duncan Aviation’s Chairman Emeritus Robert Duncan, Chairman Todd Duncan, Vice President Jeannine Falter and Regional Manager Alan Huggett devoted three days to visiting competitors and customers while breaking in the new Citation M2. They spent the final two days of the work week at a Customer Advisory Board meeting at Duncan Aviation’s Provo, Utah, facility. Shortly after his return, Robert reflected on the trip and provided the following observations.

It’s not often we allot ourselves much time to step away from the many Duncan Aviation locations and look at what we’re doing from an outsider’s perspective. It’s even rarer that we get to monitor what our competitors are doing. After three days of doing just that, I came away with a few overwhelming impressions.

Renewed Appreciation for Bizav

The amount of work we completed in just a few days would be unthinkable if we had flown commercially. We spent about 10 hours in the air, which equates to about 3,500 miles traveled in one work week. That itinerary would be impossible to keep with using any other mode of transportation. We could have easily added another week to the trip had we flown commercially.

What a business aircraft can do for a company is increase productivity. We service the aircraft that keep the business world moving at an incredible pace. We help connect the world and support the global presence for many businesses. Taking part in that process first-hand reminded me how important our work is and how much it affects the business world every minute of every day.

Marketing Our Success Is as Simple as Showing Our Products

Thanks to our paint team, no arrival or departure went unnoticed. The M2 is a flying billboard that highlights the creativity of our design team and the high-quality product our paint team produces. One of the first things people do when they see the aircraft is go up and touch the surface; they’re amazed at how smooth it is.

That’s the best form of marketing—making our product available and letting people take it in.

When the plaid Mustang was first completed and flown, people would say, “oh, that’s interesting,” which meant they didn’t like it. In contrast, everyone has had a positive reaction to this paint scheme. The M2 had a huge visual impact and was universally liked. That’s a win on many levels.

Duncan Aviation Pride

The trip taught us that although we have a lot of competition, we have even more to be proud of.

I was overwhelmed by the remarkable respect and admiration people in the aviation community have for our company and people. I often come back from these trips on a high because I get to see all of our accomplishments from the outside looking in, through the lens of those who see us as friends and adversaries.

The aviation community spans the globe, but it’s a relatively small community, meaning close-knit relationships are key. We visited two competitors, who we also view as customers because, well, we do business with everyone.

We were incredibly well-received by both companies and plan to work more closely with them in the future. They each have unique talents and niches, and we want to support those by offering services they can’t perform on their own. By supporting them and ensuring we deliver a product up to our standards, we keep their customers happy, consequently keeping them happy. As we continue to deliver, those relationships become stronger. This is one of the main goals of our avionics shops, and rapid response teams.

Reflection Leads to Innovation

Often times, we’re so immersed in what’s going on day-to-day, it’s hard to generate new ideas and think creatively, which is why it’s important to get out and expose ourselves and the rest of the team to new ideas.

After I walked through our competitors’ hangars and listened to our customers suggest improvement at the advisory board meeting, I spent hours recording all the possible avenues we could consider for Duncan Aviation’s distant and more immediate future. The trip yielded more work for our many locations and sparked the start of a few new relationships. It spurred some great ideas and allowed us to pat ourselves on the back a bit.

What we do each day is impressive. Because we remain on the cutting edge and invest in our future, what we do tomorrow and the next day will be extraordinary. We are unlike any other. We are Duncan Aviation.

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Panorama of southern Utah Lake.

Don’t know what to do while your aircraft is at Duncan Aviation for a multi-shop inspection for several weeks? Here is a detailed travelogue from Mariusz Wieczorek, a Duncan Aviation customer from Poland who spent several weeks downtime at Duncan Aviation for an 8C inspection. 

Read about his firsthand account on what to do, where to go and who to talk to when on the ground at Duncan Aviation in Provo, Utah.

Mariusz Wieczorek's Excellent Adventures

Maybe it’s because I come from a country where summer time usually looks like Scotland’s fall. Maybe it’s because I’ve never left my continent before, but one this is for sure–after spending time in Provo, I can definitely say or rather shout: “I love Utah!”

I knew nothing about Provo or Utah before it was decided we were going to have Duncan Aviation perform an 8C check on our business aircraft at their facility located there. Though I’d heard about places like Salt Flats, Salt Lake, Bryce Canyon and Zion’s National Park, I was eager to do some exploring on my own. The entire state offers a vast and beautiful, sometimes dangerous landscapes where you can hide for days having only bear, wolves and mountain cats as company. You may even find a deer blocking your car in the parking lot.

After you’ve landed at Duncan Aviation in Provo, Utah, (PVU) and conducted business setting up maintenance and repair schedules, leave your aircraft in their capable hands. Let them do their job. They know what they’re doing.

Hiking, Biking, Flying and More!

