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• The two partners take their cooperation to a next level
• Agreement signed at Aviation Expo China in Beijing

Beijing, September 21, 2011 – MTU Aero Engines of Germany and the Chinese engine manufacturer AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co. Ltd. (ACAE) have signed an agreement on key terms for a possible cooperation on the future CJ1000 engine. CJ stands for ChangJiang the Chinese name for the river Yangtse meaning continuity for the future – the basis for the relationship.

In a next step the parties intend to jointly prepare the development phase of this engine, targeted as a future application for the C919 narrowbody aircraft. This next level also includes an economical feasibility study as well as further partner discussions for the indigenous Chinese aero engine.

The agreement was signed by MTU CEO Egon Behle and Wang Zhi Lin, President of ACAE, on the occasion of the Aviation Expo China in Beijing. “We are very pleased with the ongoing cooperation with AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Company”, Behle stated. “The Chinese aviation market is very dynamic and we intend to participate in this expected growth through our business expertise and know-how.”

In a first step, ACAE and MTU conduct a joint definition study to explore options of building a domestic aircraft engine in China. The study will be finalized in November 2011 and evaluates the structure of a future local engine and the parameters needed to be successful in the market.

Headquartered in Shanghai, ACAE was set up in spring 2009. Plans are that the company will develop and manufacture engines for future aircraft built by newly established Chinese air-framer COMAC. ACAE is a subsidiary of AVIC bearing the responsibility for commercial aircraft engines and related products, including R&D, manufacture, final assembly, testing, sales, MRO, service, technological development and consulting.

About MTU Aero Engines
MTU Aero Engines is not only Germany's leading – and only independent – engine manufacturer, but a major player in the civil aero engine industry. Together with its affiliates, MTU maintains a presence in all key markets and regions. In the commercial engine sector, the company has close working ties with the world’s major aero engine manufacturers – General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce. MTU Maintenance is the world's biggest independent provider of maintenance services for commercial aircraft engines. The company is a technological leader in low-pressure turbines, high-pressure compressors, manufacturing processes, and repair techniques.

With MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, a joint venture of MTU and China Southern Airlines, the German engine builder has already established a 10-year presence in China; meanwhile, the Chinese company has grown into the country's largest maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) shop for commercial engines.