Beijing, China-based New Aircraft Maintenance & Engineering Corporation (“New Ameco”) is here at Dubai to promote its establishment six months ago and to highlight aspirations to address the Middle East corporate-jet completion and airliner-maintenance markets.

The company (Stand 1520) also has introduced International Aero Engines V2500 engine maintenance capacity and is expanding third-party line maintenance service at Chinese airports.

The partnership was set up in May, integrating Air China maintenance arm Air China Technics with the former Ameco Beijing (itself a joint venture between Air China and Lufthansa Airlines, which retains its 25 percent holding).

Airframe focus includes Boeing 747-8I overhaul (from early next year) and Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 line maintenance, while the company is expanding aircraft components repair, including thrust-reverser work that begins this month. Further business between the two partners will include establishing a landing-gear alliance with Lufthansa maintenance subsidiary Lufthansa Technik.

“New Ameco is [now] much stronger in capabilities, output, and network,” said chief executive Chai Weixi. “It has a stronger ability to serve customers in overseas markets.”

With more than 11,000 employees, New Ameco comprises a Beijing base and nine branches located in Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guiyang, Hangzhou, Hohhot, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Wuhan; it holds maintenance licenses from almost 30 countries or regions, including many CAAC, EASA, and FAA approvals.

The company has Chinese parts-manufacturer approval plus the ISO9001-based universal aerospace standard, known variously as AS9100 (in the Americas), EN9100 (Europe) and JISQ9100 (Asia/Pacific), which covers design, manufacture, supply, overhaul, and repair of equipment and parts.

Completions Work

In anticipation of third-party corporate-aircraft completion work for foreign customers (especially in the Middle East), New Ameco is preparing for EASA design- and production-organization approvals and supplemental type certification. The company has performed two “green” business-jet completions for undisclosed customers this year.

“China and the Middle East are the two largest markets for VIP completions,” said VIP and business-jet services head Feng Bin. “We would like to develop [Middle East] business soon.”

Completion capacity includes a hangar and two interior manufacturing workshops, one of which is mainly for wood veneer and upholstery. Next month, the company will introduce a new interior paint shop.

Earlier this year, New Ameco modified the cabins of six Boeing jetliners for a Chinese carrier. It has contracts with private customers for business-jet maintenance checks this year and has already completed six Airbus A318/A319s.

On the airframe overhaul side, in December New Ameco is scheduled to complete an ACT Airlines Boeing 747 C-check, the fourth such this year. Related capability covers Airbus A319/A320/A330/A380 and Boeing 737/747/767/777 aircraft.

Middle Eastern promise

Again, the Middle East heavy-maintenance market is seen as having “great potential and we have [focused] on it for many years,” said chief marketing officer Zhu Xiao, who claims the company has good relationships with “many” carriers in the region. “The stable economy exchange between the Middle East and China lays a strong foundation for [maintenance, repair, and overhaul] business,” said Zhu.

In 2015’s first half, New Ameco completed cabin modifications for Shanghai Airlines Boeing 767s, followed in August by similar work on Condor 767s. In addition, nine A380 wing modifications were completed for a Middle East customer last year.

New overhaul customers this year include Hong Kong Airlines (memorandum of understanding for A330 fleet heavy maintenance) and Austrian Airlines (heavy maintenance, including C-checks, for five 777s and two 767s). Other contracts cover similar work on three 767s of Dynamic Airways, two Nordwind Airlines 777 C-checks and two 767-300 C-checks and landing-gear replacements for Nordwind subsidiary IKAR Airlines.

On the engine front, an Air China V2500-A5 has been overhauled for Air China, the first example since CAAC, EASA, and FAA approvals were obtained in June. Ameco also overhauls Pratt & Whitney PW4000 and Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4 powerplants and provides CFM International CFM56 quick engine change (QEC) kits and modules. The company’s Chengdu branch is a Honeywell Aerospace GTCP131-9A/B auxiliary power unit authorized warranty repair station.

Most recently, New Ameco has begun providing Finnair A350 line maintenance at Beijing and Shanghai. Eight non-Chinese customers, including Arab carriers Qatar Airways and Iraqi Airways, have contracted this year for such service at Beijing and outstations in Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Tianjin, said Zhu.

Overall, New Ameco handles more than 70 airlines, claiming a “close to 50 percent” market share at Beijing Capital International Airport, and says it is ready also to offer 787 and A380 line maintenance and release services for Middle East customers.