​As part of its continuing expansion strategy for Asia-Pacific, Ameco, the Sino-German joint venture repair, maintenance and overhaul (MRO) giant, has announced plans to add capabilities for a new generation of twin- and single-aisle airliners, engines and business jets from 2018 onward.

Headquartered in Beijing, Ameco is also setting its sights on the growing demand for intermediate and medium cargo aircraft. The company, which is developing a 757 passenger-to-freighter conversion capability, says it will add the A320 and Boeing 737 to its modification portfolio “in the near future.”

Ameco plans to offer new twin-aisle airframe overhaul capability with the addition of C checks for the 787 and A350 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The company, which has a lengthy record of overhauling the A320, A330, 737, 747, 757 and 777 models, says C check capabilities for the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo “are in preparation.”

Ameco also recently added the 747-8 to its capability list and says it will provide a C check for an unidentified international operator of the Boeing derivative in May, as well as a 2C check for an Air China 747-8 in June.

Widebodies Rule

Widebody aircraft overhaul continues to be the mainstay of Ameco’s Asia-Pacific market. The company partnered for heavy maintenance of twin-aisles in the region with Hong Kong Airlines in 2015 and has now extended this agreement to 2020. From a wider company perspective, since restructuring in 2015, Ameco has integrated Air China Technics with the former Ameco Beijing. Lufthansa Technik has 25% shareholding, although its financial investment in the company remains unchanged. Air China has a 75% stake in the integrated company. The MRO has a maintenance network that spans China and operates in Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Hohhot, Shanghai, Guiyang, Guangzhou, Wenzhou and Wuhan.

Line Maintenance

In the line maintenance arena, Ameco is now providing coverage for Air China’s growing fleets of A320neos and 737 MAX, of which first deliveries of both models began to the Chinese carrier in late 2017. Ameco says it is readying to provide line maintenance for Air China’s A350XWB in 2018, the 10th of which was delivered to the carrier by the end of last year. Although Beijing and Chengdu are Ameco’s principal service centers in China, the company says it has begun to strengthen Shanghai as a key hub for both narrowbody and widebody fleet services for Air China.

Components

For components, Ameco says it is building up generator overhaul capabilities for the 787 and A350 and plans to further expand its Power by the Hour (PBH) services. In addition, Ameco is also adding a new landing gear overhaul capability for the 787 to its existing landing gear portfolio, which includes the A320, A330 and Boeing 737 and 747-400.

APU and Engines

Ameco is also bolstering its APU overhaul businesses by expanding capacity for the Honeywell GTCP131-9A/9B and adding overhaul capability in 2018 for the GTCP331-350/500. The engine overhaul business also remains buoyant, says Ameco, which continues to see rapid growth in its International Aero Engines V2500-A5 work and stable rates on the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 and Rolls-Royce RB211 engines. At the same time, component repair continues to accelerate on thrust reversers for V2500-A5, CFM International CFM56-3/5B and CFM56-7B, as well as for the Trent 700.

Bizjets Get Busier

MRO work on large business and VIP jets is also expanding, says Ameco, which in January wrapped up the first 6C check undertaken in China on an ACJ319. The company also recently completed the first heavy maintenance checks on two Boeing Business Jets and is seeking approvals from EASA for additional market expansion. Ameco currently provides capability for a number of large business aviation and VIP models including the Airbus A330, Boeing 737 and 747 and the 747-8, and says it has also invested in a new workshop for business jet completion and maintenance.