Thai Airways and Rolls-Royce to collaborate on expansion of Trent engine service network

Thai Airways and Rolls-Royce to collaborate on expansion of Trent engine service network

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) and Rolls-Royce held a signing ceremony of cooperation towards the establishment of the engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) Center, which was presided over by Mrs. Usanee Sangsingkeo, THAI Acting President, and Mr. Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce President – Civil Aerospace. The ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Surachai Piencharoensak, THAI Executive Vice President, Technical Department, and Mr. Ewen McDonald, Rolls-Royce Senior Vice President, Customers & Services – Asia Pacific, with Mr. Peraphon Thawornsupacharoen, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, in attendance as guest of honor at THAI’s Head Office.

THAI signed the agreement to collaborate with Rolls-Royce and explore how the two companies will work together to expand the Trent CareNetwork by building on THAI’s existing Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities. Becoming an Authorized Maintenance Center (AMC) for Rolls-Royce will enable THAI to support its growing fleet of Rolls-Royce engines while also generating additional capacity and flexibility within the Rolls-Royce CareNetwork. THAI operates approximately 80 widebody aircraft, of which more than 50 are powered by Rolls-Royce engines.

Mrs. Usanee Sangsingkeo, THAI Acting President, said “This agreement builds on THAI’s existing MRO facilities to be able to repair new engine types that are currently used by commercial airlines today. THAI has the capability to expand its engine maintenance services for Rolls-Royce Trent 700 and Trent 1000 engines, which will meet the needs of the regional market, making sufficient use of the maintenance facilities and further develop a joint business venture together. This collaboration will also increase revenue earned from international customers.”

This agreement is in accordance with a government policy that achieves an industry goal and serves as a new growth engine that will help in the development and eventual readiness of the complex Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Aircraft Maintenance Center, with personnel development in the area of aircraft engine maintenance, and leverages the nation’s aviation industry to be the best in the region.

Furthermore, this collaboration agreement is a continuation of the agreement made between THAI and Rolls-Royce on Trent XWB Engine Development Testing this past February. As a result, Rolls-Royce brought a Trent XWB engine, the newest engine type equipped on the Airbus A350 XWB, for experimental testing at THAI’s Technical Maintenance Department at Don Mueang International Airport in order to continually study and test the capabilities of the engine type.