Rolls-Royce and Air China have formed a joint venture for the purpose of providing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services in Beijing, China. The new firm, BAESL (Beijing Aero Engine Services Company Limited), will be responsible for providing MRO services for several models of Trent family engines.
Rolls-Royce currently powers 60% of China’s wide-body aircraft fleet, with more than 550 aircraft in service or ordered from manufacturers. Trent 700s, in particular, power 90% of the country’s Airbus A330 fleet. In addition, China operates about 20% of all Trent engines currently flying on the planet.
Chris Cholerton, president of Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospace division, said that «this is an important milestone for Rolls-Royce in China, where we have been working alongside airlines for over 50 years. Air China is a strategic partner for us and we are pleased to expand our relationship with them.»
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This joint venture aims to continue the growth of both Air China and Rolls-Royce and seeks to further its sustainability goals, as it will reduce the need to transport engines overseas for maintenance. The new facility will also help expand the British company’s support network, part of its global expansion strategy.
Ma Chongxian, President of Air China, added: «We have long been committed to the development of aircraft maintenance capabilities, with operational safety as our top priority. We will continue to deepen our relationship with Rolls-Royce on this engine maintenance journey. We look forward to building BAESL into a world-renowned company, helping to increase the volume of the MRO industry in China.»
BAESL will work on the Trent 700 (Airbus A330), Trent XWB-84 (Airbus A350), and Trent 1000 (Boeing 787). Air China operates all three engine types in its fleet. At full capacity, expected for the mid-2030s, the company will be able to service up to 250 engines per year. In addition to working on Air China engines, the facility will also serve other airlines in the Asian giant and the region in general.
