More than 1,400 miles from my home in Lincoln, Nebraska, lay the Kill Devil Hills of North Carolina. It may seem like a desolate location, but it has special meaning for anyone who is passionate about aviation.
Set atop Kill Devil Hill is a 60-foot granite monument that towers over onlookers. Text chiseled around the base reads, “In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright conceived by genius achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith.”
It was there that the Wright brothers conducted many of their glider tests and, in 1903, where they completed their first successful, sustained, powered flight in a heavier-than-air machine.
110 years later, as I stood on this historic site, there wasn’t a soul around. I had visited once before, but this was the first time I was able to fly to the destination on my own. A runner eventually passed by and he helped me preserve the moment in time through a single photo, but as I waited, I reflected on how much the Wright brothers’ perseverance has impacted my life and the lives of so many.
Where would we be today without their efforts more than a century ago? Would our tech reps, rapid response team members and mechanics experience anywhere near the challenges and triumphs without those brothers who had to pack five sets of parts each time they went out in their aircraft because they’d crash at least that many times before they made it home for dinner? I can confidently say no.
The Wright brothers’ determination is inspiring, but I also gain the same level of awe by seeing our completed projects at any of the Duncan Aviation locations. Our team members embody excellence, and as we take on new aircraft and gain new STCs, I am reminded of our humble roots. It wasn’t that long ago that my grandfather, Donald Duncan, had just 12 employees. Now, we have more than 2,000.
Anything is possible, but like everything done well, done right and completed at a Duncan Aviation level, it takes perseverance, determination and integrity. Like the Wright brothers, we’ve faced adversity, but it’s our drive to be the best and our tenacity that has allowed us to grow to the company we are today – a world class facility that maintains small town values.
We are an anomaly. We approach aviation with heart. We are Duncan Aviation.
More than 1,400 miles from my home in Lincoln, Nebraska, lay the Kill Devil Hills of North Carolina. It may seem like a desolate location, but it has special meaning for anyone who is passionate about aviation.
Set atop Kill Devil Hill is a 60-foot granite monument that towers over onlookers. Text chiseled around the base reads, “In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright conceived by genius achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith.”
It was there that the Wright brothers conducted many of their glider tests and, in 1903, where they completed their first successful, sustained, powered flight in a heavier-than-air machine.
110 years later, as I stood on this historic site, there wasn’t a soul around. I had visited once before, but this was the first time I was able to fly to the destination on my own. A runner eventually passed by and he helped me preserve the moment in time through a single photo, but as I waited, I reflected on how much the Wright brothers’ perseverance has impacted my life and the lives of so many.
Where would we be today without their efforts more than a century ago? Would our tech reps, rapid response team members and mechanics experience anywhere near the challenges and triumphs without those brothers who had to pack five sets of parts each time they went out in their aircraft because they’d crash at least that many times before they made it home for dinner? I can confidently say no.
The Wright brothers’ determination is inspiring, but I also gain the same level of awe by seeing our completed projects at any of the Duncan Aviation locations. Our team members embody excellence, and as we take on new aircraft and gain new STCs, I am reminded of our humble roots. It wasn’t that long ago that my grandfather, Donald Duncan, had just 12 employees. Now, we have more than 2,000.
Anything is possible, but like everything done well, done right and completed at a Duncan Aviation level, it takes perseverance, determination and integrity. Like the Wright brothers, we’ve faced adversity, but it’s our drive to be the best and our tenacity that has allowed us to grow to the company we are today – a world class facility that maintains small town values.
We are an anomaly. We approach aviation with heart. We are Duncan Aviation.