Duncan Aviation has remained open and is continuing to serve its customers through the COVID-19 crisis. Its full staff continues to work multiple shifts at all of its facilities, including its three full-service MRO locations, all of its avionics satellite locations and all of its engine rapid response team launch locations.

If you are not flying your aircraft, Duncan believes it is a good time to consider completing upcoming maintenance requirements or taking care of paint, interior or modifications projects. This will ensure your aircraft is ready to meet your company's future needs.

In addition, Duncan has the ability to get clients home utilising its sterilised Part 135 aircraft if they prefer to not utilise commercial carriers during this time.

The company is taking recommended precautions to minimise the risk of potential COVID-19 spread and has processes in place to disinfect customers' aircraft interiors upon arrival at its facility and again before delivery and departure.

Furthermore, it has implemented new policies to maintain a safe and healthy environment for its team members and guests. These include things like restrictive travel policies, work-from-home initiatives, and a visitor questionnaire that all of Duncan's guests will receive prior to arrival. The questionnaire includes a simple set of questions that will help its teams assess any possible limitations it may need to implement for the individuals who accompany an aircraft and desire access to Duncan's facilities and people. While it appreciates having customers on-site and considers them a part of its extended team, it is vitally important to ensure a safe working environment for its teams so they can stay focused on delivering high-quality products on time. That means that when appropriate, Duncan will work with customers to help them feel comfortable using its industry-leading myDuncan project management tool and overseeing its work remotely rather than staying on-site with the aircraft.

When coupled with strategies for sanitising its facilities and ensuring team members are following social distancing policies, Duncan believes it can maintain a safe and healthy environment for its team members and guests during this time.

The company has also implemented an aircraft disinfection service that it is providing for operators who have been scheduled into the company's main MRO facilities in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah. All aircraft are disinfected upon arrival and before Duncan Aviation's technicians begin work on them. They are disinfected again right before delivery back to the operator and departure from the Duncan Aviation location.

“We care deeply about our customers, team members and the communities in which we conduct business,” says Jared Stauffer, manager of interior services at the company's Lincoln location. “Customers began asking about possible disinfection services so we started researching disinfectant distribution systems, disinfectant product and proper procedures. We tested the unit and the disinfectant and are pleased to be able to offer the service to the market now.”

The process uses a portable unit that employs an EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant on all interior surfaces in the aircraft. The process uses either an aerosolised application mode for hands-free disinfection or can be hand-applied with a portable applicator, depending on the size of the aircraft.

The disinfectant solution produces no harmful by-products for the environment, contains no VOCs and is 100% biodegradable. It is non-corrosive and has been proven safe for the various custom surfaces and avionics found in business aircraft today. Right now, disinfection units are in limited supply. Duncan has one unit now and will have additional units available for scheduled use throughout its network soon. The process will then be available through Duncan's avionics satellite and engine rapid response networks as well.

Duncan is hosting a webinar on cabin disinfection methods and what the company is doing to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its team members and customers.

On Friday 3 April at 1400 CST, the company's critical resource master specialists Rob Weyant and John Simms and aircraft clean air sales consultant Vince Restivo will discuss the aircraft cabin disinfection services available through Duncan Aviation.

This free, informative webinar will discuss two very different aircraft disinfection systems: the first will be the disinfectant process for aircraft cabins that Duncan Aviation has developed and implemented for aircraft arrival and departure at its main MRO facilities. The company uses AeroClave units to mist disinfectant that kills viruses but doesn't harm finishes and avionics throughout an aircraft fuselage. In the next few weeks, this process will be implemented and available for scheduling through the company's avionics satellites or at customer locations.

The second method to be discussed is the Aviation Clean Air ionisation system, which is not a one-time disinfectant for an aircraft, but a longer-term approach to helping limit the spread of viruses, keeping passengers safe and aircraft flying. This system is installed in an aircraft and provides clean air while continually sanitising aircraft surfaces throughout flight.