Duncan Aviation has completed a striking and highly personalised Global Express refurbishment at its full-service MRO facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. The comprehensive event included a 120-month inspection, landing gear overhaul, Starlink installation, complete exterior paint, interior refurbishment and significant engineering work that transformed the cabin into a bold, functional and family-centred space.

As the aircraft approached its 10-year inspection, the customer had an important decision to make: replace the aircraft or invest in it and make it exactly what they wanted.

“This aircraft had served the owners well, and the 120-month event gave them the perfect opportunity to ask: do we keep it and make it ours or do we buy something new?” shares completion sales representative Matt Spain. “They had purchased the aircraft new, but this was the first time they were able to truly choose the design and functionality for themselves. That made the project especially exciting.”

By combining major maintenance, engineering, paint, avionics and interior work into a single visit, the owners were able to modernise their aircraft while avoiding multiple maintenance events and additional downtime.

From the beginning, the customer wanted something unique. The owners are creative, highly visual people, and the finished aircraft reflects that personality throughout the cabin and exterior.

The design evolved significantly from the first conversations with the customer's director of maintenance and chief pilot. Early concepts gave way to a bolder vision as the owner became more involved, drawing inspiration from personal style preferences and even elements from one of their homes.

“The project really took on the owner's personality,” reveals Duncan Aviation project manager Jennifer Morrill. “They wanted something artsy and different, and every aspect of the aircraft had something special about it. That made it exciting for our teams, because they were able to show the level of craftsmanship and creativity they're capable of.”

The final interior features a dramatic black theme, custom carpet with varied tones, new softgoods, luxury vinyl tile flooring in the entry and both lavatories, refreshed existing seats with a distinctive straight-line tuck-and-roll pattern, and lavatory upholstery styling that incorporate the same design elements used in the main cabin seating.

One of the most meaningful and technically complex elements of the refurbishment was a custom credenza modification designed around the way the family uses the aircraft.

The original credenza, located across from the conference table, was a more traditional height and configuration, with drawers and snack storage. The customer's family, however, often gathered in that area, with children lining up along the credenza to play games at the conference table. To better support that family-centred use, Duncan Aviation designed and built a new lower credenza with a cushioned top that functions as a comfortable gathering spot.

The credenza height was lowered and finished with an upholstered pad that visually ties into the cabin seating. The result is a more relaxed, usable area where passengers can sit together or stretch out. Remove the conference table entirely and the space becomes an area to comfortably hang out.

Engineering designer Olivia Swanson was assigned to the new credenza cabinet, which included two new in-flight positions and an overall design that aligned with the low-boy cabinet just aft of it for a cohesive cabin appearance.

“This was a substantial engineering effort,” comments Swanson. “The credenza was a new cabinet build custom-designed specifically for this aircraft. It had to fit the available space, flow into the adjacent cabinet and be certified for safe return to service.”

Swanson began with the design concept and a scan file of the incoming credenza captured during a site survey by structures engineer Aaron Haeffner prior to the aircraft's arrival. From there, she modelled the cabinet and created structural prints for the parts, assembly and installation. It was important that she worked closely with production, design and the engineer performing the structural analysis.

The most challenging part of the credenza design was the pocketing doors.

“There were a lot of moving parts,” Swanson continues. “We worked closely with production to specify the hardware and make the adjustments needed to get the doors to function properly.”

The finished credenza assembly model included more than 1,700 total parts, including individual brackets, fasteners, panels and other components.

The exterior paint scheme also went through numerous iterations before the customer landed on the final design. Concepts ranged from a globe on the tail to green-and-yellow and green-and-black combinations before the team finalised the bold black-and-red exterior.

Duncan Aviation paint team leader Brian Woolsey said the paint scheme immediately set the project apart: “The paint scheme is what made this project stand out. Laying out all of the black dashes on the aircraft was a challenge for the layout team, and another complex aspect was fading the red paint into the black paint on the afterbodies and thrust reversers.”

The finished result drew attention throughout the facility.

“The final result was fantastic,” Woolsey goes on. “This is one of the coolest aircraft we have painted in the 22 years I have been in the paint shop. It is not over the top, but it catches your attention at the same time.”

The aircraft's entry steps also became a distinctive design element. Duncan Aviation designed custom step treatments featuring stainless steel, black rubber and a red background that ties into the aircraft's exterior. The result is bold, durable and memorable from the moment passengers enter the aircraft.

The refurbishment also included a Starlink installation, supporting the owner's desire for strong inflight connectivity and entertainment. As avid sports fans, the owners wanted the ability to stay connected to live games and entertainment while travelling.

While the design details are eye-catching, the scope of the work behind the scenes was equally significant. The aircraft arrived for a 120-month inspection, one of the most extensive maintenance events for the airframe. Duncan Aviation also completed the landing gear overhaul, paint, interior, engineering and avionics before returning the aircraft to service.

“All of the shops in Lincoln touched this project,” says Morrill. “That is one of the things that made it so special. There were hundreds of team members involved, 410 to be exact, and everyone who touched it wanted to come see it when it was completed.”

As the project neared completion, team members from across the Lincoln facility stopped by the hangar to see the finishing touches come together.

“There was a level of excitement around this aircraft that you do not see on every project,” adds Morrill. “People were proud of the work, and they wanted to see how all of the individual pieces came together. It was a beautiful feeling in the hangar.”

The aircraft returned home following a squawk-free test flight.

“With a maintenance event of this size, a squawk-free test flight is the best outcome you can ask for,” says Morrill. “It speaks to the planning, communication and craftsmanship that went into the entire project.”

Operators approaching major inspection intervals can work with Duncan Aviation to combine maintenance, modernisation, paint, interior refurbishment, avionics and engineering projects into a single coordinated event.