On Sep. 16th, Aircraft Maintenance & Engineering Corporation, Beijing (Ameco Beijing) participates in Aviation Expo China 2015 in Beijing, which is its first show after the integration with Air China Technics in the end of May, 2015.
The present Ameco is established via the merger of Air China’s in-house MRO arm Air China Technics and the former Ameco that is an MRO JV company between Air China and Lufthansa German Airlines. After integration, Ameco is still a joint venture between Chinese flag carrier Air China and Lufthansa German Airlines, with Air China holding 75% shares and Lufthansa holding the rest.
Chai Weixi has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Ameco Beijing.
Headquartered in Beijing, with more than 11000 employees, Ameco currently consists of a Beijing Base and nine branches located in Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Hohhot, Shanghai, Guiyang, Wuhan and Guangzhou. It possesses maintenance licenses from almost 30 countries or regions, including CAAC, FAA and EASA. It has more than 160 maintenance stations at home and abroad, forming a large maintenance network worldwide.
Currently, Ameco’s hangars and facilities are mainly located in Beijing and Chengdu. At Beijing Capital International Airport, it operates two four-bay hangars, capable of accommodating respectively Airbus A380 aircraft for maintenance and four Boeing 747 aircraft for overhaul simultaneously, together with a one-bay hangar for Boeing 747’s overhaul and painting. The above-mentioned hangars suffice all the maintenance layover requirement of various main-route-operated aircraft types in the market at present. Ameco is also running a hangar for business jets services in Beijing.
At Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Ameco has a Boeing 757 three-bay hangar and an Airbus A321 three-bay hangar for letter checks and heavy maintenance services, meeting the layover requirement of all maintenance levels on Boeing 737NG series, Boeing 757 and Airbus aircraft up to the A340. Another painting hangar can house the aircraft as large as an Airbus A330. A hangar for line maintenance is under construction at present that could house an Airbus A330 and two Airbus A321 aircraft at the same time. Chongqing, Hangzhou, Tianjin and Hohhot each have a hangar to meet the maintenance layover requirement of Boeing 737NG series and Airbus A320 series.
After integration, the two shareholders will exert their advantages in the aspects of management, technology and third-party markets to coordinate resources and optimize business sectors, and ensure Ameco becomes a competitive MRO provider with high reputation in the world.
The former Ameco was established in 1989 and it was a joint venture between Air China (60%) and Lufthansa (40%). As the first independent MRO provider in China Civil Aviation Industry, it enjoyed a high reputation in both domestic and international market. Air China Technics was a subsidiary of Air China and it was established in 2004. Headquartered in Beijing, it had nine maintenance bases located in Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Hohhot, Shanghai, Guiyang, Wuhan and Guangzhou, mainly providing engineering management and aircraft maintenance for Air China fleet.
Ameco Develops V2500 Overhaul Capability
In late August, a V2500 engine of Air China was inducted into Ameco engine workshop in Beijing for overhaul, which is the first event for Ameco after the capability approval in this June.
Ameco launched V2500 project in 2011. In June 2015, the Air China and Lufthansa MRO joint venture completed the test cell calibration, marking the success of capability development. By the end of June, Ameco’s capability application on V2500-A5 series has been approved by CAAC, FAA and EASA. Thus, Ameco has been authorized to provide overhaul and modification on V2500-A5 series.
The service on V2500-A5 series as a new product will help promote Ameco’s market competitiveness and enable it to serve more customers at home and abroad.
In addition to V2500-A5 series, Ameco overhauls PW4000 series and RB211-535E4 series, also provides QEC kit and module change on CFM56 series.
Besides, Ameco Chengdu Branch has been authorized by Honeywell Aerospace as a warranty repair station for GTCP 131-9A/B auxiliary power units since November of 2014, which made it the first MRO provider in China for this service.
Ameco Expands Boeing 747-8I Overhaul
Ameco is committed to upgrading Boeing 747-8I maintenance from 5A check to 2C check after nearly one year’s line maintenance for eight Air China 747-8Is, aiming at seeking more opportunities for overhaul business in the global market. The related training, tooling, documents and material are coming to be completed in the next few months for CAAC approval.
Ameco to expand ARC repair capability
Ameco is dedicated to developing Aircraft Related Components (ARC) repair capability coupled with composite repair.
Since October 2014, Ameco has been involved in building up the thrust reverser repair for narrow-bodies in terms of personnel, tooling, equipment, material and documents. It plans to apply for CAAC approval in near months.
Ameco completed first inlet duct repair on Airbus A330 in this April, marking its repair services extending to Airbus series after its full capabilities on Boeing series.
In July, Ameco expands radome repair on Airbus series. Before that, Ameco is capable of providing radome repair for all Boeing series and A330.
Ameco Completes Dismantling for Boeing 737
August 8 marked the end of a Boeing 737-700 which was stripped for spares, and it is the first 737 disassembly service for Ameco, which is carried out for GA Innovation China (GAIC).
The disassembly covers more than one thousand high value-added parts such as engines, thrust reversers, APU, LE slats, TE flaps, flap tracks, spoilers, elevators, rudders, heat exchangers, external antennas, partial seats, slides and others. The fuselage teardown will be handled by GAIC.
This is not the first time Ameco does disassembly with GAIC. Ameco once parted out an Air China Boeing 747 in September 2013. GAIC Innovation, a joint venture founded in early 2013 between GA Telesis and Air China, acquired the aircraft for the value of its parts. In the near future, Ameco will continue to cooperate with GAIC for more disassembly services.
Ameco Develops Airbus A350 Line Maintenance Capability
At present, Ameco is carrying out a training of Airbus A350 type for undertaking an international customer’s line maintenance work. Besides this type, Ameco will also provide line maintenance of Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 for this long-term customer.
With the line maintenance workload increasing in third-party international, Ameco’s market share is close to 50% in Beijing Capital International Airport. Ameco has signed contracts with eight international customers during the past eight months, which enabled its third-party international customers to reach more than 70.
Besides Beijing, Ameco also provides line maintenance service for third-party international customers in Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Qingdao.
Ameco’s line maintenance service covers all Boeing and Airbus series, including Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.
Ameco Becomes First FADEC-ECU MRO Supplier in China
Up to this August, Ameco has repaired 20 sets of electronic engine control/engine control units (EEC/ECU). In the end of 2014, Ameco passed FADEC audit and verification, which makes Ameco the first ECU MRO supplier approved by OEM in China.
Ameco’s FADEC-ECU repair capabilities are based on ATEC6 Testing Stand and are mainly suitable for engine series of CFM56-5B/7B and V2500, as well as CF6-80, which covers Airbus A320 series, Boeing 737NG or Boeing 767 etc.
EEC/ECU is like the nerve center of the engine. Such kind of components is with high integration rate and high level for repair. The capability setup not only lowers the maintenance cost for Chinese customers, but also decreases the repair TAT.
