Page 18 - AAA JULY - AUGUST 2013 Online Magazine

FeATure Mro in AsiA

Matrimonial MRO We’ve developed an intimate understanding
Indeed, JVs are cropping up across the of our customers’ requirements for high-
whole range of MRO activity, and not just
in power plant and airframe maintenance. quality MRO services … to both respond to and
Eurocopter’s CGAMEC joint venture with anticipate their needs
the CITIC Offshore Helicopter Company
and Samwell Aviation added rotor blade
repair and rotary gearboxes testing to its – Marc Duvall, President, Aerostructures, UTC Aerospace Systems
capabilities last year. The Shenzhen-based
operation is one of the first Sino-foreign
JVs established in the general aviation new avionics workshop to be opened by its capabilities across Asia, says Duvall.
maintenance, repair and overhaul field, the end of the year in Shanghai. The agreement enables ST Aerospace
with approval from both the Civil Aviation But, as Lufthansa Technik’s Reinert to offer a comprehensive range of nacelle
Administration of China (CAAC) and the notes, it’s not simply a case of waltzing MRO services using UTC Aerospace
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). in and nailing a sign to a hangar door. Systems’ repair processes. ST Aerospace
That it has been successfully operating “Certainly there are a lot of efforts before will invest in a wide range of repair and
since 2001 is a sign that JVs work – but [the rewards] can harvested; it needs overhaul capabilities, and will maintain
need careful management and an ‘eyes time, understanding and the willingness an inventory of aircraft components and
open’ approach if they are to take off. to find solutions and compromises,” he parts to support the new initiative.
“MRO [operators] should go to Asia says. As Airbus’ Anderson notes, the So assuming the JV has done its due
without worrying too much about IP loss, provision needs to be established not just diligence both at provision and training
different standards and culture,” says AFI to keep the company name in lights, but level, Asia can offer some compelling
KLM’s Moreau. “Asia is no longer a market as a response to the needs of the local business opportunities, says Moreau.
for overseas MROs alone since more and customer. With the recognition that they He says the outcome can be good for
more capabilities have been established may not be exactly the same as needs both parties, as long as the ‘marriage’ is
locally,” he adds. Moreau asserts that if elsewhere in the world. carefully considered first.
foreign MROs want to survive in the Asian “Over the years, we’ve developed an Captain Hameed Ali, Acting CEO of Jet
market, they have to come to Asia to set intimate understanding of our customers’ Airways, emphasises the importance of
up a foothold locally. “The sooner [they] requirements for high-quality MRO what he calls a “trust-based relationship”
come, the larger are the opportunities.” services with rapid turnaround times, when he describes the process of looking
According to Moreau, being adaptive is which enables us to both respond to for and selecting an MRO operator. This
key to a successful JV for MROs in Asia. and anticipate their needs,” says Marc applies especially for what is a relatively
He cites AFI KLM E&M’s success as the Duvall, President, Aerostructures, at UTC new airline, yet with an extensive network
first major MRO to set up a joint company Aerospace Systems. UTC recently signed and high operating requirements.
for component repairs in India, and the an agreement with ST Aerospace to extend “The know-how acquired by [the MRO

NEw MODELS
Instead of taking a ‘it’s broken or out of hours – let’s fix it’ approach to MRO,
increasing numbers of consumers and providers are looking for new models.
Rolls-Royce, for example, introduced TotalCare in 1997. The concept is
designed to avoid disruption to airline operations as a result of maintenance
or engine problems, and charges on a fixed dollar/flying hour basis. Being
able to predict MRO costs on a working-hours basis makes reliability and time
on wing a predictable element for both airline and OEM. Likewise, in terms
of spares stockholding and availability, Spairliners is changing stockholding
costs. It stocks various components for a range of aircraft and provides for
Asian-based airlines like Qantas, and Malaysia Airlines and more. It offers
spare parts inventory, logistics and warehousing, plus maintenance and repair
all in one place. “To continue the success of a joint venture between two well-
recommended MROs by entering a new market is a challenging task,” says
Sven-Uve Hueschler, Managing and financial Director.

18 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS JULY / AUGUST 2013 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM