Greg Hamelink and Duncan Aviation Project Manager, Gary Dunn
Making services convenient is a matter of access, responsiveness, and expertise. With more than 2,150 aviation experts located around the world, Duncan Aviation has model-specific and system-specific experts for the most popular business jets in use today.
The majority of these team members are located at our three full-service MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities, 26 avionics satellite and workaway locations, and 16 engine Rapid Response launch offices in the United States. That means a Duncan Aviation team is no more than 150 nautical miles from the top 100 busiest business jet airports in the United States. In addition, we have aircraft sales and support service representatives located throughout the world and engine tooling and equipment that are staged and ready to use.
And with airframe, avionics, and parts troubleshooting, Duncan Aviation strives to provide customers with quick, one-call service to answer their questions.
“My project manager is always a great resource, customer driven and a huge advocate. I’ve worked with members of the sales team, tech reps, airframe, engine, interior, and avionics technicians, and they’re all great people. Duncan Aviation team members treat our aircraft like it was their own. It is reassuring to me when I drop the aircraft off for maintenance that it will be maintained to the same level or better than I would accomplish. I could probably write a book about all of the positive interactions I’ve had with Duncan Aviation representatives.” – Greg Hamelink, Senior Manager of Flight Operations and Maintenance.
Photos Courtesy of NBAA
Duncan Aviation has long focused on CONVENIENCE, QUALITY, AND ON-TIME DELIVERY. through the years, WE HAVE developed a company culture that encourages team members to consistently provide them to our clients.
Safety is obviously a huge concern for all in business aviation. But quality means so much more than safety. It can mean everything from perfectly straight and carefully made stitches in a seat upholstery to bundled, clearly marked wires behind an aircraft’s sidewalls.
Ultimately, quality has an effect on the value of an aircraft. In fact, most brokers in the NARA (National Aircraft Resale Association) say the reputation of the MRO signing off an aircraft’s logbook affects its value at resale.
Duncan Aviation is often identified as the maintenance, interior and paint supplier for an aircraft when it goes up for sale. In the August issue of Executive Controller, Duncan Aviation was mentioned in 96 advertisements for having completed maintenance, paint, interior, and avionics upgrades. That is twice that of any other MRO facility.
Duncan Aviation also surveys all customers after an aircraft project is delivered. In 2016, Duncan Aviation customers gave us a 98% quality approval rating.
“Duncan Aviation’s quality is second to none. I’ve been using Duncan Aviation since 2002, and I’m impressed with the service every time I bring an inspection there. The teams that I have worked with always make me feel that they are just as concerned with my aircraft as I am.” – Scott Kershaw, Chief of Maintenance for Aramark
“It is ALWAYS a pleasure to work with Duncan Aviation, and no matter who I get to interact with on a particular project, I know it will be professional, of the highest quality, and most of all a great experience. I feel obligated to share that with the rest of the aviation community.”
Jim Rezich, Rezich & Rezich Aviation
Based on feedback from customers, they interpret project coordination to include the technical knowledge of their assigned project manager, the communication the customer received throughout the project, and the use of our online myDuncan project management tool.
Duncan Aviation project managers provide customers with personalized service and aircraft project expertise. Each has a minimum of 15 years of technical experience and an average of 25+ years of aviation experience.
And communication is an area where we have been told we excel. In 2016, customers gave us a 97% approval rating in the category of communication.
That is attributable in part to myDuncan, which lets customers be productive wherever they happen to be. Of the 2,343 aircraft projects completed in 2016, more than half were managed off-site, allowing the aircraft representatives to stay current on project status, item approvals and budget while keeping up on things at work and at home.
“It (myDuncan) makes the squawk approval process seamless. I can be on the hangar floor, in the office, or at home and see all discrepancies on the aircraft. If I have questions on a certain item, I can submit a question through myDuncan and receive written responses or pictures to better display the issue. myDuncan allows the user to export numerous reports that I use to see progress and calculate budget to actual as the project progresses.” – Wesley Landgraf, Director of Maintenance for Midland Financial Co.
Duncan Aviation develops project timelines by analyzing a database of past work and the time it previously took to complete tasks.
Collaborating between all areas involved in complicated workscopes, milestones for the entire project are mapped out and the most efficient way to complete work is analyzed.
We routinely push the envelope on schedule and challenge our technicians to push themselves while not sacrificing safety and quality. Customers are pleased with the results, and really like that we meet the out-dates we promise. Nine of 10 report that their aircraft project was completed on time with no budgetary surprises.
“In 14 years, I have never missed an out-date. I believe the Duncan Aviation technicians are as proud of that as I am.” – Scott Kershaw, Chief of Maintenance for Aramark
Photo Courtesy of NBAA