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China Aircraft Leasing plans to make its disassembly operation in Harbin one of the biggest in the world. Photo: AFP

China Aircraft Leasing plans US$2 billion aircraft disassembly operation in Harbin

Don Weinland

China Aircraft Leasing Group proposed a US$2 billion investment in an aircraft disassembly operation in northern China two days after the company announced it had finalised the purchase of 100 jets from Airbus at a total list price of US$10.2 billion.

China Aircraft Leasing, which is jointly controlled by state-owned China Everbright Group, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and Friedman Pacific Investment Holdings, said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that it had entered into a memorandum of understanding with Harbin’s city government to undertake an aircraft disassembly project that it aimed to develop into one of the biggest such operations in the world.

The filing said the local government had agreed to grant land use rights to the company for the purpose of developing the project.

On Tuesday, the company said its major purchase from Airbus would be delivered between 2016 and 2022. The 100 jets comprise 16 A320-200 CEO series, 10 A321-200 CEO series and 74 A320 NEO series.

It said the purchases would be funded by its working capital and bank loans. The company said it had two loan facilities extended by mainland banks – US$1.5 billion from China Development Bank and 10 billion yuan from Import-Export Bank of China – dedicated to purchasing aircraft.

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