Stork Fokker signs contract with Airborne Composites for delivery Gulfstream G650 parts

On October 17, 2008, Fokker Aerospace Group and Airborne Composites havesigned in Papendrecht a 7 year contract for the engineering and manufacturing of composites overhang panels for the empennage of the Gulfstream G650 aircraft. The composite overhang panels are part of the empennage wing surfaces and are made of carbon-fibre epoxy with honeycomb sandwich. Within the contract, ship sets containing 38 different panels will be delivered as part of the Fokker Aerospace G650 empennage program. Airborne Composites will design the product as well as the tooling. The first ship sets will be manufactured in The Hague facility in the Netherlands. From 2010, the series manufacturing of the panelswill be transferred to the sister organisation in Catalunya, Spain.

This G650 overhang panel contract is the first complete design and build package that will be subcontracted from Fokker Aerospace to Airborne, after years of successful teaming regarding engineering services and manufacturing development programs. Mr. Brinkman, Managing Director of Airborne Composites in Spain said, “We are proud to work with Fokker Aerospace Group in this design & build Gulfstream program. With the Airborne International group of companies we offer our client an innovative development partner nearby in Hollandand engineering and production capabilities in the south of Europe. This important contract and potential follow up work will bring our recently started facility in Spain to a next level.”

Toine Verbruggen, Vice President procurement of Fokker Aerospace Group said " the close collaboration of Fokker Aerospace Group and Airborne, in the state of the art composite applications in the G650empennage confirms the strong position of both companies as experts in composite aerospace applications".

Fokker Aerospace Group is responsible for the design and manufacturing of the empennage of the G650 aircraft of US aircraft builder Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD). This business jet will be the new top-end model of the very successful Gulfstream business jet family. With its ultra large cabin and ultra-long range, the G650 establishes a new price and performance point for business-jet aircraft. Since 1993 Fokker Aerospace Group participates in the highly successful GV program of Gulfstream. The 1st GV tail was delivered in 1995 andmore then 400 tails have been delivered since. Fokker Aerospace Group develops and produces advanced structures and electrical systems for the aviation and aerospace industry, and supplies integrated services and products to aircraft owners and operators.

Airborne Composites has established itself as a recognized design and build company for high-end composite structures and components. The applications are found mainly in the (aero)space, astronomyand high-end machine component markets. Through Airborne's combined expertise of design & build, Airborne can cover the complete development, from concept to qualification and product realization. Airborne Composites has two engineering and manufacturingsites in The Hague (the Netherlands) andGirona (Spain).