Scottsdale, Arizona-based Gemini Air Group is the newest Twin Commander Factory Authorized Service Center. The aircraft charter, management, and maintenance company joins a robust network of independently owned and operated facilities that help to make Twin Commander support the best in the legacy aircraft market.
Opened in 1997 by pilot and aviation executive Tim Carpay, Gemini has expanded in recent years from charter and aircraft management to a large presence on the Scottsdale Airport that includes maintenance, overhaul, avionics, and more. With 60,000 square feet of hangar space and 30 employees,
Gemini has the experience, knowledge, and support necessary to be welcomed into the fold of Twin Commander-authorized service centers.
According to Carpay, expanding into maintenance was a way to smooth out seasonal volatility and the natural instability in the charter market. “I felt departments within the same company can support each other,” he said. The company has brought on industry veterans to help its maintenance capabilities grow, including Greg Laabs, a trained technician on Honeywell TPE-331 engines and a former maintenance supervisor at Duncan Aviation and West Star. Laabs said Gemini has great people in place to help Twin Commander owners. “We’ve been really good at solving problems that other people couldn’t fix,” he said. “We’re good at going to the root cause, finding the problems, and fixing them for good.”
Greg Laabs, Maintenance Sales Rep
A culture of fairness begins at the top. Carpay said that as an aircraft owner he knows what other owners want and expect when their airplanes go into maintenance, and he instills the need to be honest and transparent into Gemini’s operations. Laabs said the estimates are up front and everything they do on the airplane is approved before work begins. “We try to be a no-surprises facility,” he said.
Some of Gemini’s exacting maintenance standards come from its charter operation, according to Laabs. Because the shop’s chief inspector is also the quality assurance manager for both the FAA approved Part 135 charter operation and 145 repair station, a higher standard goes into inspections and repairs and returning aircraft to service.
Because Gemini supports a range of vendors, they are regularly being audited. Laabs estimates that every two months someone is in the shop evaluating their work. They are authorized to support NetJets, Jet Suite, Walmart, and others. And with recent Mexican DGAC approval, Mexican aviation authorities have attested to Gemini’s expertise and standards as well.
In addition to inspections and repairs, Gemini has a full-service avionics shop. They are a dealer for Garmin, Avidyne, L3, Airtext, Aspen Avionics, Mid-Continent, and Honeywell, and are approved to do RVSM certifications. And with an avionics manager with more than 35 years experience, Gemini has positioned itself to serve the corps of Twin Commander owners and operators well.
In terms of engine repair and inspection, technicians have hands-on experience with the Honeywell TPE-331.
Gemini’s growth into Twin Commanders began organically. Seeing an opportunity, the company brought in Twin Commander expert Rob Louviaux to garner additional Twin Commander customers. At one point last summer Laabs said there were four in the shop and they were “spilling out.” Louviaux has since moved on, but Carpay sees Twin Commanders as a natural fit for Gemini. “The airplane is sophisticated enough that people are always looking for good maintenance,” he said. “I felt like we could do it all right here. The fleet was big enough for it to make sense, and we have guys with experience on the airplane. More than any other, it was a logical choice for us.”
Always an advocate for good customer service taking precedence over growth, Carpay said the next few years will be about solidifying their relationships and expertise. “We want to get really good at what we’re doing,” he said. “We are focused on making sure our customers are happy. We want to do good work at a fair price and that is on time.” Really, what more could an owner ask for?
By the Numbers:
| Airport: Scottsdale, Arizona (SDL) |
| Established: 1997 |
| Owner: Tim Carpay |
| Employees: 30 |
| Managed aircraft: 6 |
| Total footprint: 60,000 sq ft |
| Shop footprint: 5,000 sq ft |
Contact info: www.geminiairgroup.com; 480-991-5387
