Many of Duncan Aviation’s customers realized years ago that having a Duncan Aviation Satellite on a nearby airfield is a pretty good deal. The company’s Satellites are staffed with experienced, certificate-holding avionics technicians. Duncan Aviation is constantly evaluating services offered through its Satellite network and expanding capabilities when it makes sense for a location. Several of the company’s Satellites, including the ones in Denver, Colorado (APA), and Houston, Texas (HOU), have taken on some challenging projects recently.

Duncan Aviation-Houston, Texas, Satellite at Hobby Airport (HOU)
Since January 2022, the 25-member team at Duncan Aviation’s Houston Satellite has touched approximately 1,200 aircraft. The facility, open since 1985, holds FAA CRS/OS and Mexican certification. The team provides full avionics installation, avionics line maintenance, and avionics support services.

Projects in Houston this year have included several installations of the Gogo AVANCE L5 Wi-Fi system, VIASAT Satellite-based in-flight Wi-Fi, RVSM (Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum) for increased safety, numerous 411 and 413 checks, and some ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) checks. They also partnered with various vendors and Duncan Aviation’s Engineering & Certification Services to develop STCs (Supplemental Type Certificates) and install the following equipment in aircraft:

•   Honeywell Primus Elite in an Embraer Legacy 600

•   Honeywell FANS/CPDLC (Future Air Navigation Systems/Controller Pilot Data Link Communications) in an Embraer Legacy 600

•   Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion 21 with FANS/CPDLC for Hawkers

•   Honeywell FMS (Flight Management System) with LPV & UNAV for Embraer Legacy 600

•   Honeywell SVS (Synthetic Vision System) for Embraer Legacy 600

•   Honeywell CC-701P Controllers—a Primus Elite Upgrade—for Embraer Legacy 600

•   Collins Aerospace Pro Line 21 Fusion-equipped models for DFDRs (Digital Flight Data Recorders)

The Houston shop is also currently partnering with an industry OEM to produce two more STCs by the end of 2023.

As with most of Duncan Aviation’s Satellite shops, the techs in Houston perform installations and repairs at the Duncan Aviation hangar, and they also take their expertise and tooling to the hangars of customers who want avionics work completed while their aircraft are already down for routine maintenance.

Duncan Aviation-Denver, Colorado, Satellite at Centennial Airport (APA)
Duncan Aviation’s Denver Satellite provides an array of avionics installation and line maintenance services and holds FAA CRS/OS and Mexico certificates. The 17-member team in Denver has touched 1,310 aircraft in the last year. Among this year’s projects are the installation of a Gogo AVANCE L5 in a CL-300, two Gogo AVANCE L3s in a Pilatus PC-24 and a Citation 560, a Dual Garmin GTN-750 with a Remote Audio Panel in a Cessna 560, and two complete Garmin retrofits on a Pilatus PC-12.

The complete retrofit on the Pilatus PC-12 included the installation of a Garmin G600TXi, Dual GTN-750, remote audio panel, remote transponder, weather radar, and an engine monitoring display. The Dual Garmin GTN-750 installation added GPS, NAV, and COM to replace an outdated FMS that lacked those features.

In late 2023/early 2024, the Denver Satellite will also begin installing the Garmin G600TXi in a series of Citation 525 aircraft (525, 525A, and 525B). This Garmin STC, which is being developed now, will cover installation of dual 10.6-inch G600TXi displays, dual GTN-450 GPS (if needed), a single 7-inch Portrait Engine Display, the GFC-600 autopilot system, a GMA-350 Audio Panel, and GI-275 Standby instruments.

In addition, the technicians, quality inspector, and manager at the Denver Satellite are always busy performing IFR certifications, database upgrades, FDR/CVR downloads, ELT inspections, and general avionics troubleshooting.

Technicians frequently visit other shops on the airfield to do the work for customers in their own hangars, and about two years ago, the Denver Satellite added what Duncan Aviation refers to as SWAT interior services to its lineup. The Duncan Aviation SWAT teams, which are at all three of the company’s main facilities as well (Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah), go through the aircraft and take care of small interior items that are not a part of the scheduled service. The reason is strictly aesthetic as the teams touch up paint, spot-dye leather seats, and resew curtain glides to quickly give the interior a facelift.

Robust Experience No Matter the Size

Whether customers have a large job or a routine check or repair, Duncan Aviation’s US-based, coast-to-coast Satellite network provides regional support. Four of the newest Satellites are located in Oregon, Massachusetts, Virginia and Tennessee.

Duncan Aviation-Aurora, Oregon, Satellite at Aurora State Airport (UAO)

In July 2022, Duncan Aviation opened a Satellite in Aurora with space in the Charlie Hangar. Satellite Avionics Crew Lead Justin Weber has been performing two-year 91.411 and 91.413 pitot-static certifications, renewing transponder certifications, fixing dozens of unscheduled squawks for drop-in customers, installing avionics systems, and repairing wires for nearby customers on the ramp. This year, the shop was FAA-approved to add battery services to its growing list of offerings.