BIZCHINA / Top Biz News
Nation's first A380 pilot to receive training
By Lu Haoting (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-05-19 09:09
China's first pilot able to fly the A380 super jumbo jet, built by
Europe's Airbus, is likely to be trained in autumn next year.
Airbus will meet the Chinese aviation authorities and China Southern
Airlines, China's first A380 customer, in June to decide detailed
training plans for Chinese pilots and maintenance engineers.
China Southern will receive its first A380 at the end of next year.
"Usually flight training starts two or three months before the aircraft
arrives and we will ensure the smooth transfer of knowledge to China
Southern," said Guillaume Mille, customer support director at Airbus
China Ltd.
Pilots will be trained at Airbus' headquarters in Toulouse, France, where
the company's only A380 simulator is currently located.
Airbus is holding a five-day A380 technical seminar in Guangzhou this
week.
It is the first time the European aircraft maker has given detailed
technical briefings to the Chinese aviation industry.
Four Airbus A380 engineers from Toulouse have shared their knowledge
about the aircraft's systems and technology with 30 engineers and
officials from China Southern, the General Administration of Civil
Aviation of China, and GAMECO (Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering
Co Ltd).
"This seminar will provide China Southern Airlines engineers with the
technical background that is needed to develop the maintenance and
operational processes for the A380," Airbus said.
China does not manufacture components for the A380, but Mille said the
country would be involved in the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)
of the 555-seat super jumbo.
"I believe leading Chinese MRO suppliers, such as GAMECO and Ameco
Beijing, will be able to do line maintenance and heavy maintenance for
the A380," Mille said.
GAMECO, founded in 1989, is a joint venture between China Southern and
Hutchison Whampoa.
Ameco Beijing, a joint venture between Air China and Lufthansa, is
building a multi-bay line maintenance hangar that will be able to
accommodate two A380s.
Low labour costs in China are giving Chinese MRO suppliers an advantage
in offering labour-intensive services, such as airframe heavy maintenance.
Mille said Airbus is in discussion with a number of Chinese MRO companies
to include them into Airbus' global MRO supplier network.
The A380 is the world's biggest airliner.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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