A surge of orders for executive conversions of airliners and projections for continued buoyancy in the business aviation market at large has convinced Stork Aerospace to embark on a “major” expansion of its Fokker Services conversion and completions business. While it expects some of the demand to come from the maritime patrol and special missions market segments, Stork projects a particularly strong demand for completions of “green” aircraft and executive conversions of low-cycle airliners.   

Recent business includes orders for the conversion of a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet to executive configuration and the completion of a new Airbus A319CJ for the Stumpf Group of Germany.

Built just last year and arriving at Fokker Services in full airline configuration, the converted CRJ700 will carry 21 passengers and fly as far as 2,100 nm for an unidentified corporate customer.

Fokker Services’ newly established conversion and completion center at its Woensdrecht facility in southern Holland will perform the work, to include installation of new sidewall and ceiling panels, sound-proofing materials, satcom, IFE and cabin management systems.

Fokker Services plans to start the A319 completion next March at the same facility and deliver the airplane to Stumpf in September. The completion will entail the total design, engineering, certification and installation of a heavily customized interior made in cooperation with Germany’s Industrial Design Mahler. It will include four compartments–a private bedroom with an adjacent restroom with a shower, galley, lavatory and crew rest areas.

Fokker Services also announced a deal to install four extra fuel cells in the forward cargo hold on three VIP- configured Fokker 100s owned by Russian business aviation holding company Moscow Sky. The additional fuel will boost the range of the Fokker 100s to 2,700 nm.  It expects to gain EASA certification and deliver the first airplane next June.