There is no need to travel far to see the beauty of the state. If you like hiking, Mt. Timpanogos (elev. 11,752 ft.) is the highest peak within a few miles of Provo to scramble on. Go north through beautiful Provo Canyon on your way to the Aspen Grove Trailhead. Make sure to stop at the Sundance Resort along the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway for a decent meal, because you’re going to need it! During this 8-10 hour scenic hike, you will cross beautiful waterfalls, stand at the edge of Emerald Lake with its glacier and see curious mountain goats or possibly a moose or two before you reach the summit. The 360 degree view is astonishing and will make all the effort worth it.

Mt. Nebo (elev. 11,928 ft.), is another nearby peak 20 miles to the south. The Mt. Nebo Loop is a scenic serpentine on your way to the trail head. This hike is not for the faint of heart. Prepare yourself for a real cardio workout, especially the last mile when the trees stop and birds find no reason to fly there. After you summit, return down the same trail or if you feel up for more physical challenges, continue on through the middle and south Nebo peaks for your descent.

For the most extreme climbing experience, visit Little Cottonwood Canyon north from Provo. You’ll find nice boulders and unique climbing roads cut in the granite walls of the canyon.

Talk to Jason Kinnan, Duncan Aviation’s Parts Specialist in Provo. He is a local Search and Rescue member and knows everything about mountains and climbing.

If you are a biker rather than hiker, there are plenty of roads that lead to some special places. Most of the mountain roads are easily accessible and paved with race cyclists riding all over the place. If you prefer endurance cycling, visit Park City, Utah. Canyon Resort and Sundance Resort are nearby with various trails from easy to hardcore. Rent a downhill bike and have a blast. Remember to wear a helmet and crash pads!

Talk to Glenn Lewman or Shawn Mortensen, two of Duncan Aviation’s airframe mechanics in Provo. They will take you to unique trails in the wilderness far away from bike parks.

Need to get back in the air? Rent a glider, airplane or instructor at Heber City Airport, then fly the very same mountains you just hiked or biked. This is the easiest way to summit. You will experience thermal and ridge lift and possibly even wave activity when in the air. It’s all there.

Just three short miles from Duncan Aviation in Provo, head for Utah Lake State Park. There you can rent a motorboat, ski jet, catamaran, and sailboat. Float down the Provo River in a canoe, take a kite surfing lesson or just lounge on the warm sand and relax.

Are you a golfer? Good. Nearly half of the Duncan Aviation team in Provo is too. They know the best courses.

If you’re visiting in winter time, the skiing and snowboarding couldn’t be any better. Utah Mountains hold the best snows in the world. Jeff Schipper, Duncan Aviation Project Manager knows the best ski areas and equipment.

If you’re a gearhead visiting in August be sure to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats Race Track to see the Speed Week event. This is the place to be for automobile fans. You’ll see speed record machines from motorcycles, cars, hot rods, trucks and many more; speeding around at speeds up to 400 mph. Ward Cranor, Duncan's Lead Structures Mechanic in Provo, is a motor head and will surely take you on a tour.

Night Life and Long Weekends

After all the adventure you can take, find a pub to cool yourself down with various products of local breweries. As a matter of fact, Utah is one of leaders in producing beer in the country and a serious exporter as well. For more night live and social, cultural activities you don’t have to go far; everything is available 40 miles north in Salt Lake City. Or just visit Las Vegas, only about five and a half hours to the south. While there, the Hoover Dam is too close not to see and the south ridge of the Grand Canyon is within grasp.

On a long weekend, head south through Vermillion Cliffs to Zion National Park, climb Angels Landing trail or go for the famous Narrows. Visit Page City and take a refreshing bath at one of Lake Powel’s wild beaches. The water is both super-clear and warm. Then next time, head north and visit Yogi Bear at Yellowstone National Park—it’s only a six hour drive. Good advice: don’t overnight in your car inside the park. You’ll have a chat with the Ranger by the light of the moon.

If you are looking for a maintenance facility that knows how to take care of your aircraft, choose Duncan Aviation. If you want the time to go faster with some off road adventure, Provo, Utah, fits the bill. In addition to incredible service, you’ll have a lot of fun and many tale-worthy experiences you won’t soon forget.

Two of Duncan Aviation locations, Lincoln, Nebr., and Provo Utah, have added to their long list of foreign return-to-service authorizations from countries around the world.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority has approved Duncan Aviation’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) location in Lincoln, Neb., as an approved aircraft maintenance organization. While Duncan Aviation’s Provo, Utah, location, has been officially named a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part-145 Approved Maintenance Organization.

In all, Duncan Aviation’s locations in Lincoln, Battle Creek, Mich., and Provo, Utah, hold certificates for 10 different civil aviation authorities around the world. The company continues to work closely with several global aviation agencies to secure more certifications and will be announcing more certificates later this year. To see the latest certifications by facility, click here.

“It’s important to be able to provide service to all of our customers, regardless of location, which is why we’re constantly working to secure new certifications,” says Chris VanderWeide, Chief Inspector of International Airworthiness.

As business aviation continues to grow internationally, we will be looking to add more international authorizations.

