Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation and AVIC Electromechanical Systems Company Limited (AVIC EM) today laid the cornerstone of the facility to co-develop and manufacture the electric power system for the new Commercial Aviation Corporation of China (COMAC) C919 jetliner. Hamilton Sundstrand, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), and AVIC EM, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), announced their joint venture agreement to develop the C919 jetliner electric system earlier this year.

"Today's ceremony represents a great milestone for Hamilton Sundstrand and AVIC EM. We are confident that together, as a tier one supplier to COMAC, we will deliver the optimal electric power system solution for the C919," said Alain M. Bellemare, president, Hamilton Sundstrand.

Located in Xi'an, the new 5,000-sq.-meter facility is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2012. "We are pleased to lay the cornerstone of our new facility with Hamilton Sundstrand," said AVIC EM President Wang Jian. "This ceremony brings us one step closer in our journey to support first flight of the C919, the largest commercial airliner designed and built in China."

AVIC EM designs and produces a wide range of aerospace airborne systems and products for both the Chinese and international markets.

In addition to the contract to provide electric systems with AVIC EM, COMAC selected Hamilton Sundstrand in early 2010 to provide the pilot controls and fire and overheat protection system for the 150-seat class C919. The combined value of these awards is estimated to be worth more than $1.5 billion in sales over the life of the program.