Airbus anticipates A321 assembly at Tianjin facility later this year

[beijingwalker]

Airbus anticipates A321 assembly at Tianjin facility later this year​

China Daily, September 13, 2022

The A320 assembly line of Airbus in North China's Tianjin Municipality Photo: Courtesy of Airbus

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus plans to start to assemble A321 single-aisle aircraft at its final assembly line in Tianjin later this year, and it is looking to seek more cooperation opportunities with Chinese aviation industry players.

The first batch of two large parts, a nose and a fuselage, arrived in Tianjin Port from Hamburg, Germany, on Saturday, and the large sections are expected to be transported to Airbus' final assembly center in Tianjin on Tuesday.

The A321, the biggest member of the A320 family, now serves as Airbus' single-aisle aircraft with the strongest demand globally. Each A321 can hold about 30 percent more passengers than the A320 for typical cabin configuration, and its extra-long-range version is capable of flying up to 8,700 kilometers, Airbus said.

Worldwide, Airbus has four A320 family assembly facilities in Toulouse, France; Hamburg; Alabama in the United States and Tianjin. The aircraft manufacturer has expanded its capacity at all these facilities to meet growing demand for the A321, it said.

"The whole company of Airbus has shifted from dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic to considering future growth. We will focus on digital and green development transformation, and continue to explore new cooperation possibilities with Chinese aviation industry partners," said George Xu, executive vice-president of Airbus and CEO for Airbus China.

The two large portions of the A321, which were carried by a cargo ship owned by Hong Kong, arrived at Pacific International Container Terminal of Tianjin Port on Saturday afternoon.

"It was the first batch of large parts of the A321 that arrived in Tianjin since the establishment of the A320 family assembly facility in Tianjin more than a decade ago," said Zhao Zhiming, deputy general manager of the engineering logistics supply chain company in Tianjin of China COSCO Shipping Co Ltd.

By the end of 2021, at its final assembly line in Tianjin for the A320 family aircraft, Airbus had delivered 555 A320 aircraft to Chinese and Asian customers. By the end of this year, Airbus plans to deliver its 600th A320-series aircraft and the first A321 aircraft assembled in Tianjin, it said.

Last year, Airbus introduced about 100 technicians from Europe to China, and it will continue to increase investment in China after the company canceled some projects elsewhere due to the pandemic.

Thanks to close cooperation with Chinese partners, Airbus has lifted its market share in China to 53 percent, outpacing rival Boeing Co.

"The further investment and extension of assembly capability of Airbus in Tianjin shows its recognition of China's investment environment and its confidence in the growth potential of the civil aviation market in China," said Zou Jianjun, a professor at the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China.

Over the next 20 years, Airbus expects China will need about 6,900 single-aisle aircraft. By 2040, Boeing predicts China will have demand for nearly 6,500 single-aisle aircraft.

Meanwhile, the Boeing 737 Max, which has been grounded for more than two years after two fatal crashes, is waiting to resume flying again in China after it regained an airworthiness directive from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in December.

Airbus anticipates A321 assembly at Tianjin facility later this year - China.org.cn

 

[beijingwalker]

Boeing Is Ready To Resume Deliveries Of The 737 MAX from Boeing's Zhoushan plant in China​

PUBLISHED AUG 21, 2022
Boeing China President said the Zhoushan plant is ready for the resumption of the 737 MAX delivery.

Boeing China President Sherry Carbary said the Zhoushan plant is "ready for the resumption of the 737 MAX delivery in China", according to a report published on Boeing China's WeChat page earlier this week.

The report is part of a series of promotional features planned by Boeing China to mark the 50th anniversary of its entry into the Chinese market. However, there is no doubt Boeing would most like to celebrate this 50th anniversary with the resumption of delivery and operations of the 737 MAX in China.

Boeing is now facing perhaps its most challenging situation since it entered the Chinese market half a century ago. It is staring down the barrel of order stagnation from Chinese airlines, hundreds of new aircraft it can't deliver to the Chinese customers, and a plant at Zhoushan that has not been actively functional for more than three years.

Boeing Zhoushan plant's bumpy startup​

The Zhoushan plant has drawn attention since its conception, because it is the first time Boeing has decided to locate part of its aircraft production and delivery process outside of US territory since its foundation over a century ago.

The official name of the Chinese Boeing plant is Boeing Zhoushan 737 Completion and Delivery Center. The completion center is the joint venture of Boeing and COMAC, while the delivery center remains wholly owned by Boeing.

The Boeing Zhoushan Completion and Delivery Center was put into operation in 2018, and Boeing delivered two 737s in late 2018 and early 2019. Photo: Boeing China

The Zhoushan plant started construction in 2017. By the end of 2018, one 737 MAX (B-1178) was delivered to Air China, which was the first delivery from the plant. The delivery capacity for the Zhoushan plant was designed to accommodate 100 aircraft annually, according to Victoria Wilk, General Manager of the Zhoushan delivery center.

However, after two fatal accidents, China became the first country worldwide to ground the 737 MAX in March 2019. The ban is not yet lifted, leaving almost 100 delivered 737 MAX in storage in remote Chinese airports and over 100 new MAX waiting to be delivered to Chinese customers. He Guoquan, Chief Administration Officer of Zhoushan Completion Center, commented,

"The Zhoushan Completion and Delivery Center was put into operation in 2018, and we delivered two aircraft in late 2018 and early 2019. Since the 737 MAX was grounded, the Zhoushan factory has suspended actual aircraft completion and delivery. During this time, our main work is to build the system and improve the ability of all employees."

Signs of 737 MAX return to delivery and operations​

A series of signs indicate a forthcoming resumption of 737 MAX operations. Just yesterday, on August 20th, Xiamen Airlines ferried one of its sealed 737 MAX (B-1288) from Yinchuan to its base, Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN). All the senior management of Xiamen Airlines was at the airport to welcome it home.

In December 2021, CAAC issued an airworthiness derivative, confirming Boeing's relevant mitigation measures would eradicate the unsafe status caused by 737 MAX MCAS. This directive clears a regulatory hurdle for the 737 MAX's return to service in China.

One month later, in January this year, Hainan Airlines unsealed one of its 737 MAX and ferried it back to its base at Haikou Meilan International Airport.

China Southern also conducted experimental flight test for its 737 MAX, which implemented the requirements demanded by the airworthiness derivative in the same month. Air China conducted the flight test later in February.

Now there are 97 Boeing 737 MAX owned by 13 Chinese airlines that are still grounded in China.

https://simpleflying.com/boeing-737-max-china-deliveries-ready/