Following its $67.5 million acquisition of transparencies specialist
Pilkington Aerospace in July, GKN Aerospace Services (GKNAS) is
targeting further corporate aircraft windscreen and windows business
here at NBAA. The acquisition makes GKNAS the world's number two
transparency supplier in the civil aircraft market and number one
in the military sector.
The enlarged group now has transparencies flying aboard all Learjets
from the LJ23 to LJ60, Citation 500-series, Dassault Falcon family,
Gulfstream G100, Hawker 800XP, Embraer Legacy and ERJ series, and
the Boeing BBJ.
GKNAS is also looking to expand its composites structure presence
in bizjets. Graham Chisnall, director of strategy and engineering,
told Show News, "As the leading independent supplier of primary
composite airframe structures, we want to position ourselves as
being a 'Partner of Choice' to the 'primes' and take over more of
the manufacturing operations for them. The benefits of composite
structures will rapidly invade business aviation jets as their acceptance
grows, and we can offer design, build and certification in-house.
"We believe that the trends that have blown through the defense
field (70% of GKNAS's work is military related) and recently through
the commercial airliner market are going to start blowing through
business jet manufacture in due course, especially as recurring
costs of composite structures manufacture become more competitive.
Falcon Gets the Bird
GKNAS recently qualified its latest F-16 fighter canopy against
a four-pound birdstrike at 550 kt-equivalent of a forty-ton
truck hitting you at 30 mph.
"Our view is that the primes will always keep the overall
integration responsibilities and final assembly. The model is well
established, Bombardier has worked this way for some time, and Boeing
is thinking along the same lines on its next program. We see a great
opportunity for us to grow into that space," said Chisnall.
The company's composite engine nacelles and/or tailcones are flying
on the Bombardier Challenger 300, CRJ700/900, Dash 8Q, and Dassault
Falcon 50EX and it also supplies the airstair for the Global Express.
Integration of tailcones with APUs and engines into nacelles is
a specialty, and the company is looking to increase its wing, slat
and empennage assembly business. Here at NBAA GKNAS is showing off
its latest composite engine nacelle for the Challenger 300.
