Fokker to focus on green aircraft in bid to expand

Dutch specialist aims for bigger slice of VIP completions market as business booms

Fokker Services is seeking to widen its share of the VIP completions market with a particular focus on green widebody business jets. The Netherlands-based aircraft maintenance and support company says it is seeing an upsurge in its VIP completions business, based at its recently established dedicated facility at Woensdrecht in the south of the country.
Last month, the Stork Group subsidiary clinched a contract from an unnamed Middle Eastern customer to outfit a VIP Airbus A318 following delivery in the third quarter. The deal came hot on the heels of another contract, with Austrian investment company the Stumpf Group, to complete an A319 Corporate Jet (ACJ), which is due for delivery in March. "We are aiming for a lot more Airbus completions work and are also targeting Boeing to add the BBJ to our line-up," says Fokker.
It says the lack of "physical space" at the facility could pose a problem. "We are getting close to capacity both in terms of space and skilled employees." Fokker's aircraft maintenance and training school is proving an invaluable tool for introducing new skilled employees into the business. "It provides people for our MRO capability thereby allowing our experienced staff to move into VIP completions," it says. Fokker also taps into the skilled workforce of the country's flourishing yacht-building market, as it says there is significant overlap in the high quality of craftmanship required for both types of interiors.
Fokker plans to deliver two VIP-configured types this year, a Bombardier CRJ700 in April and the Stumpf A319 in October.
Fokker says it has not secured any customers for its customised F100 Executive Jet: "We are working on a number of customers, but the availability of suitable F100s has become the issue, as there are few available on the market."

Source: Flight International