反推力裝置（Thrust Reverser ; 縮寫TR）主要功能為飛機於落地時，發動機（Engines）上的TR利用氣動（Pneumatic Power）或液壓（Hydraulic Power）方式將TR外罩向飛機行進方向的反方向作動，促使飛機能夠利用反向氣流於地面迅速減速。TR是飛機發動機零附件裡面最高價值的附件，其製作原料為複合材料，每一具發動機有2具TR（2 Halves），故雙引擎飛機具有4具TR，4引擎飛機便有8具TR。每具TR維修外送成本約20萬美金，一架飛機8具維修成本便需要160萬美金，20架4引擎飛機即約3,200萬美金。故傳統航空公司（Full Services Carrier ; 縮寫FSC）維修部門於公司購機後，在機隊數量達一定規模且公司具備維修部門時，便開始積極尋求原廠協助建立初階(Level1 ; 縮寫LV1)及中階(Level2 ; 縮寫LV2)維修能力，以有效降低維修成本。前述傳統航空公司(FSC)指傳統上大眾所認知的全方位服務的航空公司，與近年來自助旅遊者喜愛搭乘的廉價航空(Low Cost Carrier ; 縮寫LCC)不同的是，傳統航空業提供全方位服務，包括一定數量的托運行李、機上餐點服務、提供商務艙。而傳統航空公司也不是每一家皆有投資附屬維修廠，較著名的有全日空(All Nippon Airways ; 縮寫NH)、韓亞航空(Asiana Airlines ; 縮寫OZ)，這兩家皆屬於傳統航空公司但不投資維修廠，全部飛機及零件皆委外維修，而本文的範例C公司是屬於傳統航空公司且投資附屬維修廠的公司，這類公司包括：日本航空(Japan Airlines ; 縮寫JL)、大韓航空(Korean Airlines ; 縮寫KE)。初階(LV1)維修指在飛機製造廠家的結構維修手冊(Structure Repair Manual ; 縮寫SRM)範圍內的現場維修，此類維修一般飛機修護廠現場人員在遵照手冊的維修內容下即可執行；中階(LV2)屬於飛機修護廠附屬支援工場的能量，中階維修無法在現場透過原廠結構維修手冊修復，需要由附屬支援工場的授權人員按附件工廠手冊(Component Maintenance Manual ; 縮寫CMM)維修後，出具維修合格出場證明，方可將修復件送回現場裝回飛機。 礙於航空工業製造技術門檻高，逆向工程（Reverse Engineering）的難度就高，在沒有達到高階(LV3)維修能力情況下，維修廠若想利用逆向工程來建立TR高階(LV3)維修能力的方式是不易做到的，TR製造原廠往往利用授權金（Royalty Fee）、合資公司或全資公司的方式，來保護TR高階(LV3)維修設計製造的智慧財產權（Intellectual Property ; 縮寫IP）。逆向工程是指一種技術過程，即對一產品進行逆向分析及研究，得到該產品的處理流程、組織結構、功能效果規格等設計要素，以製造出功能相近，但又不是完全一樣的產品。本文所提高階(LV3)維修能力是指超出中階(LV2)維修，需要原廠設計藍圖、複合材料原廠膠合技術裝備的維修製程。美國航太複合材料原廠N公司協助C公司建立低階(LV1)、中階(LV2)複合材料維修能力10幾年後，決定攜手進入下一階段，成立合資公司加深合作。 本文透過美國航太複合材料原廠N公司來台與C公司成立航太複合材料合資公司為例，分析成立合資公司的運作模式及各項利弊得失，盼藉由本文，增加國人與後進對於美商投資台灣航太產業的合作模式深入了解，未來若有其他外資航太合資公司或技術轉移合作機會時，能夠提供國人及後進作為參考。;US. Aeronautical Composite Parts Repair Co. setting a joint venture company with a Taiwan Flag Carrier Progress-C company for example Thrust Reverser (abbreviation: TR) is one of the three key roles to stop the aircraft while landing. TR uses pneumatic or hydraulic power to engage the TR pivoting door moving to the opposite direction of the aircraft. Prompting the aircraft to use the reverse airflow on the ground to slow down immediately.TR is the most valuable assembly in the engines. It is made by composite materials. Each engine has 2 TR halves. Thus, twin engines has 4 TRs.4 engines aircraft has 8 TRs. Each TR maintenance cost around USD0.2M. There will cost around USD1.6M while 4 engines aircraft having 8 halves. There will cost around USD32M for 20ea B747-400.Full Services Carrier (abbreviation: FSC) maintenance division will try to set up Preliminary Level 1(LV1) and Middle Level 2(LV2) TR maintenance capabilities to eliminate TR maintenance cost efficiently once airlines conducting a certain size of aircrafts. FSC is traditionally well known as full services companies. It’s totally different to Low Cost Carrier (Called LCC).FSC provides full services like amount of luggage services, serving meals, provided business class etc. There are not always FSC having its maintenance division, such as All Nippon Airways (Called NH) and Asiana airlines (Called OZ). Actually, NH and OZ are focus on airliners operations which were not focus on aircraft maintenance services. NH and OZ outsource maintenance as much as they can. C company in this article has its own maintenance division. Japan Airlines and Korean Airlines are as the same maintenance division as C company. Preliminary LV1 maintenance means limited to Structure Repair Manual scheme where the mechanic could release the tasks. Middle LV2 maintenance means limited to Components Maintenance Manual scheme where the mechanic could release the tasks. Due to aeronautical manufacturer level extremely high, reverse engineering is difficult to reach it. It is impossible for a Middle LV2 maintenance organization to become a High LV3 if it used reversed engineering. TR OEM usually makes a matrix for charging Royalty fee, Joint Venture, and Full investment to protect the Intellectual Property (Called IP). Reverse engineering is a technical process which is focus on one product reversing analysis and researching to get the process, materials structure, function, effective and specifications to approaching a real one. High (Level 3 ; Called LV3)level TR maintenance capability is over behind Middle LV2 which shall include but not limited to TR manufacture blue print, composite materials gluing and curing process. The US. Aeronautical composite parts repair co. (Called N company) decides to deepen the relationship with a Taiwan flag carrier (Called C company) to set up a Joint Venture company after setting up LV1&LV2 composite capabilities over a decade for C company. We try to use this Joint Venture (Called JV) example to introduce the whole building up JV process, advantages, and disadvantages we faced to readers.
