Page 18 - AAA NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE CHINA AVIATION

We need to inspire and train entrepreneurs productivity, but expanding market share,
particularly in international markets and
on the one hand. On the other, we need developing new products – especially
to grasp key technology and become those with high technology content
– is more difficult,” he says. “Market
suppliers that provide customised, high- competition tends to occur in low-tech
value additional services to customers products and those with low additional
value. if we want to change this situation,”
he adds, “then we fundamentally need to
– Zhu Xiao, Executive Director, Sales and Supply Division, Ameco Beijing change people’s thinking.”
Underlining this point, Boeing agrees
that while great strides have already
been made, quality remains an issue,
and predicts 110,000 more trained
maintenance technicians will be needed
globalisation is also providing with tAeco in Xiamen, goodrich and to service china’s mainline jets over the
opportunities to chinese Mros in terms Honeywell for components, spirit next two decades.
of cost and services provided. in european Aerosystems for composite repairs, Zhu says that a change is needed,
countries, high labour and maintenance and dunlop for tires. pratt & Whitney from inherent, rigid economic planning-
costs put pressure on airlines; however, too has teamed up with china eastern based thinking, towards establishing
strategic partnerships in the Asia- Airlines to set up a cFM56 engine market-driven businesses underpinned
pacific region are reducing those costs overhaul facility in shanghai, which by good management and service. “We
while ensuring safe and effective fleet services the airline’s fleet as well as need to inspire and train entrepreneurs
operations, explains Zhu. “As service aircraft from third-party customers. on the one hand. on the other, we need
levels continue to improve, chinese Mro two other organisations also cater to to grasp key technology and become
enterprises will expand from the regional narrow-body engines: a partnership suppliers that provide customised, high-
scale and increasingly move into servicing between MtU Aero engines and value additional services to customers,”
international markets,” he adds. china southern in Zhuhai, and an st he observes.
Aerospace-Xiamen Airlines jV. He adds that if china can achieve
Component boosters in areas such as these, however, this through a combination of its own
in addition to the heavy end of the Mro quality is an obvious issue, especially development and foreign cooperation,
spectrum, smaller operations are as cost-based competition has caused it will in the process grow the services
ramping up for the expected expansion issues in the past, notes Ameco Beijing’s offered by chinese Mros to the point
in aviation products and services. other Zhu Xiao. “it is relatively straightforward where they are able to service both
jVs include HAeco’s agreements: to improve product quality and increase domestic and international customers.

ON THE UP
A steadily increasing spend on MRO in China is bucking the global trend since 2006 – with projections showing a continued
upswing. In the area of oil consumption, new ventures with biofuels should see the Chinese uptake of hydrocarbon fuel decrease.

18 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM