The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

1982 had barely flipped a calendar page when Duncan Aviation opened its brand spankin’ new Interior shop, and 19-year-old Matt Spain was one of the shop’s first five employees.

He’d been working for a company that refurbished aircraft interiors in 1981 when his good friend Chip Mosley encouraged him to take a look at Duncan Aviation.

Matt liked what he saw, was hired by Bob McCammon. Matt began his career here on June 22, 1981 in the Paint shop, and he moved to the new Interior shop a few months later when it opened.

“On the day the new Interior shop opened its garage door, I was there,” says Matt. “We didn’t yet have a Design Center or a Cabinet shop, and we mostly did soft good replacement and Interior repairs. We fixed broken seats, hinges and armrests and installed carpet, headliners and side ledges. And we sewed. We all knew how to sew, or we learned on the job.”

Matt, who will celebrate his 34^th anniversary with Duncan Aviation in June, is the only one of the original Interior shop employees who’s still at Duncan Aviation. Housed in a garage in one of the old hangars, Matt worked with Ray Butkus, Arnold Goodlett, Dennis Hansen and Mike Harris, and Mike Winters supervised the small staff.

“Ray and Arnold were the upholstery specialists, Mike could do a little of everything, and I focused on completions and modifications,” says Matt.

During those early years, the guys in the Interior shop worked on primarily 25 and 30 series Learjets, Jetstars and Sabreliners. The biggest aircraft they touched was a GII.

“In addition to the fact that I got to work on an airplane, I loved working with my hands and seeing the difference between before and after,” says Matt. “It is so rewarding to see the look on owners’ faces when they pick up their aircraft and say ‘Wow! You guys are really good at what you do!’”

Cabinet work was outsourced to Dwight Moody’s cabinet shop in the Haymarket. In 1983, Duncan Aviation bought that cabinet shop and many of its employees became Duncan Aviation employees. Gerry Hilde, who retired in October 2015 after 32 years, was one of the original Cabinet shop employees who transitioned to Duncan Aviation after the acquisition.

Around that time, the Interior shop and the newly acquired Cabinet shop moved from the garage to the backside of the LAI hangar (now Hangar C). Duncan Aviation also hired Interior Master Finish Specialist Steve Reznick as its first finish guy. 

“Before Steve, we did whatever we could to get by,” says Matt. “He knew and taught us materials, products and methods that we just didn’t know. Steve showed us how to match stains and fix damaged areas, he introduced a whole new interior painting system and he taught us about faux finishing, too. He knew clear coats and materials that worked on wood. With his knowledge and experience, Steve took the shop to a whole new level.”

In 1985, Matt transitioned to the Interior shop Team Leader, and he says he was a man on a mission.

“As a brand new Team Leader I was a hard driver focused on getting aircraft finished and delivered on time,” says Matt. “I was learning how to be a manager and how to conduct business in a professional manner, but I had high expectations. I worked right alongside my team, but if we were told something had to be done by Friday, I’d make sure it was done by Friday no matter how many hours we had to work.”

As Duncan Aviation’s reputation grew in the industry and the Interior shop grew (by roughly 18% each year), Matt grew professionally. He was managing the Interior shop, was married and had two children, and Skip Madsen and John Slieter encouraged Matt to go to college. With tuition assistance from Duncan Aviation, Matt went to Doane College and graduated with a degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in management.

“It was an interesting time, but my education was timely and extremely valuable,” says Matt. “I was insanely busy, but I’d go to school at night and apply the principles I had learned the next day on the floor.”

Matt began managing the Interior shop in 1991, and he oversaw the growth of the production team from 35 people to more than 200, with 28 team leaders. As business picked up and aircraft transitioned from small to mid-sized cabins, the Interior shop outgrew its space.

Members of the Interior shop, including Matt, were called upon to submit their ideas to Tectonic Management Group who asked for our input on the design and layout of the new shop. In 2001, on the day President George W. Bush was inaugurated, the Interior shop opened in its current location in Hangar D.

In 2007, Matt left the Interior shop to work with our NetJets Program.  He transitioned to Project Manager in 2009 and then on to Paint and Interior sales in 2010. He spent nearly 30 years on the production side, managing and building teams.  When Mike Minchow, then Manager of NetJets and Sales, asked him to join the sales team, Matt jumped at the opportunity.

“I often thought sales would be a good next step for me” says Matt, and he credits Senior Sales Representative in Completions and Modifications Service Sales Tracey Boesch for teaching him the art of selling interiors for Embraer and Bombardier aircraft, even though she specializes in sales for Dassault Falcons and Learjets.

