Let’s be honest. When was the last time you gave much thought to your aircraft’s battery, unless it was acting up or due for maintenance? Often overlooked, this component is vital as it is the first unit to power your aircraft and the last line of defense in an emergency.
Your aircraft’s battery is one of the highest-maintenance components on board, often requiring service every three months or 100 flight hours. Flight departments with demanding schedules, such as those operating charter or air ambulance services, could find their aircraft grounded for battery service nearly every month.
Yet these critical components are frequently ignored, left idle for extended periods, pushed to their limits with low charge, and occasionally allowed to deep discharge. Through it all, the expectation remains: they must function without fail.
At Duncan Aviation, we recognize the critical importance of this component workhorse. That’s why we’ve built dedicated full-service battery shops at all three of our primary MRO locations in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah. Each is staffed with highly trained battery technicians who hold an electronics degree, an A&P certificate, or both, and are the right people to call when you have questions.
When Mark Hanson, Parts Manager at Heartland Aviation, received a brand-new aircraft battery that was completely discharged and appeared to have no electrolyte fluid, he faced an unusual predicament. Unsure how to proceed, he contacted both the airframe and battery OEMs, but neither could provide a solution.
“This was the first time my crew had received a fully discharged battery,” Mark explains. “We didn’t want to damage it by not following proper procedures.”
Mark then reached out to Jerry Cable, Duncan Aviation Accessories Tech Rep, who connected him with Brian Teeters, Team Leader of Duncan Aviation’s Battery Team in Lincoln. Brian’s expertise proved invaluable.
“Brian was very helpful,” Mark says. “Not only did he clarify that electrolyte levels are not visible in discharged cells and should only be checked and adjusted during the last 15-30 minutes of the final charge cycle, but he also guided us on how to safely charge it in this state. He even provided supporting paperwork for the procedure. It just goes to show, you really have to ask the right people!”
All three full-service aircraft battery shops operate seven days a week, offering inspection, maintenance, repair, and exchange capabilities for batteries.
Equipped with nearly every test set, battery charger, and gauge available, we can perform capacity checks, testing, and maintenance for virtually every aircraft battery in service on today’s business and general aviation aircraft. We even have dedicated rooms for both lead-acid and NiCad battery services to prevent cross-contamination and ensure optimal care.
These shops are outfitted with advanced diagnostic test sets, including:
Duncan Aviation supports more than 48 different battery models from leading aviation brands, including Aero Design, Concorde, L3 Harris, Marathon, Saft, and Securaplane, among others. Our access to more than 50 PMA (Parts Manufacturing Authority) and STCs (Supplemental Type Certificates) that apply to more than 250 battery part numbers ensures you get cost-effective and approved solutions to support for your aircraft.
Our teams see up to 130 batteries weekly, with approximately 75% of them checked, charged, and returned to customers within five days. This rapid turnaround minimizes downtime and gets your aircraft back in the air quickly.
Comprehensive Support Beyond Our Main Locations
Our battery services extend beyond our MROs to many of Duncan Aviation’s Satellite locations, offering core battery services, including:
Scottsdale Satellite Adds Battery Capabilities
Earlier this year, the Duncan Aviation Satellite Shop in Scottsdale, Arizona (KSDL), added a full complement of battery services to its roster of capabilities. With dedicated space in a separate building at the Scottsdale Airport, the Scottsdale Satellite now offers a range of main-ship and emergency battery services, including:
The building in Scottsdale has separate rooms for testing and working on different battery types to prevent cross-contamination. Techs have been trained to work on a variety of battery models from top brands, such as Aero Design, Concorde, Saft, Marathon, Securaplane, L3Harris, and more. For more information about the battery capabilities at the Scottsdale shop, reach out to Marko Camargo or Mason Fontana at +1 480.922.3575.
This expansion mirrors the trusted battery support long available at Duncan Aviation’s Satellite locations in:
Customers may have their batteries inspected, maintained, repaired, or exchanged at a facility right on the airfield.