Duncan Aviation’s Cincinnati Satellite Shop Upgrades King Air 350i for ADS-B Compliance

LINCOLN, NEB — Duncan Aviation is pleased to announce that earlier this year its Satellite Avionics Shop in Cincinnati, Ohio, performed a first-time Duncan Aviation installation by upgrading the Rockwell Collins TDR-94D transponders on a King Air 350i, bringing the aircraft into compliance with the FAA’s mandate for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out.

“After doing some research on the King Air 350i, I found that the CMD Flight Solutions’ Approved Model List Supplemental Type Certificate (AML-STC) provides a path to certification and meets the customer’s requirements,” says Manager of the Cincinnati Satellite Shop Bruce Miller. “The customer was especially pleased by how affordable this option is.”

Using the CMD’s AML-STC for Part 25 aircraft, the team in Cincinnati upgraded the TDR-94D transponders and installed a single, centralized ADS-B FAIL annunciator and a Digital Discrete Adapter (DDA) for digital-to-analog discrete output to the annunciator. Miller and his team completed the installation in less than two weeks.

“CMD's ADS-B Out Solutions cover almost every business jet, personal aircraft and regional jet flying today with the Rockwell Collins TDR-94/94D or the Honeywell Primus II Radio Suite,” says Barb Mahoney, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at CMD Flight Solutions.

Duncan Aviation’s Avionics Shop in Lincoln, Nebraska, has been authorized to upgrade the Rockwell Collins TDR-94/D units. The Satellite teams ship the units to Lincoln, and with advanced scheduling, the Lincoln team can turn the units in as little as one day, which dramatically decreases downtime for customers.

“The timing was great for doing this ADS-B upgrade. The customer had to put down the aircraft for three weeks to remove the propellers for overhaul, and that gave us more than enough time to perform the installation,” says Miller. “The Lincoln Avionics shop had the TDR-94s modified and returned to us within the same week including shipping. When the customer asked for the modification status, he was surprised to hear that they were already modified and returned.”

In the 28 remaining months before the FAA’s deadline to comply with its ADS-B mandate, roughly 70% of the business jet aircraft flying still have to upgrade for ADS-B. Today, Duncan Aviation’s extensive Satellite network has capacity and labor resources and will allocate hangar space and labor resources for owner/operators who call now to reserve space through the rest of 2017 and into 2018 and 2019. The closer the deadline gets, the less capacity (labor and hangar space) qualified shops are going to have. Duncan Aviation is urging its customers to schedule hangar space now for necessary upgrades; no one wants to be AOG on January 1, 2020.

In addition to the AML-STC CMD Flight Solutions has earned, Mahoney says they have solutions for aircraft based outside the United States as well. “We’ve secured validation from several civil aviation authorities, including the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Mexico’s Direccion General de Aviacion Civil (DGAC), and Brazil’s Agencia Nacional de Aviacao Civil (ANAC), and our Part 25 TDR-94/94D STC has been successfully evaluated by Transport Canada on the Lear 60. Approval for all Learjet models is expected soon, with other aircraft to follow,” says Mahoney. “This validation will help the many Duncan Aviation customers who are flying into the United States; they’ll be able to continue to fly in U.S. airspace after the mandate deadline.”

If you’re near the Duncan Aviation Cincinnati Satellite Shop, give Bruce Miller a call (513.873.7523). To reserve a slot at one of the Duncan Aviation Satellite Avionics Shops near you, call any of the Satellite shops (www.duncanaviation.aero/locations/#satellites).

About CMD Flight Solutions

CMD Flight Solutions was formed to develop, market and provide FAA certified solutions to support NextGen Avionics mandates. CMD also assists service and installation facilities with cost-effective modification solutions to satisfy the upcoming FAA mandated requirements. For more information, visit www.CMDFlightSolutions.com.

About Duncan Aviation

Duncan Aviation is an aircraft service provider supporting the aviation needs of business aircraft operators, government agencies, and other aircraft service providers. Services include major and minor airframe inspections, engine maintenance, major retrofits for cabin and cockpit avionics systems, full paint and interior services, engineering and certification services, fabrication and manufacturing services, and preowned aircraft sales and acquisitions. Duncan Aviation also has international aircraft components solutions experts available 24/7/365 at +1 402.475.4125 who can handle any aircraft system problem with immediate exchanges, rotables, loaners or avionics/instrument/accessory repairs and overhauls. Complete service facilities are located in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah. We also have dozens of other facilities strategically located throughout the United States to provide customers with scheduled regional support and the quickest response possible to avionics, engine and airframe Aircraft On Ground (AOG) situations.

For more information about any of Duncan Aviation’s services, call +1 402.475.2611 or visit https://www.DuncanAviation.aero/services