Duncan Aviation technicians and managers have been exploring project efficiency and planning in an effort to get customers back in the air faster and to continue to ensure accurate out dates for aircraft service work. The result is Duncan Aviation’s On-Target Turntime program. The first project completed under this program was a Falcon 2000EX with a C-Check inspection and due items along with EASy II provisioning. The workscope was completed as promised in just 21 days, a full week faster than the typical Duncan Aviation turntime for that inspection.
In order to meet the promised completion date, lots of forethought and planning were required by Falcon crew lead RJ Riedel and his teams located at Duncan Aviation’s Battle Creek, Michigan, facility. The same methods used to maximize efficiency on the project will be repeatable for similar projects at Duncan Aviation’s other locations.
To meet the promised turntime, Riedel and his team focused on efficiency and planning. They planned for necessary tooling, parts and support equipment to be available and ready when they needed it. They shifted their work schedules, changing technician hours and implementing staggered breaks and alternate shifts, allowing the aircraft project to be in work nearly 24 hours a day. And they took advantage of tools like electronic work order enhancements and a smooth and pre-approved path for potential squawks, all with the goal of giving technicians uninterrupted time to complete the work.
“We take promised out-dates very seriously at Duncan Aviation,” says John Slieter, VP of Sales at Duncan Aviation. “To us, a promise is a promise. Therefore we manage every project very carefully, examining milestones along the way and tweaking the project plan as needed when unforeseen circumstances arise.”
John Johnson, director of maintenance for LJ Aviation in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and operator of the Falcon 2000EX, was pleased with the groundbreaking turntime on the C Check and was committed to support the project from his end. He understood the importance of timely approvals during the event. By utilizing his myDuncan account, he was able to provide immediate approval for most squawks and monitor the project daily.
“Time is everything,” he says. “The time an aircraft is down is time it is not making money and serving our customers. That Falcon 2000EX has a steady schedule, so we were excited about the 21 day plan.
“However, timing is nothing if the work isn’t safe. Safety is our top concern. We went over the process with Duncan Aviation and we were comfortable that the proper procedures would be followed and the great quality they’ve provided on other projects would extend to this one as well. We ended up with the full package—fast turntime, high quality, excellent paperwork and great customer service.”
The Duncan Aviation Rapid Turntime 21-day 1C inspection can be offered to operators with a Falcon 2000EX or 900EX series, using a standard Dassault Chapter 5 inspection program and with a minimum two-month planning process.
Operators who take advantage of this offer can choose additional work to be performed with the inspection without increasing turntime. Additional work can include Falcon Wing Tank Modifications, avionics installations and interior items.