Rolls-Royce has officially opened Beijing Aero Engine Services Limited (BAESL), a new maintenance, repair and overhaul joint venture with Air China.
According to the UK Defence Journal, the facility, based in Beijing, is the first site dedicated to overhauling Trent engines in mainland China and is part of Rolls-Royce’s broader global MRO network.
The opening aims to expand Rolls-Royce’s global capacity for maintaining large civil aircraft engines as demand grows in China’s widebody aviation market.
Starting in 2026, the Beijing facility will introduce overhaul capability for the Trent 700, Trent XWB-84 and Trent 1000 engines. Capacity is expected to increase steadily, reaching up to 250 engine overhauls per year by 2034.
At the opening ceremony, the Civil Aviation Administration of China granted BAESL its maintenance organization certificate, formally authorizing the facility to carry out professional overhaul work on Trent engines.
The event also marked the arrival of the first customer engine at the shop, witnessed by representatives from Rolls-Royce, the Beijing Municipal Government, the British Embassy, Air China, suppliers and industry partners.
According to Paul Keenan, Director of Commercial Aviation Aftermarket Operations at Rolls-Royce, the new facility is central to the company’s growth plans.
“The opening of BAESL not only supports our long-term growth in the Chinese market, but also contributes to our ambition to significantly increase our global MRO capacity by 2030,” he said.
“China is one of the largest and fastest-growing widebody markets in the world and is also critical to Rolls-Royce. We power more than 500 commercial aircraft in service in China; nearly 20% of our global Trent engines have been delivered to China.”
Meanwhile, Air China described the joint venture as a deepening of its long-standing relationship with Rolls-Royce, noting that the partnership strengthens its position across the aircraft maintenance value chain and enhances overall fleet operational support.
Photos: Rolls-Royce. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
