Posted by Diane Heiserman on Thu, Mar 21, 2013 @ 06:00 AM
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.
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Posted by Diane Heiserman on Fri, Jan 13, 2012 @ 03:38 PM
Contributed by Bill Prochazka, Vice President & General Manager Provo Operations
Duncan Aviation-Provo hangar in front of the Wasatch Mountain Range.
Provo hangar filled with aircraft from around the world.
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
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.
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Posted by Diane Heiserman on Thu, Dec 16, 2010 @ 09:26 AM
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:
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.
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Posted by Diane Heiserman on Wed, Sep 29, 2010 @ 03:50 PM
I took this picture of the field where the next full-service Duncan Aviation facility will break ground. The view from the front lobby will be the majestic Wasatch Mountain Range.
Duncan Aviation-Provo currently leases hangar space at the Million Air-Provo facility.
Contributed by Pam Orr, Travel & Events Coordinator
I've been at Duncan Aviation for 34 years. During that time, I've witnessed many changes. The company started as a small aircraft distribution company in 1956. I joined in 1976, and I've watched it grow into the largest, family-owned, full-service aviation maintenance company in the world.
The key to surviving three generations and five decades is to embrace change. We've always listened to what our customers are saying and are willing to try something new to be innovative. It is because of this customer-focused innovation that we are now experiencing one of the most exciting changes for Duncan Aviation.
On August 1, we opened a third maintenance facility in Provo, Utah. It is currently a fraction of the size of our other facilities but is staffed with experienced Duncan Aviation experts and equipped with the latest technology to provide major and minor hourly and calendar inspections as well as line-level engine and avionics support.
I got to travel to Provo recently to participate in the Duncan Aviation Customer Advisory Board, where we give customers a voice in how we conduct business. While there, I was amazed at the beauty of the hangar. Duncan Aviation has always been known to have the cleanest hangar floors in the industry. It is nice to know that some things won't change.
On a break, I looked out over the field where the next full-service Duncan Aviation facility will break ground and it gave me chills. The view from the front lobby will be the majestic Wasatch Mountain Range that rises directly north of the city of Provo.
This afternoon, we announced another change. Duncan Aviation-Provo was named a Bombardier Authorized Service Facility for scheduled and unscheduled warranty and maintenance work for Learjet 40, Learjet 45 and Learjet 60 aircraft as well as for Challenger 300 and Challenger 600 Series aircraft. Provo's capabilities include line service and around-the-clock aircraft-on-ground (AOG) services for Global Express and Global 5000 business jets.
For 34 years, I have seen where we were, where we are and where we are going. It is very exciting and I'm proud to be a part of it all.
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Posted by Diane Heiserman on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 @ 10:21 AM
Just a few short weeks ago, Duncan Aviation opened its third maintenance facility at the Provo Municipal Airport with several of the same factory authorizations and capabilities as our Battle Creek and Lincoln locations. They can be reviewed on the Provo Fact Sheet.
In Provo we have 13 aviation experts serving our customers.
Mike Griffiths is our Production Team Leader. Mike has been in aviation for 27 years. He has an A&P license and has worked in our parts department and in airframe shop leadership. Mike has been FlightSafety trained on the Lear 25, 35, 55, 60, Westwind 1124/1224A and Astra 1125/1125SPX.
Mike is supported by Todd Walker, an Airframe Tech III, and Ward Cranor, a Mechanic III. Todd has been with Duncan Aviation for 10 years and has held positions including Airframe Mechanic Apprentice and Sheet Metal Tech I through III. Ward Cranor is a Mechanic III. He has been with Duncan Aviation 10 years, most recently holding the position of Team Leader in the Structures shop.
Matt Cooper, the Second Shift Supervisor, is the Lead Mechanic with one of our Bombardier teams. He came to Duncan Aviation six years ago from Bombardier Aviation Services-Indianapolis and has 11 years in the industry. Matt holds an associate's degree in aviation technology, an A&P and has an extensive list of formal training on many of the airframes we will specialize in at Provo.
Mitch Robson is our Weekend Shift Supervisor. Mitch is also from our Bombardier team and has been with Duncan Aviation for nine years. He has extensive training on Challenger 300s and 600s, including run qualification on the 604. He holds an A&P and was trained in structures and hydraulics with the Navy.
Our Lead Engine Mechanic is James Holmes. James has been with Duncan Aviation nine years and has worked in our Engine MPI shop, engine line area and, most recently, has been with Duncan Aviation's Rapid Response engine team based in Florida.
Chad Prins, our Avionics Technician III, joined Duncan Aviation in 2001 as an avionics install technician and has been a crew lead for the last four years. Before that, Chad served with the U.S. Air Force and as an avionics technician with USA Jet. He also holds an A&P.
Mike Meyer is the Team Leader for our Satellite Avionics Team at Provo. Mike comes to Duncan Aviation with 30 years of avionics experience. He is a licensed private pilot flying both aircraft & helicopters.
Jeff Schipper is our Project Manager. Jeff has been with Duncan Aviation since 1987, graduated from Western Michigan University's College of Aviation and has experience working in the paint, interior and airframe shops.
Alan Huggett has been traveling the Northwest region as a Duncan Aviation Regional Manager for customers located in the Northwest region including Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, northern Nevada and northern California. Alan spent time in the Air Force as an F-15 mechanic and worked at Flight International as an A&P Lear team member for major inspections. He came to Duncan Aviation in 1998 and has worked as a Tech III on a Learjet team, a project manager and a service sales rep.
Rusty Oneth is the Materials Supervisor for Provo. Joining Duncan Aviation in 2005 in shipping and receiving, Rusty worked his way up to expeditor, Return Goods Administrator and Purchasing Agent. His considerable experience and knowledge in handling materials has been invaluable.
Mike Lutz and David Anderson are Provo’s Quality Site Coordinators conducting return to service inspections, logbook research and interacting with the FAA answering regulatory and quality questions. Mike comes to Duncan Aviation with 27 years of aviation experience, most recently from United Space Alliance, a NASA contractor, as a space Shuttle technician. David was most recently the chief inspector of a helicopter engine repair in Utah with 25 years aviation experience.
To find out more or to offer suggestions and feedback, please give me a call or send me an email.
I look forward to seeing you in Utah!
Written by Bill Prochazka, Executive Vice President & General Manager
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