B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 1 - (Page 82) COMPLETIONS N BA A 2007 continued from page 80 shortages of Nomex honeycomb material and specialty tapes. “You don’t expect six to eight weeks of lead time to some tape, but even that’s happening.” “Seats are a very long lead time,” he adds. L-3, he told Show News, because it’s recognized by the FAA as a designated alteration station, was recently able to adapt Webber seats that were built for an MD-11 to a 767 for PrivatAir—“We delivered it six weeks earlier than we quoted,” McAlpin says. He’s quick to caution, however, that he can’t do that every time. Completion companies are warning, in effect, that they can’t take on any more work. “We are striving to grow smartly and undertake programs that fit within our ability to perform as promised,” says Greenpoint’s Hadley. “It takes us two years to build up a new line— not because we are slow, but because we are careful,” says Heerdt of Lufthansa Technik. “We must [also] follow a careful path to get qualified people.” “It’s our intention to engage this market responsibly,” says McAlpin. “We’re only going to book projects as we feel we have the capacity to perform them. We’re just not going to overbook.” —Rich Piellisch DeCrane Aerospace Roger Wolfe, who served as chief executive of Landmark Aviation until its recent sale to Dubai Aerospace, was named CEO of DeCrane Aerospace this month. The former DeCrane Aircraft Holdings not only has a new name, but is talking up a new mission, purveying integrated interior packages rather than separate components—most of which it can make itself. Peshtigo, WI-based DeCrane Aerospace is the parent company of DeCrane Aerospace Systems and DeCrane Aerospace Interior Products, which itself has seating and precision pattern units. The various businesses offer comprehensive aircraft interior products and services including cabinetry, veneer products, seating and other aircraft furnishings, as well as entertainment, cabin management and communication systems and composite parts and assemblies. DeCrane Fokker Services Fokker Services was named an ACJ completions center earlier this year and at EBACE reported its first customer: the Austria-based Stumpf Group, with its aircraft at Fokker Services’ Woensdrecht facility in southern Holland. An undisclosed Middle Eastern customer has contracted with Fokker for an A318 completion as well. “We feel very privileged to become an AirbusApproved Outfitter,” said Fokker Services president Hans Berends van Loenen. “Completions is one of the strategic growth areas of our company.” “Strong demand for Airbus Corporate Jetliner Family aircraft means that there is a shortage of including a deluxe, two-sink lav (computer-generated images). Aerospace Systems also owns PATS Aircraft, which makes fuel tanks for Boeing Business Jets, and Hollingsead International, which produces custom composite avionics racks, fully wired installation kits, AAC has just released concepts for outfitting the Boeing 747 electrical interfaces and Associated Air Center retrofit kits for inflight entertainment, commuAssociated Air Center was established at Dallas nication and navigation systems. “More and more customers are seeking inteLove Field (DAL) in 1948 and is part of Landmark Aviation and affiliated with Standard Aero, all grated solutions for aircraft interiors, and with the owned by Dubai Aerospace Enterprise. Although restructuring, DeCrane is now organized to dea new corporate entity, DAE already boasts some liver this better than ever,” said Wolfe, noting that $1.3 billion in combined annual revenue, special- providing total cabin packages permits “faster turnizing in engine maintenance, repair and over- around time and maximum efficiency.” The comhaul, and nose-to-tail services that include airframe, pany said its “total cabin” capability was interior refurbishments and paint for business and “instrumental in establishing an agreement with general aviation, air transport and military aircraft. Embraer to complete the interiors” for its new topAAC is in the engineering division of DAE and of-the-line Lineage 1000 business jet, a VIP veroffers luxury and VIP interiors for transport-size sion of the E-190 airliner. Wolfe has nearly 30 years of aviation industry aircraft. DAE Engineering companies comprise a global services network of a dozen primary facili- experience, including several management posities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Singapore and tions with Honeywell Aerospace before taking the Australia, with an additional 14 regionally located CEO job at Landmark a couple of years ago. Deservice and support locations. AAC is at Booth 5365. Crane is at Booth 2857. 82 cabin outfitting capacity,” said Airbus customers COO John Leahy. “In approving Fokker Services, following a thorough audit of its capabilities, we will be able to offer further choice in this specialized field.” Fokker Services says it views the Middle East as the area to generate the largest demand for its VIP completion services on large-cabin single-aisle business jets. Market analysis done during 2006 strongly suggests that a combination of increasing oil revenues, changing travel patterns for many affluent Middle Eastern passengers, and upscaling from smaller business jets has resulted in a substantially higher demand for large-cabin singleaisle VIP aircraft. “Significant demand for such aircraft is also emanating from the Russian market,” Leahy said. Fokker Services is a unit of Netherlands-based Stork Aerospace. It is at Booth 4723. Gore Design Completions “To have the opportunity to customize an Airbus is truly an honor,” Gore Design Completions CEO Jerry Gore said as the firm publicized its first green ACJ job last month. “This is really a dream project for our team.” The aircraft will reside in GDC’s 120,000-sq-ft San Antonio hangar for approxicontinued on page 84 September 25, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews
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