To ensure the best connectivity experience for business aircraft operators who have Duncan Aviation schedule and install the Gogo Business Aviation Avance L5 inflight Wi-Fi system, Duncan is extending the free of charge period for Gogo Text & Talk and Gogo Vision inflight entertainment to one year.

The offer allows operators to install the Avance L5 hardware that connects to the Gogo Biz 4G network, delivering faster speeds and enhanced network capacity. It provides 12 months of unlimited access to Gogo Text & Talk and Gogo Vision subscription services. Gogo Text & Talk enables an aircraft's crew and passengers to use their personal smartphones and devices to call and text in the air just like they do on the ground, while Gogo Vision lets passengers enjoy movies, television shows, magazines, and flight maps on their own devices during flight.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this unique incentive to operators who are considering the newest connectivity system from Gogo,” says Nate Klenke, completions and modifications sales manager. “As a longtime partner with Gogo Business Aviation, we believe this is a top-tier package for our clients. Operators will receive a connectivity solution from today's most popular Wi-Fi network, installed by the most experienced installers in business aviation.”

Duncan Aviation has seven STC solutions for the Avance L5 system that cover the Wi-Fi certification and full equipment and antenna installation required to provide in-flight connectivity. These STCs are available for a growing list of aircraft makes/models including: Citation 680; Global Express, XRS, 6000; Global 5000; Challenger CL-650, CL-605, CL-604, CL-601-3A and CL-601-3R; Challenger 300, 350; Gulfstream GIV, G300, G400; Gulfstream GIV-X, G350, G450; Falcon 900

Falcon 900EX (EX, EASy, LX, DX); Falcon 2000; Falcon 2000EX (EX, EASy, LX, DX, LXS, S).

The Duncan Aviation STCs have been used for more than 180 Avance L5 system installations. The company has installed more than 1,000 Gogo connectivity systems over the years, has been named one of Gogo's Top Dealers every year since 2011, and is Gogo's exclusive AOG service partner.

Duncan Aviation can install the system at its three main facilities – Battle Creek, Lincoln and Provo – and at the company's 28 avionics Satellite Shops and workaway stations.

Meanwhile in mid-July, Duncan Aviation's rapid response team (RRT) received a call from a customer with an Embraer Legacy 500, asking if the team could head to Omaha, Nebraska, to help with two issues that had left the aircraft in an AOG condition. The initial faults were a ‘PBIT Time Expired CAS’ message and a ‘FLT CTRL NO DISPATCH CAS’ message.

Tyler Spurling, Duncan Aviation's assistant manager of the Lincoln, Nebraska MRO RRT, sent airframe RRT technician Donovan Mosher and Embraer technical representative Brad Kluthe to attend to the Embraer.

“We don't see many faults with Embraer Legacy 500s, so I look at these as opportunities to learn something, as well as a way to be there for our customers,” says Kluthe.

The Duncan Aviation techs were able to isolate and fix the faults in a matter of hours. In the meantime, the aircraft also had an ‘ENG FAIL’ and an ‘ENG SHORT TERM DISPATCH’ CAS message. Engine line lead technician Rustin McCullough and airframe technical representative Frank Logsdon joined the team in Omaha and identified the faulty component as RH Engine Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Channel B. The team performed the necessary engine runs and returned the aircraft to service.

Spurling says calls AOG calls are not unusual. Although flights have fallen off a bit because of the pandemic, in the last week, the rapid response team in Lincoln has responded to calls for help from operators of six aircraft that were AOG. The team in Battle Creek, Michigan, responded to one, and the team in Provo, Utah, responded to three calls.

“The week before we helped this Embraer customer, our RRT teams from our three main facilities in Battle Creek, Lincoln, and Provo, had travelled 6,612 miles to help customers with their AOG aircraft,” says Spurling.

In addition to the RRTs at the three main facilities, Duncan Aviation has 14 RRT launch offices ready to respond to customers wherever they are.