Avionics News January 2015 - 24

MeMber

Profile

QF AVIONICS
CENTER

LOCATION:
Box 27126
Red Deer, AB T4N 6X8
Canada
PHONE: 403-886-4306 OR 877-886-4306

QF Avionics Center sees
shift in customers
S T O R Y

B Y

C H R I S T I N E

A

t Red Deer Regional Airport, halfway between
Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta, Canada, QF
Avionics Center owner and founder Bob Marryat
eyes the schedule. An avionics retrofit for a Lockheed L-188
Electra, a Garmin 400W IFR GPS system and Sandel TAWS
installation on a Jetstream 32, and a new Bird Dog aerial fire
suppression package installation on an Aero Commander 690
- it's a big shift from the small-scale general aviation aircraft
Marryat focused on just a decade ago.
A dedicated avionics specialist, QF Avionics Center provides
line maintenance, installations, modifications and bench repair
for general aviation fixed-wing and rotary-wing operators. The
company draws customers from Alberta and the Northwest
Territories who would rather avoid the two busy international
airports that bookend QF's location.
A changing business
Marryat has nearly four decades of experience in the
industry. After attending the Southern Alberta Institute
of Technology, he worked for Air Canada in Montreal,
and later for a local avionics shop before starting his own
business in 1979.
"I started as a one-man shop," Marryat said. "My wife, Ann,
helped with the bookkeeping part time. We've grown over the
years. We have three more technicians. Ann works full time,
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january

2015

K N A U E R

managing the office, paperwork and financials. In the beginning,
most of my business was small, private airplanes but in the last
10 to 15 years, it has evolved to more commercial operators."
Today, Marryat and his crew help install, maintain and repair
avionics for Air Spray, a forest fire suppression company,
operating Electras and Aero Commanders. QF Avionics Center
will spend much of this winter outfitting another Electra with
all-new avionics and electronics. It will be brought online as an
air tanker to carry fire retardant.
"The process requires a lot of sheet metal work, as well
as structural work on the airframe to prepare the aircraft for
firefighting," Marryat said. "While another shop handles
the structural work, we'll work alongside, installing
the avionics. It will take about three or four months to
complete."
QF also provides avionics service for two airlines -
Northwestern Air Lease and Buffalo Airways. Northwestern
Air Lease operates a small scheduled airline and charter
service that utilizes turboprops. Buffalo Airways transports
cargo and passengers, in addition to providing fire
suppression, operating all types of aircraft, including the
Electra, Douglas DC-3, Canadair CL-215 and others.
"I've always done work for those types of operators
but it's just become more prevalent over the years, and
probably for a couple of reasons," Marryat said. "I believe
Avionics News January 2015

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