Duncan Aviation Designers Bring In-Depth Knowledge and Extensive Talent to Interior and Paint Projects

Aircraft Designers Bring Critical Expertise to the Design Table

In addition to creativity and artistry, Duncan Aviation’s Designers bring a wealth of aircraft-specific knowledge that is vital for every aircraft project they touch. When Duncan Aviation’s Designers provide custom design concepts for interior refurbishment and exterior paint livery, customers receive more than eye-catching presentations.

Customers receive experts with aviation-specific knowledge who:

• Define and specify materials that will pass aviation burn test requirements
• Establish parameters for exterior paint specifications to meet OEM make/model restrictions
• Provide floorplan and cabinet modifications that meet engineering guidelines
• Offer knowledge of the durability and required slip coefficient testing required for hard surface flooring
• Ensure placard and safety regulations as required in the cabin
• Present ideas for lighting and sound-dampening upgrades to enhance the interior experience
• Know FAA regulations that ensure cabin safety for all passengers and crew
• Develop and maintain relationships with aviation-specific vendors, assuring the highest-quality products
• Design services and management on-site throughout the project production phase
• Innovate so as to incorporate the most current industry and design trends  
  

  

Early Involvement

Our Designers frequently join Sales team members before a proposal is produced.

“When we collaborate with our Sales teams as they are first vetting customers, we can offer design solutions for the customer’s desired modification in order for the proposal to be all-inclusive” says Design Team Lead Mary Lee. “We also assist our Sales and Scheduling teams to help determine the lead time for the specified materials, which will have an impact on the final schedule offered to our clients.”

Knowing that the lead times on parts can take as few as 3 weeks but as many as 16 weeks, Designer involvement is critical when scheduling projects. Ideally, the desired materials need to be received and ready to use when the aircraft arrives as delays may jeopardize the schedule of the entire project.

Heather Pridemore, Lead Designer for our facility in Battle Creek, Michigan, uses leather as an example.

“Working on an aircraft adds complexity to materials,” says Heather. “We can’t simply order off the shelf leather. It must be fire-treated, with the treatment applied early enough in the drying process so as not to shift the colors. We work closely with vendors that specialize in aviation-grade leather and understand our need for consistency with regard to quality and durability.”

The Design staff at Duncan Aviation makes a constant effort to establish strong supplier relationships.

“Knowing which vendors reliably provide the highest quality products ensures that our projects are completed to our standards and delivered on schedule,” says Heather. 

Our Team Is On It

When planning a large refurbishment project, the Duncan Aviation team likes to walk through the aircraft and meet with the operator in person. This spec meeting includes the Interior sales and Avionics Sales teams, a Lead Designer, and often, a Design Engineer. While the team discusses ideas with the client, Design Engineer Mike Riley will be in the aircraft making notes, measuring, photographing, and documenting the existing layout in detail.

“If a customer wants cabinet modifications or a new CMS, it’s critical to map all existing outlets and switching locations so we can determine where all the new components will be placed, along with existing equipment relocated with the new cabin configuration,” says Mike. “Customers need to know where outlets are located for their personal charging and gaming, and our shops need that information in order to plan proper wire routing.”

Likewise, if a customer wants to raise the cabin seats by two inches, there are other considerations.

“The seats are designed and engineered to meet certain safety standards. Some modifications that seem simple may compromise this, and in those cases, we have to look to alternatives, such as sending them back through Engineering or replacing the seats altogether,” says Multimedia Designer Dan Ryba. “We always strive to deliver a design the customer wants, while making sure it works with the safety limitations of that specific aircraft.” 

Senior Lead Designer Stephanie Kuhn feels that it is important for Designers to become involved early in the process.

“Conversations with the customer help us understand how the aircraft will be used, such as charter, business, or for family and friends. These conversations also provide insight to what their likes and dislikes are and can inspire and guide the design for their interior,” says Stephanie. 

Seeing Is Believing

Mary agrees there’s just no substitute for having a designer involved from the beginning.

“We always invite customers to come to Duncan Aviation for a specification meeting in one of our three  Design Centers in order to make the process easy and enjoyable. Our Design Centers are fully equipped with a large selection of luxurious materials, custom carpets, exotic veneers, hard-surface flooring, hardware options, and visual mock-ups to give our customers a variety of selections to choose from,” says Mary. “We encourage customers to tour our facility while they are here to experience for themselves the dedication and quality of work being completed by our technicians in our on-site Cabinet, Interior Completions, and Upholstery shops.”

The Bottom Line

With the work we perform at Duncan Aviation, adhering to schedules is of utmost importance. That’s where all of the aircraft-specific knowledge plays a big role.

The Designers create unique, custom paint schemes. Beyond their creativity, though, they have experience working with OEMs and our paint application layout teams. They’re aware of the limitations regarding the type of paint that is required on specific areas of the aircraft and the FAA safety regulations. Incorporating this information into the planning phase keeps the project running smoothly, particularly when a paint project typically takes between 2 and 4 weeks.

Designers are also the creative forces behind the interior projects completed by Duncan Aviation, and their knowledge and expertise save customers time and money. Lead Designer Emily Krawczak at Duncan Aviation’s facility in Battle Creek sums it up:

“We’re with our customers from Day 1 to delivery. We work with the Sales teams and customers during the initial spec sessions. We coordinate with the customer, Project Managers, and shops throughout the project, and we perform a final walk-through with the customer. It’s always rewarding to see the looks of joy on their faces when their aircraft delivers.”