BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE

Manufacturers aim to make up for disappointment over 777 Asian companies could secure 50% share

Five Chinese manufacturers are preparing bids for workshare on Boeing's proposed 7E7 in an effort to make up for the lack of participation by the country's industry in the 777 progamme and offset the impending loss of business from the termination of 757 production.

China Aviation Industries Corp I (AVIC I) is seeking work for its Chengdu, Shenyang and Xian subsidiaries, while AVIC II aims to secure a contract for its Harbin subsidiary, say industry sources. Tianjin-based BHA Aero Composite Parts, a joint venture between Boeing, Hexcel and AVIC, also wants to build a part of the 7E7.

China has a larger workshare in the 757 than in any other Boeing programme, including cargo doors at Shenyang and horizontal stabilisers and fins and tail sections at Chengdu.

Sources say Chengdu is seeking to supply the same set of parts for the 7E7 in an effort to find a new use for its 757 capacity. Chengdu is already in talks with Vought, which Boeing chose last year with Alenia for fuselage and horizontal stabiliser assemblies, over a potential sub-contractor role.

Harbin's aircraft component business focuses on helicopters, including work for Bell and Eurocopter. But the manufacturer is interested in expanding into fixed-wing aircraft and is considering bidding on the 7E7 rear bulkhead.

BHA, which opened in 2002, supplies composite parts for interiors and secondary structures on several aircraft. BHA is looking at supply ducts for the 7E7.

Xian now supplies vertical fins for 737s and trailing-edge ribs for 747s, while Shenyang builds 737 tail section modules in addition to 757 cargo doors. They are generally looking to expand this capability to the 7E7, but it is unclear which specific part they will pursue.

Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has also begun discussions with Boeing on supplying a piece of the 7E7, possibly a part of the empennage. AIDC already builds empennages for the Boeing 717 and parts of Bombardier business jets.

In South Korea, both Korean Air Lines (KAL) Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have formed teams to examine 7E7 opportunities. Both now supply several small parts to Boeing, including 747 wing ribs and 757 crown frames at KAI and 717 nose and 777 wing tip assemblies at KAL.

Composite Technology Research Malaysia, which builds wing parts for the Airbus A320 and A380, plans to bid on a piece of the rear pressure bulkhead. Fuji, Kawasaki and Mitsubishi in Japan have secured a 35% share of the 7E7 airframe. After sub-suppliers are selected, Asian companies could end up with close to a 50% workshare.

Source: Flight International

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