“I love sales, and it’s been a welcome change from managing people,” says Matt. “The experience of working on the floor and managing people has given me an advantage in sales, though. I know what we’re capable of, and I know what questions to ask. From a customer’s perspective, the whole process should be seamless from proposal to production. In order to offer that kind of experience, it’s important that we sales people ask the production folks a lot of questions. Learn from them; let them help you when you’re writing a quote. Go and ask them questions.”

During Matt’s tenure with Duncan Aviation, the Interior shops’ capabilities grew from the original handful of airframes to dozens, including Falcon, Gulfstream, Global, Challenger, Hawker, Citation, Learjet, Embraer, Hawker, King Air, Astra/Westwinds, and more.

The Interior Mods/Completions shop is in Manager Jared Stauffer’s capable hands now, and in partnership with the Duncan Aviation Design Center, offers custom designs by professional designers, quality products and meticulous attention to detail. Over the years, the Interior shop has evolved from its humble beginnings to a production crew that’s capable of refurbishing headliners, building custom cabinets, upholstering chairs and divans, constructing executive tables, and much more.

Choosing wool carpet for the interior of your business aircraft is an investment that will keep your cabin interior looking pristine for years to come. In order to keep it looking and performing at its best, regular cleaning is necessary.

The following information is an informal guide to the maintenance of your wool carpet. It is by no means a comprehensive list of methods for cleaning. Always consult the manufacturer's guide to cleaning.

SOLUTION CHART FOR WOOL CARPETS
Type of Stain	Treatment
Alcohol	Blot with cold water
Bleach	Blot with cold water as soon as possible
Blood	Blot with cold water and/or vinegar solution
Butter	Blot with cold water and/or vinegar solution
Candle Wax	Lay absorbent cloth over wax and lift out with warm iron
Chewing Gum	Chill with aerosol freezing agent or ice in a plastic bag, pick or break away gum and/or blot with solvent
Chocolate	Blot with cold water and/or vinegar solution
Coffee	Blot with cold water and solvent
Cooking Oils	Blot with solvent
Cream	Blot with solvent
Egg	Blot with vinegar solution
Felt Tip Pen	Blot with clear nail polish remover-acetone, alcohol or methylated spirits mineral turpentine
Floor Wax	Blot with solvent
Fruit Juice	Blot with cold water and/or vinegar solution
Furniture Polish	Blot with detergent, ammonia solution or solvent
Gravy/Sauces	Blot with cold water and/or vinegar solution
Ink (Fountain Pen)	Blot with clear nail polish remover-acetone, alcohol or methylated spirits mineral turpentine
Ink (Ball Pen)	Blot with clear nail polish remover-acetone, alcohol or methylated spirits mineral turpentine
Ketchup	Blot with vinegar solution
Lipstick	Blot with solvent
Milk	Blot with cold water
Mustard	Blot with vinegar solution
Nail Polish	Blot with clear nail polish remover-acetone and/or vinegar solution
Oil and Grease	Blot with solvent
Paint (latex)	Blot with detergent, ammonia solution or solvent
Paint (oil)	Blot with detergent, solvent or methylated spirits mineral turpentine
Rust	Blot with solvent and/or rust remover
Salad Dressing	Blot with solvent
Shoe Polish	Blot with solvent
Soft Drinks	Blot with cold water
Soot	Blot with solvent
Tar	Blot with solvent
Tea	Blot with cold water and/or solvent
Urine	Blot with cold water and/or vinegar solution
Vomit	Blot with vinegar solution
Wine	Blot with cold water or absorbent powder

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It was a massive amount of work completed in a short amount of time. However, it still delivered on time and squawk-free with a transformation nothing short of spectacular. 

When this Falcon 900B arrived at Duncan Aviation, the interior workscope completely changed at the last minute, allowing very little time to preplan the changes and nearly nothing for material lead time.

We think we nailed it. What do you think? 

Interior Transformation

Before and after

Left-hand aft divan added replacing two club seat and a closet. Read the 2015 Spring Duncan Debrief for more interior before and after photos.

Avionics Upgrade

 EFIS to CDS/R. Read the 2015 Spring Duncan Debrief for the complete list of avionics upgrades.

Exterior Enhancements

New LoPresti BoomBeam landing lights. Complete new exterior paint scheme. Read the 2015 Spring Duncan Debrief for more exterior enhancements. 

Fresh out of pre-buy, this Gulfstream V needed a makeover to breathe life into a dark interior. The deep blue and gray chairs and carpet made this large 13-passenger cabin feel dated and constrained. The customer's expectations were clear. Clean it up. Lighten it up. Open it up.

Take a look, the transformation was amazing.

