Gallery: Fokker Services Group Expands Amsterdam Shops

Fokker Services Group (FSG) doubled the size of its integrated drive generator (IDG) shop at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport earlier this year to meet an increase in customer demand. Aviation Week Network toured FSG’s Amsterdam facility to see how the company is incorporating ongoing improvements across its repair business. 

The expanded IDG shop currently repairs around 60 units a month, but FSG plans to grow this capacity by double digits year-over-year.

As part of the expansion, FSG added more test benches and an automated machine (pictured here) to clean IDG housings and piece parts. The company says automating this process eliminates employees’ exposure to chemicals and provides sustainability benefits since it reuses 95% of the liquids and solvents used.

At MRO Americas in April 2024, FSG announced that its MRO facility in LaGrange, Georgia would also open a repair shop for IDGs. The U.S. shop will initially focus on Collins Aerospace-manufactured IDGs for Boeing 747s, 757s and 767s, but eventually expand capabilities to other platforms.

According to FSG, the decision to build an IDG shop in the U.S. was driven partially by growing demand, as well as customers’ considerations around sustainability and nearshoring.

Now that the IDG shop expansion is complete at FSG’s Schiphol facility, the company is working to expand its avionics shop.

According to Roderick Moerland, head of programs at FSG, the company has continually invested in new avionics test equipment to keep up with the latest technology developments and grow its capabilities.

The Schiphol avionics shop now has three ATEC automated test equipment benches. One is specifically dedicated to the Boeing 737NG and two are dedicated to Airbus platforms.

Moerland says FSG is unique because it specializes in avionics board repairs rather than just board swaps.

FSG uses X-ray equipment to check for damage that would be difficult to see with the human eye. The shop also has a flying probe tester to perform automated measurements.

Although FSG has invested in a lot of new avionics equipment, it has also retained a focus on testing equipment for legacy platforms. “We have invested quite significantly in these because most of the test equipment is rather old,” says Moerland. “If something fails in that test equipment, either you have to repair it yourself or you just lose your capability.” He notes that FSG also builds much of its own avionics test equipment.

To make room for its expanded repair shops at Schiphol, FSG relocated its logistics activities to its nearby Hoofddorp warehouse. The warehouse features technologies such as Kardex vertical lift systems, automated parts conveyor belts and digitalized documentation software.

The warehouse supports FSG’s various business lines and component exchange programs, and it holds inventory for a wide variety of aircraft, including ATR, Boeing, Bombardier, De Havilland Canada and Fokker platforms.

As the OEM for out-of-production Fokker aircraft, FSG's warehouse also supports continued operation for these platforms. “You’ll still see a lot of Fokker parts. It’s not the main part of the business, but we’re still the OEM, so if nobody has the part, we still have it,” says FSG Co-CEO Roland van Dijk.

The Hoofddorp warehouse also plays a key role in supporting FSG’s contract with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). FSG renewed its contract with the RNLAF by another five years at Farnborough this year. Through the partnership, FSG provides standard parts, expendables and services for RNLAF’s aircraft and helicopters.

FSG operates daily shuttles between the warehouse and RNLAF’s bases. According to Franck Scherer, director of material services, FSG has so far delivered more than 100,000 orders for standard parts and maintained on-time delivery performance of 98% since the beginning of the contract.