UK-headquartered parts specialist Meggitt has signed a three-year warehousing and logistics agreement with China Southern Airlines to support aircraft on ground (AOG) activities for the LEAP-1C engine in China. 

Under the agreement, announced at the Zhuhai Airshow, China Southern will house a pool of Meggitt engine sensors and heat exchangers to dispatch to customers directly in the event of an AOG incident to aid a faster return to service for operators. 

The LEAP-1C engine powers the Chinese-made COMAC C919 aircraft, of which China Southern has commitments for 20 aircraft. The engine uses Meggitt technology which the company says helps reduce fuel consumption up to 15%.

The first C919 narrowbody aircraft is expected to be delivered for commercial service by the end of 2021 to Shanghai-based launch customer China Eastern Airlines, its manufacturer stated last week.

The company also confirmed at Zhuhai that it has gained certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for partner Lufthansa Technik to repair Meggitt-manufactured fire detector products for Chinese-registered aircraft from its facility in Shenzhen.

The fire detector products are the first product group to be established at the LHT Shenzhen facility and the MRO is now targeting future approvals for components including valves, heat exchangers and fire extinguishers. The CAAC approval for the product adds to existing certifications from the FAA and EASA.

Meggitt’s component MRO partnership with Lufthansa Technik was signed at the 2019 Paris Air Show and is targeting further growth in mainland China for the maintenance of Meggitt products.