That is just the beginning. Continue reading the Spring 2015 Duncan Debrief to see the stunning before and after photos. 

 

Duncan Aviation works with a variety of customers. The majority use their aircraft for business purposes, some have personal aircraft and a small portion are pilots themselves. A very select group fit all three categories.

When a customer came to Duncan Aviation's Battle Creek facility with a Dassault Falcon 50EX, his mission was to leave with the best upgrades in the cabin, as well as the flight deck.

"Our customer dubbed the Falcon a Time Machine, and wanted to ensure this time saver was the most comfortable and efficient tool to get from point A to point B," says Completions Sales Rep Nate Darlington, confirming that the creative tail number M-CFLY was, in fact, a Back to the Future time-traveler movie reference.

After completing a pre-buy inspection through Duncan Aviation, the aircraft went directly into an airframe inspection, complete interior refurbishment, complete aircraft paint refurbishment, Cabin Management System (CMS) installation and flight deck upgrades.

Read more about the completed Time Machine in the Spring 2015 issue of the Duncan Debrief.

 

Lori Browning is an experienced designer that knows a thing or two about business aircraft. Since 2010, she has been designing business aircraft modifications, completions and refurbishments at Duncan Aviation’s Battle Creek, Michigan, location.

Her knowledge of the aesthetics of the interior and exterior of an aircraft is well-known. So much so, she is often sought out her professional expertise on a number of projects and articles. Most recently for What's Cooking: Galley Possibilities, an article on AviationWeek.com by Mal Gormley. A great read about how new and traditional thinking, along with careful planning can transform a vital element of business aircraft.

Here are other articles that Lori has contributed.

Creating a Business Traveler's Cabin

A customer came to Duncan Aviation with his Global Express and requested an interior refurbishment to create a place to work, rest and reboot.

Current Aircraft Designs Feature Function & Form: Interior Trends

We look at some of the recent aircraft design trends that our aircraft designers have seen and discuss the importance of productivity as well as design.

Dynamic 3D Paint Schemes with Duncan Design

Customers now have the option to work with 3D renderings while collaborating with Duncan Aviation on the design of their aircraft’s exterior paint scheme.

Exploring "Green" Materials for Aircraft Interiors

Textile companies are creating new “green” fabric lines. The properties that make them green also make them suitable for aviation burn regulations.

12 Eco-Friendly Materials for Aircraft Interiors

A look into carpets, veneers, and other materials used in aircraft interiors to find the most sustainable products available.

It is day three of NBAA! Have you been to Static?

Take a trip to the Orlando Executive Airport and drop by NARA static display–220 and check out this Embraer Legacy 600. It has been completely refurbished both inside and out with a 96-month inspection and Wi-Fi.

Click on photos to enlarge. 

Along with its incredible physical transformation, the aircraft boasts a new Aircell GoGo Biz Broadband solution, as well as the Aviator 200 Swift Broadband solution alongside several custom additions, creating an efficient, effective, comfortable business jet.

We also paired up with Embraer Executive Jet’s PreFlown division to develop a timelapse video showcasing what it takes to inspect and update an Embraer Legacy 600. To watch the video, visit http://www.duncanaviation.aero/videos/embraer_refurbishment/index.php.

 

A few thousand miles in a couple of hours—it’s an itinerary impossible to keep using any other mode of transportation.

Business aviation connects the world in a way that’s unthinkable if attempted commercially. And within the business aviation community, customers and corporations have a variety of needs. Some fly weekly with large groups of passengers. Others fly daily with one or two individuals. Regardless, this tool increases productivity and allows businesses that wouldn’t otherwise have a global presence access to that ability.

Even in a continually connected world with Skype and cell phones, that face-to-face meeting and tangible handshake cannot be replicated. That’s why one customer came to Duncan Aviation’s Battle Creek, Michigan, location with his Bombardier Global Express and requested we convert it into his own flying hotel room and office.

“Our customer essentially lives on his aircraft. He is constantly flying from one meeting to another, so he needs a place to work, rest and reboot,” explains Designer Lori Browning.

Immaculate Interior

Interior reconfigurations and design updates allow for some of the most creative modifications in an aircraft. Add Duncan Aviation’s in-house engineering team to the mix, along with the company’s Organization Designation Authorization, and we can make pretty much anything a reality.

As one of the most frequently flown Global Express aircraft in the world, this exceptionally mobile jet needed to be highly personalized for the individuals who spend countless hours on board.

“We completed many reconfigurations in the cabin to give our customer the storage space he needed for a wardrobe and everything else one needs when they travel constantly for business, while still retaining enough seating for other passengers,” says Lori.

