European airliner manu-facturer Airbus has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with the Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), which reconfirms a programme to establish a completion and delivery centre for A330 wide- body airliners in Tianjin. The TJFTZ and Avic are already partners with Airbus in a final assembly line (FAL) for A320-family single-aisle airliners in Tianjin. This FAL started operation in September 2008.

“In its 30-year history, the Airbus partnership with China keeps on growing and expanding,” highlighted Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Bregier. “The intended establishment of an A330 completion and delivery centre will add a new exciting chapter to our long-standing track record of mutual achievements.”

The new centre is intended to assist the rapid growth of Chinese air traffic through the use of wide-body aircraft. The A330s for China would be assembled at the FAL in Toulouse, France, and then flown to Tianjin for fitting out and preparation for service. The activities at the centre will probably include the installation of the passenger cabin, the painting of the aircraft, engine runs and the delivery of the aircraft to customers.

There are already some 140 A330s in service with Chinese operators. Worldwide, more than 1 300 A330s have been ordered, of which more than 1 000 are cur-rently flying with more than 100 operators. In its press release, Airbus described the A330 as “one of the world’s most efficient aircraft, with best-in-class operating eco-nomics and an average dispatch reliability well above 99%”. The type comes in two versions – the A330-200 and the longer A330-300.

The LoI was signed on October 10 in Berlin, in the presence of German chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. The signatories were Bregier, TJFTZ president Feng Zhijiang and Avic president Lin Zuoming. Airbus estimates that, between this year and 2033, China will require in excess of 5 300 new airliners with more than 100 seats, as well as freighters.

The strong demand in China was made manifest that same day, when Airbus also signed a general terms agreement (GTA) with China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS), under which the Chinese group will acquire 70 A320-family aircraft. “We are grateful to China for its strong vote of confidence in our leading A320-family aircraft and we are happy to see them assembled at our Chinese facilities,” affirmed Bregier, who signed the GTA on behalf of Airbus. CAS president Li Hai signed on behalf of the Chinese group.

Chinese airlines currently operate more than 920 A320-family aircraft. Worldwide, more than 11 000 A320-family aircraft have been ordered and more than 6 200 delivered. The A320 family comprises (from smallest to largest) the A318, the A319, the A320 and the A321. Airbus says: “Thanks to its wide cabin, all members of the A320 family offer the industry’s best level of comfort in all classes and Airbus’s 18˝- (45.72 cm-) wide seats in economy as standard.”

South African company Aerosud produces aircraft interior bulkheads for A330s. It also makes sheet metal parts, precision-machined parts and slat trackcans for the A320-family aircraft.

Airbus is currently developing a new engine option (neo) for the A320 family. First Flight The prototype A320neo, powered by a Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engine, success-fully completed its first flight on September 25. Customers will also have the option of using the CFM International LEAP-1A engine to power their A320neos. As of the end of August, 60 customers had already ordered more than 3 200 A320neo-family aircraft.

The company has also announced an A330neo pro-gramme. These aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines. The company has also announced the inroduction of A330s with an increased takeoff weight and a reduced-weight A330-300 regional version for high density domestic and regional routes.