Contributed by John Almeida, Satellite Manager

I recently helped open the newest Duncan Aviation Avionics Satellite shop at the Portland International Airport (PDX) in Portland, OR, to meet the huge demand from the business jet and turbo prop market in the Pacific Northwest. It’s only been a few weeks, but business is booming. The demand for Duncan Aviation avionics work in this area is HUGE! The Portland Shop, located within the Flightcraft facility, fills the large avionics maintenance gap between Seattle, WA, and Sacramento. CA.

We are able to provide unmatched avionics services to this region due to the network and support we get by Duncan Aviation’s two full-service business aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Lincoln, NE, and Battle Creek, MI. In many situations with our available inventory, we are able to provide our customers same-day avionics support without the need to wait for parts.

Being located within the Flightcraft facility at PDX has been beneficial for both companies. They consistently send avionics work in our direction and we support their customer base while building our own. We’ve had a great business relationship with them for many years. It just made sense to partner with them now.

The Portland Avionics Satellite shop is located on the international airport at 7777 NE Airport Way, and is the newest in Duncan Aviation's growing list of facilities located throughout the United States. Please stop by or give me a call anytime.

Contributed by Bill Prochazka, Vice President & General Manager Provo Operations

Duncan Aviation-Provo hangar in front of the Wasatch Mountain Range.

Duncan Aviation-Provo has now been open for business, taking care of customers and delivering aircraft for more than 16 months! Below is a fresh snapshot of what we’ve been up to during that time.

During our first year, we were welcomed by an all-time record snow fall totaling 800+ inches, a handful of hot 90 degree days and 102 MPH wind gusts just north of Salt Lake City.

We earned OEM authorizations to perform warranty work on the Embraer Legacy & Phenom and Bombardier's Learjet and Challenger 300 & 600 series, as well as line support for Bombardier Global series aircraft.

Since the hangar doors opened on August 2, 2010, we have completed more than 100 work orders for 88 core aircraft. These projects have come to us from all across the U.S., London, Hong Kong, Australia and the Cayman Islands. Following are a few specifics:

Learjet

• Letter check inspections (11)
• 12-year inspection (1)
• 6,000 landing gear inspection (1) 

Challengers

• Letter check inspections (8)
• 240-month (1)
• 96-month (2)
• 196-month (1)
• Landing gear overhaul / major inspections (3)
• Challenger 300 AOG road trip to Idaho(1)

Global Express

• AOG / SB road trip (4)

Embraer

• Area support road trips (6)
• 4L inspection on a Legacy (1)

Falcon

• 7X AOG rescue to Las Vegas(1)

Astra

• Letter check inspections (4)

Other

• Pre-purchase evaluations (3)

We are excited about our growth over the last 16 months and have begun to see regular repeat business from many operators whose first Duncan Aviation experience has been in Provo. In support of this great momentum, we purchased the building next door to be converted into shop space for sheet metal, install and interior work.

From all of us at Duncan Aviation-Provo, Happy New Year! Stop in and see us anytime you’re west of the Rockies!

Bill Prochazka is Duncan Aviation's Executive Vice President & General Manager of Provo, Utah, Operations. His aviation career began in 1979.

Contributed by Jeff Schipper, Project Manager

The Duncan Aviation-Provo team includes airframe technicians, avionics technicians, mechanics, project managers, materials supervisors, quality site coordinators, shift supervisors, and a regional manager.

Transitioning from Battle Creek, Mich. to Provo, Utah was an exciting opportunity for me, and also for the other folks who relocated here from our facilities in Battle Creek and Lincoln, Neb. Being a smaller group, all depending on each other, we are pretty tight-knit.

There is a strong sense of teamwork and everyone is committed to making sure we uphold the strong reputation of Duncan Aviation. Everyone is pitching in, willing to wear multiple hats and do anything that is asked of them whether it is answering the phone or scrubbing floors.

Limited in-house resources has probably been the most challenging part. Everything from NDT, machining, tooling, and welding needs to be outsourced. As I said, the team here is very creative and resourceful and we're clearing every hurdle we encounter.

Having a few knowledgeable local team members has been crucial in locating vendors that we can rely on. Even with limited resources, we have never felt like we're hanging out on a limb. We lean heavily on our strengths in both Lincoln and Battle Creek for expertise and support, and enjoy the support of our Professional Development Team and their recent visit for in-house training.

All in all, it feels really good to be here. We have a great team, and customers are coming. We currently have a Learjet 35 going through a major landing gear inspection as well as a Challenger in for a 600 hour inspection. We also recently completed several projects, including:

• An Astra in for a 10-year overhaul of the horizontal trim actuator and some NDT work requiring the removal of the vertical stabilizer.
• An Astra pre-buy evaluation that was completed and repositioned to our Lincoln facility for  interior refurbishment, avionics installations and an APU installation for the new owner.
• A Lear 60 A/B/C pre-buy inspection for a customer in Brazil.

Unfortunately for me, all this work means less time to ski. But I’m okay with that.

Jeff Schipper is the Project Manager at Duncan Aviation-Provo. Prior to relocating to Duncan Aviation's newest facility, Jeff served as the Airframe Manager at Battle Creek, and has experience working in paint, interior and airframe. He began working in aviation in 1987.