LINCOLN, NEB. — Duncan Aviation recently delivered its 56th pair of Aviation Partners’ winglets on Dassault Falcon 900 and 2000 aircraft. Of those, 36 modifications were performed by Morrie Harris’ airframe team of 15 from Duncan Aviation’s Battle Creek, Michigan, facility.
Team Harris has more than five years of experience installing winglets and Duncan Aviation has several other teams in Battle Creek as well as its Lincoln, Nebraska, facility with experience completing the in-demand modification.
“It’s quite the accomplishment. We have some very talented folks on our team who had key roles in completing day-to-day operations efficiently and with a Duncan Aviation-level of expertise,” says Harris.
Most aircraft owners are familiar with the benefits of blended winglets: less drag, lower fuel burn as well as superior climb and cruise characteristics.
While winglets have been around since the 1970s, adding them to business jet models that didn’t originally have them has become increasingly popular in the last few years. Operators have been adding them alongside airframe inspections as they increase an aircraft’s range, performance and efficiency at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a larger aircraft.
“Winglets can increase an aircraft’s range 200 or 300 miles—depending on airframe—and that can mean the difference between having to stop or flying straight through,” says Ron Grose, airframe tech rep.
Winglets also allow for a higher cruising altitude, which can avoid turbulence and unpredictable weather, saving valuable operating time. The modification is often paired with a C inspection and in addition to or alongside a service bulletin for the dry-bay wing tank modification so as not to increase the aircraft’s downtime.
“We’ve done it enough times that it’s almost second nature. The customer arrives and it takes us anywhere from three to five weeks to complete the winglets. Then, the aircraft is off to paint and back in the air, flying higher and faster than before,” Harris says.
Duncan Aviation is an installation center for Aviation Partners' high-mach blended winglets and also supports winglet modifications on Falcon 50, Hawker 800 and Gulfstream II aircraft. Both the Lincoln, Nebraska, and Battle Creek facilities offer this modification.
About Duncan Aviation
Duncan Aviation is an aircraft service provider supporting the aviation needs of government and business operators and other service providers. Services include major and minor airframe inspections, engine maintenance, major retrofits for cabin and cockpit systems, full paint and interior 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/propeller repairs and overhauls. Complete service facilities are located in Lincoln, Neb., and Battle Creek, Mich. Additional locations include Provo, Utah, and 27 other facilities strategically located throughout the United States to provide customers with local support and the quickest response 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 www.DuncanAviation.aero.
Aviation Partners, Inc.
Seattle, Washington-based Aviation Partners, Inc. (API) is a world leader in advanced Winglet technology. API’s patented Performance Enhancing Blended Winglets™ have been designed and certified for a number of commercial and business aircraft; applications include Boeing, Falcon, Hawker and Gulfstream airframes. Over 5,300 in-service aircraft have saved an estimated 3.8 billion gallons of fuel. In addition to the 5-7% improvement in fuel burn, Blended Winglets have reduced global CO2 emissions by almost 41 million tons. Additional airframe programs are in-development for existing Blended Winglet technology, and future Winglet designs will lead to greater incremental improvements in performance, fuel savings and emissions reduction.
