China Airlines awarded AS 9110 Certification and becomes AIRBUS certified aircraft maintenance service supplier
The maintenance capabilities of China Airlines have repeatedly won international recognition. Having signed an MOU on maintenance with Airbus in January this year, China Airlines, as the first in Taiwan, has now been awarded AS9110 Certification by French Standardization Association (AFNOR) with Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan in witness. This makes China Airlines a qualified Airbus maintenance service supplier. AS9110 is a quality management system standard recognized by the international aircraft maintenance industry. AS9110 certification paves the way for China Airlines to become an authorized Airbus aircraft maintenance service supplier by the end of 2017. The growing demand for aircraft maintenance from Airbus customers in Asia-Pacific region should lead to new business opportunities.
Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan said that the latest achievement means the Taiwanese airliners’ high quality personnel and professional skills are being recognized by the AFNOR. Over the years, CAL has evolved from an airliners operator to internationally acclaimed aircraft maintenance service supplier. Cheng pledged that the city government will continue to support CAL in the hope that the continuous improvement of local aviation industry can serve as a driving force behind Taiwan’s economic growth.
In his address, Leu Jang-hwa, Acting Director General of the Economic Ministry's Industrial Development Bureau, expressed gratitude toward CAL for playing an intermediary role in helping the ministry organizes a conference held at May in France where Taiwan's aviation industry seeks business opportunities during an industry conference held in the city of Toulouse. Leu hopes CAL will continue to play a leading role in the country’s aviation industry.
Chairman Ho Nuan-shuan said that China Airlines has passed audits by international civil aviation authorities such as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) every year. The signing of MOUs with Airbus and NORDAM therefore ushers in a new era of improved flight safety and maintenance expertise for Taiwan. Ho hopes this will accelerate the upgrading of maintenance and engineering capabilities at China Airlines and its subsidiary Taiwan Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Co., Ltd. (TAMECO) so they can support the main aircraft models of Airbus.
The Vice Chairman of AFNOR August Tsai said that both Boeing and Airbus, the top two aircraft manufacturers in the world, are optimistic on the future of the aviation market. As the number of new airlines and new aircraft deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region continue to reach new heights, Taiwan’s central location in Asia-Pacific, world-class aviation manufacturing and maintenance management capabilities, as well as complete aerospace supply chain, have made it an attractive partner for large foreign companies. The unique history and scale of China Airlines in the Asia-Pacific aviation market as well as the securing of the very strict and highly-regarded AS9110 international aerospace maintenance management certification indicate that China Airlines now possesses a maintenance capability of world-class standards. In other words, China Airlines is ready to play in the big leagues of the international aerospace market.
An MOU was signed on January 10 this year by the chairman of China Airlines and Jean-Francois Laval, Airbus Executive Vice President Asia. Under the MOU, Airbus will assist China Airlines with a wholesale upgrade of its maintenance, engineering and technical training capabilities in Taiwan. Now that the critical AS9110 certification has been attained, China Airlines expects EMO to become an authorized/certified Airbus aircraft maintenance service supplier before the end of the year. This was one of the items that Airbus and China Airlines reached agreement on.
Since China Airlines owned first certificated ISO 9001 quality management system in 1996 and the certification has been successfully renewed every year since then. The International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) developed the AS9100 series of aviation quality management system standards using ISO 9001 as the basis by adding the special safety, reliability and quality requirements of aviation industrial products. China Airlines applied for AS9110 certification in 2016 and initiated to a series of improve activities to its quality management system. AS 9110 certification means that higher standards on the maintenance process, quality of maintenance products and delivery times have now been satisfied. This is also one of the prerequisites for forming maintenance partnerships with international aircraft makers.
