Air Asia (Taiwan)
Air Asia Company Limited (Chinese: 亞洲航空股份有限公司) is a provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services headquartered in Taiwan. It is now located in the Tainan Airport. It is the only surviving member of the Pacific Corporation, but currently it is owned by Taiwan Aerospace Corporation and is no longer related to the Central Intelligence Agency.
History
Air Asia was created out of Civil Air Transport (CAT) in 1955 as Air America's aircraft service unit.[1]
In 1949, CAT, in order to prepare for the ROC government's evacuation from the mainland, bought two ships to house all aircraft maintenance equipment and parts to evacuate to Taiwan. From 1949 to 1962, these two ships were docked in Kaohsiung, and the aircraft to be serviced had to land at Tainan Airport, its parts of concern dismounted, transferred to the two ships for repair, and then brought back to the airport to remount it on the aircraft. It was only until 1962 when it its current location was opened and aircraft can be serviced directly at the airport.
Despite such inconvenience, its relationship with the United States has made it the largest air service center in the east Asia, servicing all United States Air Force aircraft deployed in East Asia, and all covert operation aircraft from Pacific Corporation companies. It has serviced more than 12,000 USAF aircraft and retrofitted 8,000 aircraft engines during this period. During the Vietnam conflict, the US Navy also utililized Air Asia's services for maintaining their fleet of C-118B aircraft deployed in support of US Navy Seal and Seabee Teams. At the peak of its existence, it operated another service facility at Tachikawa, Japan.[2]
In February 1975, it was sold to E-Systems, and in 1987 transferred to Precision Airmotive. Taiwan Aerospace Corporation (TAC) acquired Air Asia in 1994.
Capabilities
1. Specialized in commercial aircraft maintenance and inspection which is up to D Check including airframe structure inspection, system component/accessory/composite material inspection, cabin refurbishment and stripping/painting.
Capable of following aircraft： Boeing B727/B737/DC-9/DC-10/ MD-80/MD-90 Series、Beechcraft Bonanza/Baron/ Duk/Queen Air/King Air/1900/Hawker800XP、Fokker F-50、Airbus A319/320/321.
2. And also provide military aircraft flight line service, field madintenance and professional level maintenance for following aircraft. Lockheed C-130H、Northrop Grumman S-2T/E-2T、Hawker Beechcraft Corporation T-34.
3. Capable of providing commercial helicopter fleet management, line maintenance, field maintenance and professional level maintenance for following helicopters. Bell 206/212/412/430 Series、Boeing Bv234、MDHI MD500 Series/MD 600.
4. And also provide mility helicopter line maintenance, depot level maintenance and professional level maintenance for following helicopters. Bell UH-1H/TH-67/OH-58D、Boeing CH-47 Chinook Helicopter、Sikorsky S-70C.
5. Capable of proving engine and power system repair/overhaul for following models. Honeywell Serospace T53-13B/ T53-L-13B/T53-L-703 & GTCP85-98 Series/GTCP85-129 Series、Rolls-Royce A250-C20 Series /A250-C30R、PWC PT6A-20,25,25A, 27,28/PT6A-41,42/PT6A-65B/PT6A-135,135A/PT6T Series.
6. Capable of performing propeller repair and overhaul for following types. Hartzell HC-B3TN-3/HC-B3TN-5/ HC-B4TN-3/HC-B4MP-3.
7. Capable of performing cargo hook and winch repair and overhaul for following types. BREEZE-EASTERN BL-20200-501/ BL-20200-70/BL-20200-1/BL-29900-53/BL-27100-71/BL-27100-95/BL-10300-151/BL-29700-23/SP-7109-12,204-072-915-103、GOODRICH 42277R1/42305R1/42305-1/76378-260,76378-260D.
8. Air Asia maintains professional support for calibration requirement of micrometer, caliper, pressure gauge, torque meter, temperature indicator, ammeter, voltmeter, Vom multi-meter, and power meter. All calibration equipment is certified and traceable to NIST/USA and the work procedures are followed by OEM operation/maintenance manual.
9. Air Asia’s modern quality and inspection techniques can execute Non-Destructive Inspection, MPI, Ultrasonic Inspection.
Quality Certificated
1. Air Asia was qualified by ISO 9001: 2000/CSN Quality Manager System in year 2000
2. Aviation Repair Station licenses from authorities：Republic of China-CAA、United States of America-FAAThe Kingdom of Thailand-DCA、Republic of Philippines-ATO、Republic of Indonesia-DCA、Malaysia-DCA、Japan-JCAB、Russia-CAA、Grand Cayman-CAA、Korea-KCASA、People’s Republic of China-CAAC、Vietnam-CAAV、Kingdom of Cambodia-SSOCA
3. Air Asia has been authorized and licensed by 11 OEM as ASC and parts distributor for various aircraft and engines, such as Boeing Co., Bell, Hawker Beechcraft, Rolls-Royce, MD Helicopters, Honeywell, PWC, & etc.
Maintenance Track Record ：
1. Japan Airlines, Japan/MD-81/C Check
2. Japan Transocean Air, Japan/B737-400 /C Check
3. Transmile Air Service, Malaysia/ B727-200,B737-200/C Check
4. SAT Airlines, Russia/B737-200/C Check
5. Asia Pacific Airlines, Guam, U.S./ B727-200/C Check
6. Mineralogy, Australia/MD-82/C,D Check
7. Korea Express Air, Korea/B1900D/ 200-Hour Inspection
8. Jeju Air, Korea/B737-800/A/C painting
9. Eastar Jet, Korea/B737-600/Base 4 Check Inspection
10. Airfast Indonesia/MD-82/C Check
11. Chanchangi Airlines, Nigeria/B737-300/ C/D Check
12. Air Marshall Islands Inc./Dornier 228/ Airframe Overhaul
13. Orient Thai Airlines/MD-81/C Check
References
- ↑ Ramos, George (1986). "Suit Over CIA Deal Nets Freight-Firm Owner $6.2 Million". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ↑ "C.I.A. Funny Businesses". The New York Times. 8 June 1993. Retrieved 21 May 2013.