The New Year is the perfect time for all us to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going. As we close the chapter on not just the last year, but also the closing of a decade, I can think of no better time to be associated with such a strong and proud brand, and I think we are well positioned for the next chapter.
When I came into this role a little more than a year ago I said my first priority was to promote the value, expertise, and capabilities of the Twin Commander Factory Authorized Service Center Network. We closed the year on a high, adding a new independently owned facility to the network. As you’ll read later in the issue, Gemini Aviation Services in Scottsdale, Arizona, is our newest service center. Tim Carpay has put together a great team of experienced professionals to help keep the fleet strong and viable. They, like all facilities in the Twin Commander Factory Authorized Service Center Network, have shown a consistently high standard of maintenance, upgrades, and overhauls. The network depends on the high standard of work and reputation of each of the facilities, and I think in that respect that Gemini Aviation Services will be a wonderful addition to the network.
As an aircraft owner I imagine it can be difficult to independently evaluate the merits of one facility compared to another. Maybe there’s a shop closer to your base that you like, and my consistent preaching hasn’t swayed you to venture into going to an authorized service center. In this issue you’ll read about a field report that describes an airplane where the nose gear wouldn’t extend. This came as the result of a maintenance event that didn’t follow the proper protocols. I believe that if the airplane had been serviced by a Twin Commander Factory Authorized Service Center that this wouldn’t have happened. Simply put, shops in the network have the technicians, resources, and knowledge to properly maintain your airplane.
This incident also shows our commitment to the vitality of the fleet. We immediately began working with the FAA and NTSB to help determine the cause, and soon after released a Maintenance Recommendation that ensures this incident won’t reoccur. You can read more about it later in the issue. As I’ve said in previous stories, safety is a fundamental part of our company culture, and we do everything possible to ensure you feel confident flying your family, friends, and customers in your Twin Commander.
In addition to safety upgrades, we are also responsive to feedback that makes the airplane easier or less expensive to maintain and operate, and more enjoyable to own. To that end we have undertaken a number of parts and component redesigns over the last year, some of which you’ll see in this issue. From a new fuel filler cap to the restocking of pistons that extend and retract the cabin ingress/egress step, we work hard to make the experience of owning and operating a Twin Commander the best it can be.
By the way, do you know where we get a lot of our ideas on these engineering projects? From the Twin Commander Factory Authorized Service Center Network. When you take your airplane to their facilities, or buy their parts, you are part of the feedback mechanism that tells us at the factory what the priorities are in the field. All the more reason to have your Twin Commander serviced by a Factory Authorized Service Center.
Happy New Year from all of us at Twin Commander Aircraft.
