MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, the joint venture between MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airline Company has held a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a new engineer training centre which will become operational in the earlier part of 2023. It is anticipated that between 50 and 100 new engineers will be trained each year.
The company has existing engineering facilities in Zhuhai and in 2021 it began building new premises in Jinwan to cover engine disassembly, assembly and testing which will be served by the new training centre as well as the existing premises in Zhuhai. The Jinwan premises should become operational by 2024 and will initially have capacity for 260 maintenance procedures, focusing on Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM and V2500 engines.
The main technical achievement of the new training centre will be successfully reducing turnaround times (TAT) for engine maintenance by implementing the highest quality standards and a dual training system which is currently used in Germany, which is a combination of theoretical and practical training, will also be applied in Zhuhai.
“With a training centre, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai will get on a fast lane to be a company with abundant talents and high-quality development,” says Wu Rongxin, Chief Engineer of China Southern Airlines, and General Manager of Engineering Technology, China Southern.
“Building the training centre is part of our long-term growth strategy at the Zhuhai site,” says Michael Schreyögg, Chief Program Officer of MTU Aero Engines. “At MTU, we believe in the future of the aviation industry and in the growth and strength of the market for engines for short and medium-range aircraft in Asia. That is why we are so committed to expanding our network.”