HAECO Xiamen, the major Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) subsidiary of the HAECO Group in Mainland China, offers comprehensive airframe services to airlines around the world. The company began its collaboration with Cathay Pacific Airways in 1996; Hong Kong’s home carrier now operates the largest Boeing 777 fleet in Asia.
Going from strength to strength
Over the years, HAECO Xiamen has worked hand-in-hand with Cathay Pacific, as the airline has evolved through fleet modernisation and service upgrades to enhance passenger experience. Projects that HAECO Xiamen has undertaken for the airline have included C checks, painting of new livery, cabin retrofits and freighter conversions. Cathay Pacific has also been the first carrier to introduce a number of new aircraft types to HAECO Xiamen for maintenance, including Boeing 777s, Airbus A320s, A330s and A340s, as well as the Boeing 747-8.
Marking a 20-year partnership this year, HAECO Xiamen has once again supported Cathay Pacific, as the airline unveiled its latest new livery on a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. In October, the company undertook maintenance on its first Boeing 777-300ER for Cathay Pacific, with a work package that included a 24,000 flight hours’ maintenance check and repainting in the new livery; it also marked HAECO Xiamen’s 683rd hangar input for the airline.
Brushwing in the making
The new livery represents another important milestone for Cathay Pacific – a continuation of efforts to refresh its brand identity that began back in 2014. The livery comprises three key design elements: the incorporation of the updated and streamlined brushwing; a simplification of the colour palette, and a more prominent display of the Cathay Pacific name and brushwing. These updates are most apparent on the nose, the fuselage and the tail of the aircraft.
The most complicated part of the aircraft to repaint was the tail, which required the HAECO Xiamen team to arrange two-day double shifts to complete the work. The tail insignia now features a brushwing against an all-green background, with a colour gradient running along the back edge. With its track-record of on-time delivery and quality workmanship, HAECO Xiamen successfully completed the work in 19 days and redelivered the aircraft to Cathay Pacific as scheduled.
New livery goes live
On 1 November, Cathay Pacific held a special event to unveil the new livery on the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and as the airline’s long-standing partner, HAECO Hong Kong provided the venue for the ceremony. More than 300 guests joined Cathay Pacific’s Chief Executive, Ivan Chu, at the HAECO hangar at Hong Kong International Airport to witness the launch of the new livery, with VIPs including the Secretary for Transport and Housing of the HKSAR Government, Professor Anthony Cheung, HAECO Group Director Components and Engine Services, Greg Hughes, and HAECO Hong Kong’s Director and General Manager, Ronald Lam.
Following the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, Cathay Pacific’s new A350 series will be the next aircraft in the fleet to adopt the new livery. The airline’s existing fleet of around 150 aircraft will be repainted with the new livery as they go through their normal maintenance checks over the next five years.
The successful redelivery of the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft is a fitting commemoration of the 20-year partnership between HAECO Xiamen and Cathay Pacific, and the two companies are looking forward to even closer cooperation in the future.