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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 3176.PDF
Chinese industry Guizhou, Shenyang and Xian, make parts for Airbus aircraft, including wing ribs, emergency exit and access doors, compos ite fin fairings and maintenance tools. The contracts are valued at more than S200 million and S10 million worth of Chinese parts were delivered to Airbus last year. Airbus China president Guy McLeod says the company "sees opportunities to further develop industrial co-operation with Chinese industry and integrate new suppliers into its network. "We see China as a good potential sub contracting area to be involved in Airbus programmes," he adds. Most of the sub contracts are arranged on a factory-to-fac tory basis by the various plants in the Airbus production system. In September 2001, Airbus began to accelerate work to transfer a full A320 wing production capability to China. Earlier this year trial parts produced by AVIC I at its Shenyang and Xian factories were success fully installed on an A320 wing at Airbus UK, demonstrating that China has the "technical capabilities to manufacture the most complex aircraft structural compo nents and assemblies", according to Airbus. Under phase one of the plans, Shenyang Aircraft (SAC) will start manufacturing 24 leading-edge slat track rib subassemblies, including associated machined parts, while Xian will build four leading-edge and four trailing-edge fixed structures for A320 wings. Technology transfer Discussions over phase two are under way. This is expected to lead to the manufacture in China of complete leading and trailing edge assemblies. "This major increase in the scale of co-operation between China and Airbus will require further complex manufacturing processes to be introduced into the SAC and XAC companies in the coming years," says Airbus. Boeing began industrial co-operation with China in the mid-1970s. Current work packages include 737 horizontal sta bilisers made at SAC; 737 vertical fins and 747 trailing edge ribs produced at Chengdu Aircraft (CAC); 757 horizontal stabilisers, vertical fins and tail sections made at XAC; and production of 757 cargo doors and 737 tail section parts at SAIC. Boeing also has contracts with plants in Sanyuan and Chongqing for aluminum and titanium forgings. BHA Aero Composite Parts in Tianjin recently began making composite parts for commercial aircraft interiors and secondary structures. The US company says it needs industrial partnerships in China because these are "more critical than ever to ensure the com petitiveness of our products, and are also a way to access resources around the world. "We are continuously exploring new business opportunities that are mutually beneficial and expand our presence in China," it adds. "If you review Boeing's past performance and current activities in China, our actions clearly demonstrate an aggressive growth strategy," Boeing says. The US company stations quality and planning experts at the aircraft factories to provide on-site training for building Boeing parts and assemblies. "The empha sis is on training to world-class standards to ensure safe, reliable, high-quality assem blies at competitive prices," it says. Canada's Bombardier has meanwhile sold 35 regional and business jets in China and is looking at opportunities to expand its relatively limited aerospace industrial activities in the country. It is sourcing parts from several factories in China. The Canadian company's major aero space risk-sharing partners in Asia are Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan and Aerospace Industrial Development in Taiwan. However, it has an advantage in that its subway and intercity passenger trains division already has a couple of major joint ventures in China. ATR partner Alenia is also hoping to put more work on its turboprop line into China, but has also been hit by the tax levy on regional aircraft. Only five ATR aircraft fly in China. XAC has a major subcontract to produce about half of the rear fuselages required for the ATR 72, representing eight to 10 subassemblies a year. It was awarded the work about three years ago. "We have no problem with putting other production work in China," says Alenia chief representative China Salvatore Grasso. "We could do major parts in China," he adds, noting the country's low labour costs mean production "is viable". Grasso thinks there is a significant potential market for ATR 42s and 72s in western China on very- short-haul routes as the country moves towards a hub and spoke system. The European Union (EU) is leading efforts to encourage the continent's aero space companies to foster closer links with China on research projects in the hope this Two will lead to deeper industrial co-operation versions of and higher sales of European-built aircraft. theT-tailed EU aeronautics researchers met their rear-engined Chinese counterparts in Beijing in mid- ARJ21 are September for a two-day workshop to dis- on China's cuss possible joint projects under the EU's drawing 6th Framework Programme of Research board and Technology (FP6). European focus The aim of the workshop was to prioritise areas for joint research, match project pro posals, identify tools needed for joint research and recommend actions to pro mote EU-China co-operation, says EU research directorate head of international co-operation Daniel Descoutures. He says the EU is trying to encourage European aerospace firms to include Chinese partici pation in their responses to the first call for proposals under FP6, due in December. Joint Europe-China research possibilities include human factors in flight safety, cabin design, materials and manufacturing, smart materials, helicopters, tiltrotors, air traffic While VAT is management and the environment. theoretically Attending the workshop were represen- applicable tatives of Airbus, Agusta, Alenia, Dassault, to Chinese- Eurocontrol, the European Association of built aircraft Aerospace Industries, Rolls-Royce, Smiths such as Industries, Snecma and Thales. XAC's The EU hopes co-operation with China MA60, the in aeronautical research could help spread tax is being the cost of developing new products and seen as an lead to increased sales of European aircraft import duty and other aerospace equipment there. • 44 29 OCTOBER - 4 NOVEMBER 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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