Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Corporation (Ameco Beijing) held a grand completion ceremony of A380 hangar.

As a vital segment of Beijing Capital International Airport's expansion program, A380 hangar with total investment of about RMB700 million and total floor area of 70,437m2 locates at north of Beijing's new Terminal 3. With clear span of 350.8m, depth of 110m and lower chord height of 30m, A380 hangar is one of the largest maintenance hangars worldwide, which can accommodate all Boeing and Airbus series aircraft including the present A380 "superjumbo" aircraft and will be put into use in the April of 2008.

The CEO and General Manager Chai Weixi and General Manager Andreas Meisel of Ameco Beijing both expressed that A380 hangar would not only support the fast growing Air China fleet, but also provide convenient and quick maintenance services to the other air carriers, which arrive at and depart from Terminal 3. The construction will place Ameco Beijing in a very advantageous position in the MRO competition with Beijing as hub.

Along with the rapid development of Chinese civil aviation in recent two years, Ameco Beijing, one of the biggest MRO companies in China, has invested around RMB 1.07 billion in infrastructure construction.

In addition, Ameco Beijing is now constructing a new hangar that will house up to Boeing747 sized aircraft for heavy maintenance including painting without moving the aircraft. This hangar is scheduled for completion in the end of 2008. After building up these two new hangars (A380 hangar and Boeing747 hangar), Ameco will simultaneously provide 15 wide-body and 11 narrow-body bays for aircraft maintenance and overhaul. Meanwhile, a New Central Store and an expansion building of Ameco Aviation College (AAC) will enter service one after another by the end of 2008. The New Central Store could provide a one-stop logistic service including ordering materials, material storage, transportation and customs claim. With the new AAC building, Ameco Beijing can train 500 apprentices and at the same time provide type-rating courses for 1200 persons.

About Ameco Beijing

Ameco Beijing (Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Corporation), located at Beijing Capital International Airport, is a joint venture established in 1989 between Air China (60%) and Lufthansa German Airlines (40%). It provides maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for airframe, engines and components of commercial aircraft. It also offers tailored services in technical training, engineering and logistics, as well as ground support equipment calibration and repair for Chinese entire aviation industry.

Ameco Beijing is an MRO provider licensed by CAAC in China, FAA in the U.S., the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) as well as the regulatory authorities of 11 other countries.