In April, Duncan Aviation’s facility in Battle Creek, Michigan, delivered a Falcon 900EX EASy to its new owners. When the aircraft left the facility, it sported a new paint scheme; a completely renovated interior; and an enhanced audio/video experience delivered by a newly installed CMS from Cabin Management Solutions.
“Partnering with Duncan Aviation on this Falcon 900EX upgrade is an exciting milestone,” said Troy Michaels, president and managing partner of Cabin Management Solutions. “This aircraft holds special significance for us at Cabin Management Solutions, as it was the first to feature our Explore cabin controls back in 2021. Bringing it up-to-date with our high-end Empire system elevates the inflight experience to match the most advanced home-theatre setups. We have immense respect for Duncan Aviation and look forward to continuing to collaborate on future projects.”
Duncan Aviation senior avionics sales rep Mike Morgan pointed out that the aircraft’s new owners specifically wanted to be able to feel the sound; they wanted more volume and more bass. They were also concerned about the low resolution on the proud-mounted monitors and thought they stuck out a bit from the bulkhead.
To achieve more robust sound and clearer, crisper video, Morgan recommended upgrading the existing Cabin Management Solutions CMS to its higher-end components. The modular Evolve system includes the Elevate HD Sound System, Empire 4K UHD series monitors, and 4K Aux Input Panel (4K HDMI, USB-C and BT Audio).
“The new system has the ability to either display the same audio/video content on the high-resolution, 4K UHD monitors that are now flush-mounted in the forward and aft cabins for a clean look, or display different content simultaneously,” said Morgan. “So, the passengers in the forward cabin could enjoy their enhanced sound system while continuing to work on their personal devices, while another group watched movies and played games in the aft cabin.”
The original system included just one audio amplifier, so avionics techs installed two new amplifiers, one in the forward and one in the aft cabin to produce the greater volume and bass the owners wanted.
Another feature Morgan touted in the CMS is the upgraded, 4K version of Moving Maps. The new Evolve system delivers 3D topography and, using a downloadable app, displays the new map wirelessly on personal devices brought aboard the aircraft.
“In addition, we were able to further customise the moving map capabilities to include the aircraft’s custom paint scheme to the video,” said Morgan. “What that means is we take a rendering of your own aircraft’s paint scheme and apply that as a high-resolution, 3D model of your aircraft in the Moving Maps’ video. It’s a really cool feature!”
The avionics install team at Duncan Aviation also installed Gogo’s Plane Simple Ku-band connectivity solution to provide global, high-speed broadband. In addition to keeping passengers connected, it allows multiple passengers to optimise features on their own devices.
The director of maintenance for the owners texted Morgan after flying the newly renovated and upgraded Falcon 900EX EASy home. “We made it home to Dallas with zero issues,” he said. “The owners were here to see it when we landed, and they love it! I watched a movie streaming on the Apple TV all the way home, and it looked and sounded great! You guys did a great job! Tell all the techs who worked on it that we said ‘Thank you, and great job!’ Thanks for all of your hard work.”
