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Operator Profile: Casey Dufur

Spring 2013

Like most pilots experience in their flying careers, Casey Dufur was moving up�.not in his rank as Captain flying managers and executives for a Texas based business, but moving up to a larger more complex aircraft. In this case a King Air E90.

Word came down from management that the company needed more capability in its aircraft and an E90 was the perfect fit for the mission profile. Word was also that Casey needed to go find one. The challenge was that Casey wasn�t familiar enough with King Airs and would need help with a thorough pre buy.

An acquaintance of Casey operated a King Air. He asked him for the recommendation of a couple of quality King Air shops to assist in a pre buy inspection. His friend said there was only one he would trust�.Legacy Aviation Services.

Casey found the E90, Legacy performed the pre buy inspection and the deal was consummated�and a lasting relationship started between Casey Dufur and Legacy.

These days Casey flies his King Air more than 400 hours a year. That much flying calls for regular phase inspections, routine as well as unexpected aircraft maintenance, even some custom interior upgrades for passenger comfort. Legacy�s full service operation and intimate knowledge of the King Air has made it all possible.

Casey says Legacy knows what they are doing and they give him plenty of options that keep him flying and productive. But what Casey appreciates the most is �if they can help you, they are going to do it. There was a situation I had with the E90. I brought it straight to Legacy thinking it was going to keep us AOG for quite a while. But within a day I got a call saying the problem was found and I was ready to fly again�unbelievable service and King Air knowledge. I just can�t say enough good things about all the folks at Legacy.�

The only minor gripe Casey has about Legacy is the three hour drive home he has to endure when the aircraft needs to stay behind�but for the service and expertise he gets from Legacy, it more than makes the sacrifice worth it!

Doctor Flies Commander 690B from Bolivia for Service at Legacy

Spring 2013

Dr. Jorge Monasterio is a Bolivian citizen living in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. A former surgeon who practiced in the United States, today he spends entrepreneurial time operating a fleet of turbo-prop charter aircraft. Within his stable of working aircraft is a 690B and JetProp 900 Twin Commander. His company, Aeroeste Empresa de Servicios Aereos, provides transportation for oil and gas companies. It also provides air ambulance services with the JetProp Commander. The Commander 900 is equipped with a cargo door, and is used at least once a month for transporting Bolivians in need of specialized medical care to other South American countries including Colombia, Chile and Argentina.

When Twin Commander issued Service Bulletin 241, requiring an in depth airframe inspection and possible repair on the company�s 690B Commander, Dr. Monasterio knew his trusted friends at Legacy Aviation Services was the only place he�d have the inspection/repair done. His decision to use Legacy was made regardless of the 22 flight hours of distance between them (one way) and the fact there were other repair facility options available closer to his Bolivian home.

Legacy has been Dr. Monsterio�s �go-to� maintenance and repair facility for anything other than routine maintenance for many years now.

Dr. Monasterio became acquainted with the people at Legacy when he bought his first Commander, a 1977 690 model on the west coast of the U.S. in 1994 He found himself in Oklahoma City shortly thereafter at Downtown Airpark (the predecessor company to Legacy Aviation). It was there Dr. Monasterio was given some very unfortunate news; his newly acquired 690 Commander had airframe corrosion issues that were so severe, the cost to repair the corrosion far exceeded the value of the aircraft. The aircraft was scrapped.

Fortunately for Dr. Monasterio, there happened to be a very nice Commander 900 JetProp for sale right there. The deal was made and a trusted relationship was cemented.

So, when it came time to have SB241 performed Dr. Monasterio knew it was in his and his company�s best interest to fly the extra miles to Oklahoma City.

�Legacy fits my need perfectly,� said Dr. Monasterio. �I�ve known RJ for years. On a regular basis he gets us the parts we need to keep our Commanders flying and productive. And they are always delivered to us in a timely manner � which is essential � and his company�s work is the highest quality. His people are simply the best out there and they take care of their customers.�

The flight to Yukon, OK from Santa Cruz, Bolivia took three days, and a total of about 22 hours of flying. Dr. Monasterio�s son, Sebastian, flew the 690B over the Caribbean, to Honduras, landing in Brownsville, Texas before the three-hour final leg to Legacy. A former regional airline pilot in the U.S., Sebastian is chief of operations and Dr. Monasterio�s right hand in the company.

�I�m very pleased,� Dr. Monasterio added about Legacy�s proficiency in handling the service bulletin inspection and repair. �I feel comfortable leaving my mechanic with Legacy for a month while the work is being done.�

The company�s 690B became a Grand Renaissance in 2003 and was bought in Australia four years ago. The plane was flown across the Pacific to South America. �Legacy will make sure this plane continues to fly short and long distances for years to come,� commented RJ Gomez, CEO of Legacy.

