Airbus in China

A long-term and reliable partner for China

Pléiades Neo First Image - Shanghai

A long-term and reliable partner for China

Airbus has been present in China for several decades. As China and the Asia-Pacific region continue to show strong signs of growth, this presence is expanding rapidly.  With the rapid development of its aviation and aerospace industry, China has become an important market for Airbus, as well as a strategic partner and supplier.

By building its own facilities and working closely with local partners, the company is not only providing local customers with better service, but also giving exciting opportunities to its global workforce. 

Airbus China Innovation Center

Our impact

Over the past decades, Airbus has been providing Chinese customers with the most modern and comprehensive family of aircraft on the market. China has become the biggest single country market of Airbus around the world. To date, Airbus in-service fleet in the Chinese mainland reached over 2,200 aircraft with some 55% market share in mainland China.

Industrial co-operation between Airbus and the Chinese aviation industry dates back to 1985, when CAAC of Shanghai, now China Eastern Airlines, became the first carrier in China to operate the European consortium’s aircraft. Contracts for Chinese companies to build sections of Airbus aircraft followed, as did further orders from Chinese airlines.

The total value of industrial cooperation between Airbus and the Chinese aviation industry reached $140 million in 2009 and has now raised to over US $1 billion.

Our products & services

China is fully equipped with Airbus latest products ranging from A320, A330 and A350. The services scope also covers the entire lifecycle from pre-delivery support, in-flight operation till end-of-life.

Final Assembly Line Asia in Tianjin, China

Commercial Aircraft in China

Our products & services

China is the largest single country market of Airbus commercial aircraft and represents around 20% of Airbus total annual deliveries in recent years. To date, there are more than 2,200 Airbus aircraft flying with the Chinese mainland airlines including passenger aircraft and freighters in China’s mainland, representing 55% of the market share.

Besides selling aircraft, Airbus also offers customised services to customers in China. 

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Helicopters in China

Our products & services

Airbus Helicopters is the leader with a 33% market share representing over 330 helicopters flying across the country serving 94 customers.

Today, China still has great demand in enhancing its emergency rescue, emergency medical services, public security law enforcement, electric power inspection, environmental monitoring, and general aviation transportation. To grow with the Chinese market, Airbus Helicopters China provides end-to-end solutions to Chinese operators, from industry to maintenance and after sales support. 

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Space in China

Our products & services

Beijing SPOT Satellite Image Co., Ltd. was jointly established by Airbus Defence and Space and its Chinese partner for earth observation satellite imagery products and services. It also provides data services for many national-level projects led by China’s Ministries.

Secure Land Communication (SLC) focused on providing Chinese customers with advanced, reliable, and secure digital Trans European Trunked Radio (TETRA) communication solutions. 

Innovation in China

The Chinese operations of Airbus Innovations – Airbus China R&D Centre in Suzhou (leveraging China’s industrial ecosystem to pursue the Airbus sustainability ambition in China), and Airbus China Innovation Centre (ACIC) in Shenzhen (accessing a highly advanced digital innovation ecosystem).

They focus on bringing Airbus resources together with Chinese organisations to embed with China’s local sustainability and innovation ecosystem including talents, partners and resources, combined with the Company’s expertise in aerospace, to discover promising technologies, to identify solutions enabling new business, and to support local business growth.

A long-term reliable partner for China

Our partnerships

The country is also home to a growing number of Airbus manufacturing and support operations, including its first final assembly line outside Europe, which was inaugurated in Tianjin in September 2008. This joint venture between Airbus and a Chinese consortium of Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) was extended in March 2014 until 2025. Other Airbus facilities set up through partnerships with local companies are as follow.

Our partnerships

Hua-Ou Aviation Training and Support Companies in Beijing

A joint venture between the China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS) and Airbus China Ltd. Hua-ou Training company provides Airbus aircraft operators with training programmes for flight crews, maintenance crews, performance engineers and cabin crews. It contains six full simulators, three for the A320 Family, one for A350, one for the A330/A340 Family, and one for H225 helicopters. Hua-ou Support is a customer support centre that can dispatch some 25,000 spare parts to airlines in the Asia-Pacific region.

Hua-Ou Aviation Training and Support Companies in Beijing

Airbus Beijing Engineering Centre (ABEC)

An engineering centre inaugurated in 2005, ABEC has experiences covering the full life cycle of an aircraft. It is also having R&T activities developing projects in the domain of Airframe, new materials and products recycling.

Airbus Beijing Engineering Centre

Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre (HMC)

A composite manufacturing centre in Harbin to manufacture composite material parts and components for the A350 and A320 Family. HMC has become the sole supplier of A350-900 elevator, rudder, S19 maintenance door and belly fairing parts.

Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre
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Widebody Completion and Delivery Centre in Tianjin (C&DC)

Our partnerships

It is located near the site of the Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line in Tianjin. The facility covers the aircraft completion activities including reception, cabin installation, aircraft painting, engine run and flight test, as well as aircraft delivery and customer flight acceptance.

Airbus inaugurates its Research Centre in China

Airbus China R&D and Innovation Centre (ACRI)

Our partnerships

ACRI includes the Airbus China R&D Centre in Suzhou (leveraging China’s industrial ecosystem to pursue the Airbus sustainability ambition in China), and Airbus China Innovation Centre (ACIC) in Shenzhen (accessing a highly advanced digital innovation ecosystem).

Its mission is to embed with China’s local sustainability and innovation ecosystem including talents, partners and resources, combined with the Company’s expertise in aerospace, to discover promising technologies, to identify solutions enabling new business, and to support local business growth.

Airbus Lifecycle Services Centre opening ceremony in Chengdu

Airbus Aircraft Lifecycle Services Centre

Our partnerships

It’s a joint venture between Airbus, Chengdu city and TARMAC Aerosave. It is the first one-stop service centre for aged aircraft established by Airbus in China with the concept of sustainable development. It provides a wide range of second-life services, including aircraft parking and storage, return-to-service check or upgrade, airframe maintenance, disassembling and recycling, P2F, USM trading, etc.

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