Andrew Doyle/MUNICH
Fokker Services has launched legal action against the estate of bankrupt Fokker Aircraft in a row over new costs it claims have been imposed on its purchase of technical data and production equipment for JetLine wing parts.
A subsidiary of Stork, Fokker Services agreed to buy the assets - secured under the estate's settlement with Bombardier's Shorts unit, which built wings for the Fokker 70 and 100s - from bankruptcy trustees acting as "re-sellers".
Sources close to the dispute claim that Shorts experienced problems in handing over the assets as scheduled, with the result that Fokker Services, say the trustees, is "-holding the estate liable for its inability to transfer the information in full".
Fokker Services, Shorts and the trustees are holding "intensive talks" to broker a solution to limit the damage to other creditors, including Fokker operators.
Stork adds that the supply of spares by Fokker Services is "definitely not in danger", while Shorts will say only that "-there was a dispute, but we believe we are very close to resolving it".
Stork's planned purchase of Fokker's stake in Belgian maintenance company SABCA - valued at NLG80 million ($40 million) - has been frozen, with Stork aiming to negotiate a lower price.
nThe Fokker trustees are disputing a NLG140 million tax demand from the Dutch authorities, which believe that money raised from the liquidation should be treated as taxable income. NLG640 million payment to creditors has already been delayed by the row, but should go ahead in the next few weeks.
Source: Flight International
