Rolls-Royce has added further capacity to its global aftermarket network after opening its Beijing-based engine maintenance joint venture (JV) with Air China.
Beijing Aero Engine Services (BAESL), specializing in Trent 700, Trent XWB-84 and Trent 1000 engines, is the British manufacturer’s first facility on the Chinese mainland. Leaders and delegates from Rolls-Royce, Air China and the Chinese and British governments attended an opening ceremony in China’s capital city Dec. 10.
The shop will commence operating in early 2026 when BAESL will start introducing overhaul capability for the three engines, with capacity expected to ramp up to 250 overhauls per year by 2034.
Coinciding with the opening, national regulator the Civil Aviation Administration of China granted BAESL its maintenance organization certificate, which gives confirmation that the facility is ready to deliver MRO services for the three engine types.
“The opening of BAESL not only supports our long-term growth in the Chinese market but also contributes to our ambition to significantly increase our global MRO capacity by 2030,” Rolls-Royce Director of commercial aviation aftermarket operations, Paul Keenan says.
Keenan adds that the company has engines powering more than 500 of China’s in-service commercial aircraft, which is nearly 20% of its global Trent engines delivered to China.
BAESL partner Air China, the national flag carrier who will hold 50% of the JV, has been a long-term customer of Rolls-Royce and operates all of the engine types serviced by the new venture. This includes Airbus A330 aircraft powered by Trent 700 engines, Trent XWB for the A350 and the Trent 1000, which Air China uses for its Boeing 787 aircraft fleet.
The company is now one of four authorized JV overhaul facilities within the Rolls-Royce global services network, which comprises two Rolls-Royce maintenance facilities, seven JV or independent authorized maintenance centers and customer-owned shops.
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