Vietnamese company seeks to supply Airbus parts

Hanoi (VNA) – Aerospace Engineering Services JSC (AESC), a Vietnamese joint stock company, has proposed joining with the Vietnamese Government to develop the country's aviation industry, with support from the Airbus Group.

AESC's Business Development Director Nguyen Thao told Vietnam News that AESC had expressed its strong interest in becoming a local partner in future manufacturing projects. The intention proposal was made after Airbus Group CEO Thomas Enders sent a letter to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in November offering to support Vietnam in developing a domestic aviation industry.

"We expect to be a local supplier for large production projects for the aviation industry in Vietnam, such as the Airbus's project on part production facility," said Thao.

Speaking with Dau tu (Vietnam Investment Review), Director of Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam (CAAV) Lai Xuan Thanh highly praised the AESC's capacity. He emphasised that a domestic company becoming an Airbus partner would provide a great contribution in developing the country's aviation industry.

The company was formed in 2008 and is the country's first privately-held company to be approved and certified by CAAV as a VAR Part 145 Maintenance Organisation and VAR Part 21 Design Manufacturing Organisation.

After first opening its wheel and brake MRO service, AESC has been expanding its services and activities globally by offering solutions that combine high quality products, efficient cost structures and a commitment to international safety and quality standards. It also manufactures a wide range of aircraft interior product for local and international customers.

Last September, AESC became a European Aviation Safety Agency Part 145 Approved Maintenance Organisation. In November, the company received FAA 145 certificate, becoming the only Vietnamese aviation engineering company that is approved by both most prestigious international aviation regulators.

In his letter, Airbus Group CEO Thomas Enders said the newly-established facility would be the only one in the Southeast region specialising in manufacturing electrical safety belts for Airbus' best-selling aircraft, the A320.

The process will include management of materials, production, technical inspections and transfers to Europe. A training programme will be conducted in Vietnam and Europe.

Airbus was also willing to transfer the production of its most advanced parts made of composites for the A320 NEO and A350 XWB, Enders said in the letter.

The CEO further said they were willing to hold discussions with Vietnam's agencies on evaluating the project's feasibility and its impact on the nation's financial and social economy in order to build a suitable business model.

According to a CAAV statistic, the first Airbus A310-200 aircraft was put into use in Vietnam in November 1991 as part of a hiring contract from Singapore's Region Air. After more than 20 years, the Vietnamese airlines have flown many Airbus aircraft, including 56 A321 planes, 31 A320 units and 10 A330 and A350 aircraft.

"The cooperation with Airbus to set up a parts production facility, supplying parts for Airbus aircraft which are being operated in Vietnam, is a good opportunity for us to take initiatives in manufacturing many spare parts, as well as contributing to developing the domestic aviation industry," Thanh told Dau tu.-VNA