Presently back in Bolivia, Dr. Monasterio doesn�t hesitate to reiterate his pleasure of Legacy�s quality service. �I hope to get back soon.� Whether for service or a round of golf he didn�t say.

Experience & Efficiency

Spring 2013

Mike Matthews (that�s with two T�s because he�s Irish) knows his way around an aircraft from the airframe to the paint scheme. Mike has been with Legacy Aviation for eight years and was with the Downtown Airpark crew before that.

Mike�s work career started in the manufacturing fiberglass boats and moved to manufacturing airplanes � specifically single-engines Commanders at Commander Aircraft � where he worked until joining Downtown Airpark in 2000. Part of Mike�s experience during his Commander time was working with sheet metal and honing his riveting skills. This experience led to airframe modifications/repair and working with Steve Reid, Legacy�s modification department head.

When Mike is ready to go to work, he means business. �I like to just get in there and fix it. In a way, that�s the only way to do it.� And he does it well, too. There have been situations when he and Steve have worked over the weekend on a modification or repair that simply had to get done. Come in on a Saturday morning and by Monday morning the project is finished and the customer is happy.

�Mike is someone who is dedicated to doing the best job possible,� commented RJ Gomez. �With the kind of experience Mike has, we leave him to do his work knowing that the customer will be pleased with the results.�

With about twenty plus Twin Commander Service Bulletin 237 modifications under his belt, Mike already had experience in working efficiently. That efficiency pays off for Twin Commander owners who are now coming in for the AD 2013-09-05 (formerly SB 241). Mike works closely with Steve Reid who was instrumental in the research and engineering of SB 241�s proper fix.

�On any modification that you do a number of times, you quickly learn ways to be more efficient,� Mike commented. �About fifty percent of the job is tear down and getting access to the airframe. With my interior experience I know what to look for when removing the cabin interior. With two interior guys working together, the job is even more efficient.�

When Mike isn�t working at Legacy, he can be found hanging out with his family or on his banjo � a passion since he was six years old. Mike plays anything from blue grass to Jefferson Airplane. �I used to play in a band but just play for fun now.�

Mike also enjoys living in Oklahoma and working at Legacy. �I like meeting and talking with the customers.� Added RJ, �We appreciate having a guy like Mike who knows how to efficiently get the work done, and to keep costs reasonable for our customers.�

Legacy Obtains Mexican Repair Authority

Spring 2013

The DGAC (Direcci�n General de Aeron�utica Civil) has granted Legacy Aviation Services authority to repair and service Mexican registered aircraft. The DGAC is the equivalent to the FAA in the United States and holds jurisdiction over Mexican airspace and aircraft.

What used to be a cumbersome procedure with tons of paperwork involved has been streamlined to permit Mexican aircraft to enter the US for regular repair and maintenance and also for special modifications with far less bureaucracy.

�Legacy is centrally located for US and Mexican aircraft,� said RJ Gomez, Legacy CEO. �With the repair authority, Mexican aircraft can receive services here at Legacy far easier than they could from a service center that does not have the DGAC approval. Legacy has always been a firm devoted to servicing our customers south of the border. Working to gain approval in receiving this authority is another example of how Legacy works to make our customers� experience better. Plus, se habla espa�ol.�

Legacy Awarded Twin Commander Silver Service Center of the Year

Spring 2013

For the fourth year in a row, Legacy Aviation Services Inc was presented the Silver Service Center of the Year Award at the biennial Twin Commander University held in Scottsdale, Arizona in April.

Handing the award to Raul (RJ) Gomez, Legacy�s President and CEO, was Matt Isley, President of Twin Commander Aircraft LLC. �Every two years when we offer the University to Commander owners and operators, we also take the time to acknowledge our dedicated service centers who keep our aircraft flying. Twin Commander Aircraft is proud to present Legacy Aviation Services with the Silver Award for all they have done, especially for their leadership,� Isley stated.

Isley went on to explain how Steve Reid, modification department head at Legacy, took a lead role in a service bulletin on the Twin Commander 690 models. For his contributions Reid received the Leadership Award / Maintenance Support. In addition to Reid�s award, Dennis Snow, Parts Manager, received the Bird-Dog Award for his relentless pursuit of finding parts � even hard to find parts � when needed. �Everyone at Legacy gives their innovative support for the fleet. That makes Legacy an outstanding service center,� Isley added.

�On behalf of our loyal customers, we�re proud to accept this award,� RJ added.