New JV to provide entertainment system on C919 plane

China Electronics Technology Avionics Co.ltd (CETCA) launches a joint venture on Tuesday with French firm Thales, to provide in-flight entertainment system on China's homegrown C919 passenger plane.

Zeng Li, General Manager of CETCA, and his counterpart of Alan Pellegrini, Chief Executive for Thales In-Flight Entertainment and Communications business, signed the agreement at the ongoing Aircraft Interiors Exposition in the Hamburg Messe.

The joint venture, which is located in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, and set to be fully operational by the end of the year, will bring together world-class technology solutions of the two companies and provide cutting-edge in-flight entertainment and communications avionic system onto the new C919 plane.

The partnership is expected to support the China-based production of the Thales Top Series system and integrate it into the cabin of the much-anticipated Comac C919, the aircraft China hopes will help establish the country as one of the world's top commercial aircraft-makers.

Designed and built solely by China's aviation industry, the C919 jumbo jet, with some 156-190 seats on board, is expected to take flight in 2014 and with its aircraft deliveries scheduled as of 2016.

The CETCA-Thales joint venture will provide with its exclusive and scalable platform offering services ranging from interactive audio device through to full in-seat on-demand services, with its advantages in minimizing weight, cost and power-saving, and future evolution including wireless networks and connectivity.

"CETCA and Thales are dedicated to establish this joint venture as a global center of Excellence which extends into research and development, production, adaption, maintenance for the in-flight entertainment market." Alan Pellegrini said, adding that this joint venture will augment Thales's extant market leading business share of IFEC, which is headquartered in Irvine, California, USA.

"The global strength of Thales Group and our investment and growth strategy in partnership with both CETCA and COMAC a strong combination that will ultimately change the landscape of the civil aerospace marketplace in China." said Olivier Guibert, President Thales China and North Asia region, adding that the Thales fully expected there will be excellent demand for the Chinese own-manufactured C919 jumbo jet in the market and the Thales was proud of being part of this business arrangement.

"Anyway, the ambitious C919 program is just the start, as China's aviation industry is under fast development and the partnership with Thales has great potential." according to Zeng Li, general manager of CETCA.

Over the next 20 years, the China civil aviation market is forecasted to deliver 4,330 new aircrafts with 71 percent being single-aisle aircrafts, as the newly-founded joint venture is in a position to leverage and evolve current technologies that optimize offerings for the single-aisle and regional market.