After completing the aircraft’s required 2A and 1C inspections, Lori and a team of engineers worked to remove two club seats toward the rear of the aircraft and added an entertainment cabinet with a counter and drink ledge. In the mid-cabin area, they swapped out a single seat and work station for a credenza to increase storage space.

Along with all of these changes, the look and feel of the cabin’s interior was updated. The aircraft started with a very warm color scheme—creams and red wood—and the final scheme used high-contrasting dark wood and taupe.

With this color swap, the owner decided to add new seats, new veneer, install electric windows with a single-control panel and reconfigure the PSUs, as well as the switches.

“It was essentially a brand new aircraft by the time we were done, and there’s nothing out there quite like it,” says Lori.

The customer also chose a Rockwell Collins Venue Audio/HD Video Entertainment and Cabin Management System, an HD-capable, touchscreen-controlled system.

While adding this upgrade, the customer also decided on EMTEQ Quasar II cabin upwash and downwash lighting. It was the first time these two options had been combined, so Duncan Aviation worked with Rockwell Collins and EMTEQ to ensure the two systems operated seamlessly.

The installation also included an Alto Technologies Audio System, which was the icing on the cake.

While the CMS works well for entertainment purposes during downtime, for a business aviation traveler, the data network, wireless and wired options make the cabin an airborne office. 

A refurbishment can completely transform and revive an aircraft, but those dramatic interior updates also come with a significant downtime and a price tag. Almost every aspect of an aircraft interior can be handcrafted, right down to the stitching on the seats, making each experience unique. 

Although unique projects don’t necessarily lend well to generic FAQs, a general pattern of questions do emerge from prospects looking to have their aircraft refurbished. We've gathered a few, and as the answers demonstrate, it’s all in the planning.

A refurbishment can completely transform and revive an aircraft, but those dramatic interior updates also come with a significant downtime and a price tag. Almost every aspect of an aircraft interior can be handcrafted, right down to the stitching on the seats, making each experience unique.

Although unique projects don’t necessarily lend well to generic FAQs, a general pattern of questions do emerge from prospects looking to have their aircraft refurbished, and following are a selection of the most commonly asked that are received by the team at Duncan Aviation... As the answers will demonstrate, it’s all in the planning.

How much is my aircraft refurbishment going to cost?

When customers call about a potential refurbishment, they want to know how much it’s going to cost. That’s an understandable question. Setting a realistic expectation is important, and if the initial question were that simple to answer, we’d plaster price stickers on our products and services. As mentioned, many refurbishment projects tend to be customized though.

Although there are several steps that can be selected to modify and transform your aircraft paint or interior until it is ‘top-of-the-line’, it is also possible to stick to a smaller refurbishment budget and retain some, or most of the original interior. It’s important to establish exactly what you are trying to achieve through a refurbishment project, which will help establish how much you really want to spend.

“We do a lot of investigative questioning to determine what the customer really needs and wants,” says Completions Sales Representative Matthew Schepers. “Once we determine that, we can begin with a ballpark budget and work out all the details so the price we quote is the price you pay.”

What kind of downtime am I looking at?

“The earlier we can talk to a customer and finalize a plan, the shorter the downtime,” offered Completions Sales Representative Nate Klenke. “It’s really that simple.”

In essence, as much planning prior to an aircraft’s arrival needs to be made as possible, allowing the actual refurb process to become as efficient as possible, thus helping reduce the downtime. As an example, some customized carpets might take up to 16 weeks to arrive, so they need to be ordered well in advance of the aircraft’s arrival at the shop. Likewise, selection of seat patterns, shell panels and cabinets well in advance of the airplane’s arrival will all help cut weeks off the downtime.

How can I increase capacity and make my aircraft’s cabin more efficient?

Just about every reconfiguration customers ask for is possible. Accordingly, Duncan Aviation has an on-site engineering team and can approve a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) through in-house Organization Delegated Authority (ODA).

As an example, when a Falcon 900 customer needed more storage, space was found by swapping the rarely-used forward lavatory for a closet and auxiliary gallery storage cabinet. The lines from the toilet were capped and a cabinet built and inserted that molded around the old chute just in case a future owner should wish to reinstate the lavatory.

The customer was able to use the aircraft in a way that best met his needs, but the value of having a second lavatory was not erased as it could easily be restored. Several other customers followed suit after the initial STC was obtained.

Planning ahead 

If possible, from a timing and budget perspective, it is recommended that you schedule interior and electronics modifications alongside a major inspection to get the most out of the time an aircraft spends in the shop. But as always, plan well in advance of that event as to exactly what you need, thereby eliminating unnecessary downtime and expense during the actual refurbishment project.

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