No stranger to unique aircraft refurbishments, a long-time Duncan Aviation customer wanted his aircraft to be bold, masculine, and striking, much like his Citation X that we refurbished a few years ago. While the design motif is consistent with his other aircraft, this Global Express XRS definitely stands out in the fleet and features the owner’s affinity for the arctic.
Duncan Aviation Lead Designer Emily Krawczak says that she was given the direction of “arctic camo” for the paint scheme. Emily drew different designs and sent them to the owner for feedback until they landed on one that matched his vision.
“Despite regulations that stipulate how thick we can paint the layers on the exterior, we were able to achieve the layered fade and the aesthetic goals the customer wanted while staying within the requirements,” Emily says. “The careful planning of our paint experts made it all possible. The aircraft certainly commands attention, and is one of my favorite paint projects.”
Emily says that Paint Layout Specialist III Dustin Noaeill spent a great deal of time on this project, working until everything was perfect.
“Dustin went in knowing this project was going to be complex and difficult,” Emily says. “Oftentimes, he wouldn’t talk to us while he was in the midst of planning because he liked to stay completely focused while working through the many layout challenges of this intricate design. He made it look just like what was intended, and it is absolutely amazing!”
Flight Controls and Layout Team Leader Kevin McGowan said his team came up with a completion plan for this paint scheme months before the aircraft arrived, discussing what it would take to complete the work and what the steps in the process would look like. The paint team put in over 211 hours to layout the scheme, used seven rolls of transfer material and 13 rolls of paint mask to complete the aircraft’s exterior transformation.
Project Manager Branden Hunt says this is the most complicated paint design his team has completed so far.
“This was definitely a unique design,” Branden says. “Paint Team Leader Allen McCormick and his team did an amazing job on this project.”
The contrasting light and dark colors of the exterior are consistent with the interior and share a common theme.
Completions and Modifications Sales Rep Adam Bruce says that this one-of-a-kind interior was highly customized to match the owner’s tastes.
“We provided several renderings and modification options before finally settling on a workscope that pushed our teams and, in the end, showcases all of our skills as a completion shop,” Adam says. “New techniques in hydrodipping and finish work lead the way on this job.”
The owner came to the table with a good idea of what he wanted and really wanted to stick with an interior he’d seen elsewhere. The challenge was to bring the design to life while working with his budget and time limitations. The Duncan Aviation team touched everything in the interior except the countertops in the galley.
The fully custom carpet features a tone-on-tone pattern with a geometric design, and was based on the inspiration in the original image the owner provided. The team was able to put together samples from vendors based on the images and designs from Emily. The carpet captured exactly what the owner wanted.
Because carbon fiber is so expensive and difficult to work with, the owner opted for a hydrographic carbon fiber look on the credenza top, lower galley front, drink rails, and card tables.
Emily says that hydrodipping is great because it is cost-effective, can be completed in less time, and is fully customizable because there are no limitations.
The bulkheads were painted a high-gloss black, which Emily says is getting more popular.
“We’ve been coming out of a matte trend design,” Emily says. The high-gloss piano black on this interior looks gorgeous.”
We also changed the doors on the galley to a standard cabinet door, where when you push them, they open and slide in.
The owner was extremely happy with how his aircraft turned out, as is the entire Duncan Aviation team.
“We started working on this project long before we even saw the aircraft,” Emily says. “I’m just really happy with how everything turned out. The craftsmanship, amount of time, and the pride our interior and exterior teams put into their work really shows.”
View the gallery, watch the hydrodipping video, listen to the podcast, and find out more about this Global Express XRS refurbishment here: www.DuncanAviation.aero/resources/global-express-xrs-refurbishment