An interview with DJ van Heerden
Derk-Jan van Heerden,
President, Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) & founder, Aircraft End-of-Life Solutions (AELS)
Q Can you just explain what AFRA and AELS do?
A AFRA is the branch organisation for all stakeholders related to aircraft end-of-life management. These are companies doing the actual aircraft disassembly but also OEMs, lessors, airlines, leasing companies, et cetera. AFRA has an accreditation programme for companies disassembling aircraft and/or recycling materials. AELS is a company providing end-of-life solutions to the aviation industry. We disassemble aircraft for all kinds of owners. We recycle the remaining materials and manage the reintroduction of the components into the aviation sector.
Q What attracted you to the ReMaTec show in Amsterdam?
A I was asked to be there, and I am interested to see the synergies and learn from other industries.
Q So do you think you can learn from remanufacturers in other sectors?
A Yes, why not?
Q And what can they learn from you in aviation?
A Safety is an important factor in the aviation sector. A technically incorrect part can have disastrous effects. The quality systems we have in place are state of the art and I think something other people can learn from. Also, aircraft are designed for maintenance and therefore for the remanufacturing of components in the aircraft. Why is this and can this be copied?
