Eaton Corp. and Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Co., Ltd. , a subsidiary of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), announced on June 28 the official opening of Eaton SAMC (Shanghai) Aircraft Conveyance System Co., Ltd.
COMAC is the recently created indigenous Chinese commercial aircraft company. This joint venture, signed in July 2010, was the first for the COMAC enterprise with a foreign company and also the first to be granted a business license in March 2011.
"We look forward to working with SAMC to develop the comprehensive conveyance system engineering and manufacturing capabilities for the global civil aviation market," said Craig Arnold, COO of Eaton.
The new joint venture will focus on the design, development, manufacturing and support of fuel and hydraulic conveyance systems to support COMACs C919 design, development and manufacturing capacity.
Future plans include supplying conveyance systems to other aircraft and engine manufacturers in China and in global markets.
The C919 program, with first flight planned for 2014 and certification planned for 2016, represents a significant area of rapid development and growth for the Chinese aerospace industry, Eaton said in a statement. SAMC is mainly engaged in the manufacturing, final assembly, parts assembly, delivery, maintenance of the commercial aircraft parts, pilot flight and other services.
Among the joint ventures being formed to support the C919 program, the Eaton-SAMC joint venture, signed in July 2010, was the first for the COMAC enterprise with a foreign company and also the first to be granted a business license in March 2011.
