Page 47 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2017 Online Magazine

SPECIAL REPORT

RIGHT: Domestic MRO units in
China are well equipped to handle
the overhaul needs for current
aircraft models in operation

OPPOSITE BOTTOM: OEMs are
now starting to establish their own
maintenance networks, offering
hourly repair and innovative
maintenance models to attract
customers
entire group. The most widely used engine foreign OEMs for repair. At the same time, and repairs. Among the 286 units engaged
models in the Chinese market are CFM56 OEMs are now starting to establish their in fuselage maintenance, 177 units perform
series (59.96 percent), V2500 series (18.69 own maintenance network, implementing only fuselage maintenance, 86 engage in line
percent) and RB211 series (7.76 percent). At hourly repair and other maintenance models maintenance only. Domestic maintenance
present, the 60 domestic maintenance units to attract customers, and constantly expand units have already equipped the overhaul
capable of engine repairs can meet the basic towards the maintenance realm. There are capability for most aircraft models currently
maintenance and overhaul demand of the 13 repairing units for propeller maintenance, in operation, except Boeing 747-8 (introduced
main domestically-used engines types and such as Wuhan Hangda, Maintenance in 2014) and Boeing 787-8 models (in use
variants. These engine models include CFM56 factory of CAAC Flying College, Harbin recently), and can meet the basic domestic
series, V2500 series, RB211 series, CF34 Xinlong, Sichuan Aote and other units, fuselage maintenance demand. China’s four
series and PW4000 series. Other models mainly targeting general aviation customers major airlines have already established joint
of engines are sent to foreign maintenance to provide propeller repair and renovation ventures in the fuselage overhaul industry,
units for repair and renovation. As the engine business. There are 129 service units for setting up companies such as Air China
maintenance industry is characterised by special operations maintenance, providing Ameco, China Southern Airlines GAMECO,
technical monopoly of the Original Equipment special services for non-destructive testing, China Eastern Airlines STARCO and Hainan
Manufacturer (OEMs): the threshold of entry spraying, heat treatment, electroplating and Airlines GCAM, providing maintenance for
is relatively high and thus the number of welding. their fleets while undertaking many domestic
industry maintenance units is relatively low, The total number of maintenance units and foreign third-party aircraft overhaul
the depth of maintenance capacity relatively approved by CAAC is 838, of which 393 are businesses. For aircraft modification
limited. Hence domestic demand for engine foreign / regional maintenance units, 445 are services, for example, passenger-to-
maintenance remains large and the future domestic ones (including 45 maintenance freighter conversion, companies capable of
market potential for engine MRO remains units from transport airlines), and 126 are providing such services are TAECO (Xiamen
relatively big in China. JMM approved maintenance units (Including Taigu), STAECO (Shandong Taigu), Ameco
In 2015, there were 214 domestic 19 from Hong Kong and Macao). Among the Chengdu Branch and GAMECO.
repairing units engaged in component 445 maintenance units operating under the
maintenance, out of which 100 were CCAR-145 Department, 286 can engage
performing component repairs only. China’s in fuselage maintenances and repairs
parts and accessories maintenance industry (including line maintenance), 60 can engage
is still dominated by domestic business, with in power unit maintenances and repairs,
limited international business and relative 13 can engage in propeller maintenances
lack of core repair capacity. Due to OEM, and repairs, 214 can engage in component
technical information and other restrictions, maintenances and repairs, and 129 can
some products still need to be sent to engage in special operations maintenances
WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA JANUARY / MARCH 2017 MAINTENANCE REPAIR OVERHAUL 47