Astra / Westwind Winter 2001

• Upgrade Your Valves
• Inspection Panel Paint Problems?
• Duncan/Galaxy Renew Service Relationship
• Keep Your Schedule On Schedule

Upgrade Your Valves

- Tim Garity

APU SB AST-93-1 was issued in 1993 as an option to provide a means of selecting the APU bleed air flow to either “high” or “low,” depending upon customer preference. All SPX aircraft have this bulletin incorporated as part of the standard installation.

APU bleed air is selected to “on” by selecting the airplane pressurization source selector to “APU.” Bleed air flow may then be selected to “high” or “low” as desired via a switch adjacent to the APU “override” switch located on the R/H side of the pedestal. Although this is a guarded switch, it is normal to operate the APU bleed air in either “high” or “low” as desired on the ground or in-flight. It is recommended to operate the APU bleed in “high” to cool or heat the airplane quickly, and then select the APU bleed to “low” to maintain a desired temperature level while reducing high airflow and noise levels.

Inspection Panel Paint Problems?

- George Bajo

Customers frequently ask Duncan paint technicians for tips to prevent paint breakage and chipping around panels and on screw heads during frequent inspections. While there is no good prevention method after the aircraft has been painted, we have had success removing and painting frequently removed panels and screws separately from the aircraft during a complete paint job.

Disadvantages of Removal

• Additional cost/downtime.
• Visible panel seams.

Advantages of Removal

• Preserves paint around frequently removed panels.
• Reduces labor hours required for touch-up during future inspections.

Duncan / Galaxy Renew Service Relationship

- Rich Baeder

Galaxy Aerospace has renewed an agreement with Duncan Aviation under which both Duncan Aviation- Lincoln, NE, and Duncan Aviation- Battle Creek, MI, will serve as Authorized Service Centers for the full range of Galaxy Aerospace supported models.

The new agreement extends Duncan Aviation’s service center status through September 2003 and adds the Galaxy intercontinental business jet to its service center authorizations. Duncan Aviation has a long history of supporting Westwind and Astra series jets and ranks in the top five facilities for parts sales in support of these models. Duncan Aviation also supplies all major interior components for the Astra SPX business jet.

Keep Your Schedule On Schedule

- Chris Gress

Because of the busy schedules of most aircraft operators, downtime comes at a premium. Often, operators are unable to fit their component repair/overhauls into their schedules.

Because of this intense customer demand, Duncan Aviation has programs designed to help these busy operators. A $7.5 million inventory of free loaner units was established many years ago in order to allow operators to change out failed components with a free loaner, thus allowing operators to maintain their busy flight schedules.

Also critical to flight schedules are accessory units due for overhaul/ inspection or repairs. Since most accessory items have overhaul intervals, Duncan Aviation decided to develop an inventory of accessory Time & Material Exchange units. The Time & Material Exchange program is billed at the cost of overhaul of your core plus a nominal exchange fee. The program allows operators to swap out failed units and more importantly, keep flight schedules.

One example of how Duncan is constantly adding to its loaner program is Bleed Switching Valve P/N 3213894-5-1 for IAI 1124 & 1125 aircraft.

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