Construction of an A380 aircraft maintenance hangar, claimed to be the largest in Asia, was completed in Beijing on Tuesday.

The hangar, the first of its kind in the city, will be able to accommodate all Boeing and Airbus series aircraft including the A380 "superjumbo" aircraft after it is put into operation next month, according to the Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Corporation (Ameco Beijing). Located to the north of the new third terminal in the Beijing Capital International Airport, the hangar is expected to carry out maintenance services for 11,500 planes every year, according to the joint venture between Air China Ltd and Lufthansa.

The hangar covers a floor area of more than 70,000 square meters, a part of the airport's expansion project marked by the launching of the No. 3 terminal last month.

Construction of the giant hangar, consisting of a maintenance hall and an attached building, was launched in September 2006, involving 700 million yuan ($100 million) in investment.

The hangar will be able to offer timely and high-quality maintenance services to all passenger flights during the Olympic Games, Chai Weixi, General Manager and CEO of Ameco Beijing, pledged at the ceremony marking the completion of the construction.

(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2008)