Airbus vendors increase support to Chinese airlines

In a clear vote of confidence in Airbus and Chinese airlines, ten aviation vendors from Europe and the United States signed today agreements with CASC/Airbus Customer Services Support Center in Singapore during the 2002 Asian Aerospace show.

The ten vendors, which include Airbus France Avionics & Simulation Products, AirCruisers, Avio-Diepen, B/E Aerospace, Eltra Aeronautics, FR-HITEMP, Messier Services, Pacific Scientific, Satair and Smiths Industries, provide spare parts, avionics repair, customer liaison and training to Airbus operators in China and the Asia-Pacific region at large.

They bring the total numbers in partnership with Airbus at the center to 20. In cooperation with Airbus, they continue to demonstrate their support and commitment to the region.

The 10 companies already participating in the center are Eaton Aerospace, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, Interturbine, Intertechnique, Litton Aero Products, Parker Aerospace, Sully Produits Speciaux, Thales Avionics and TPA PTE LTD. Together they represent over 80% of vendor spares most likely to be needed, and complement an Airbus stock of 24,000 spare parts.

The vendor presence at the Beijing-based CASC/Airbus Customer Services Support Centre is a unique benefit to Airbus customers, distinguishing the faculty from other customer services support facilities. It helps to ensure a fast response to airline needs while reducing costs and turnaround time at its CAAC, JAA and FAA approved avionics repair station, as well as providing opportunities for new business and technological co-operation with them.

CASC/Airbus Customer Services Support Centre is part of a state-of-the-art training and support complex jointly established by the China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Corporation (CASC) and Airbus. As part of Airbus' global customer services network, this facility makes training and support more accessible and convenient to Airbus operators in China as well as in the Asia-Pacific region. The facility represents an investment of more than US$80 million by Airbus in the important Chinese market.

Airbus entered China in 1985 and its market share has kept increasing. In terms of fleet in service and orders, Airbus aircraft market share in China (including Hong Kong and Macao) has risen to 28 percent at present from 13 percent at the beginning of 1995. Its fleet has also been expanded to 168 from 29. Airbus sees opportunities to further develop its industrial cooperation with the Chinese industry and to integrate new suppliers in its network. Four Chinese manufacturers are already involved in manufacturing parts, such as wing components, emergency-exit doors and maintenance tools, for Airbus aircraft.

With some 4,400 orders booked to date from around 180 customers world-wide, Airbus is the joint number one manufacturer in the market for large commercial aircraft. Headquartered in Toulouse (France), Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.

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