Duncan Aviation has received the first-ever FAA-issued Repair Station certificate, uniting all of its facilities and satellite locations under a single Repair Station number.
On Oct. 29, 2023, the Duncan Aviation satellite locations and additional fixed locations (AFLs) in Oxford, Connecticut, Bedford, Massachusetts, Teterboro and Morristown, New Jersey, and White Plains, New York, began operating as AFLs under the Duncan Aviation Repair Station certificate in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The remaining main facilities in Battle Creek, Michigan, and Provo, Utah, as well as the rest of Duncan Aviation’s satellite locations and AFLs, transitioned to the Lincoln Repair Station certificate on Dec. 10.
The Quality team at Duncan Aviation, lead by Enterprise Quality Manager Mike Mertens, transitioned the first five satellite locations, resolved issues, and transitioned the wider enterprise prior to surrendering the dozens of separate repair station certificates, company officials explained.
According to Duncan Aviation officials, this is the first time that the FAA has granted a single repair station certificate for multi-location facilities. Now, instead of consulting dozens of FAA Flight Standard District Offices (FSDO) representatives in dozens of different locations throughout the country, every Duncan Aviation location will consult the FSDO in Lincoln, Nebraska.
“Although, briefly, the transition complicated things on our end because the satellites have been operating the same way for more than 38 years, it will actually make our goal of meeting our customer needs much easier,” says Enterprise Manager of Satellite Operations Matt Nelson. “We’re now able to send technicians from one location to another without worrying which repair station number they’re working under. It will also allow us more flexibility in the addition and removal of certain capabilities.”
The greatest benefit to customers is that with one group overseeing and supporting all of the Duncan Aviation locations, the service will be the same at every location, company officials noted.
“Theoretically, the service we provide has been the same no matter the location, but with each location dealing with different FAA personnel, there was always the possibility of slightly different interpretations of rules,” said Mertens. “Now, with only one person, there will be one interpretation. As a result, we will be even more consistent in providing the same service at every location.”
The reality is Duncan Aviation had been operating under the same Repair Station manual, but up until Dec. 10, 2023, there were dozens of FAA inspectors overseeing the 23 different certificated repair stations, all of which required a separate review.
“This unification will simplify things dramatically for the FAA, by having only one group inspecting the standard requirements,” added Mertens.
For more information: DuncanAviation.aero