Turkish Airlines' maintenance division, Turkish Technic, has formally launched a joint-venture company with Turkish Aerospace Industries, named Turkish Cabin Interior Systems.
The company aims to produce galleys, crew rests, and other general fittings and seat parts for commercial aircraft.
It will be based in Ankara and 30%-owned by Turkish Airlines, 21% by Turkish Technic and 49% by TAI.
"We are gathering our technical and marketing expertise under the same roof with TAI...in order to be in the premier league of manufacturing in the cabin interior systems business," says Turkish Airlines chairman Hamdi Topcu.
"We would like to prove how aircraft cabin interior products can be produced at high quality under a 100%-Turkish brand. Turkey will be a maintenance, repair and manufacturing hub that should be taken seriously in the near future."
Turkey is aiming to design and produce an airliner to coincide with the Turkish republic's centenary anniversary in 2023, and Topcu says the cabin "is the first step".
TAI chief Mehmet Yalcin Kaya says the company, as a result of the venture, will become "more effective in the civil sector".
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
