The Airbus Lifecycle Services Centre (ALSC), located in Chengdu, China, has begun operations. Airbus has invested in the centre in order to offer services that manage the entire lifecycle of customer aircraft, from aircraft parking and storage, to maintenance, upgrades, conversions, dismantling and recycling services for various aircraft types, as well as the controlled distribution of used parts arising from the dismantling activities.
The ALSC covers a surface area of 717,000 square metres, has a storage capacity of 125 aircraft, and is certified by both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Airbus says the site will progressively ramp-up operations between now and 2025, directly employing up to 150 employees. The main buildings have obtained the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for their environmentally sound construction.
The Centre unites under one roof a joint venture between Airbus, Tarmac Aerosave and the city of Chengdu, along with the Airbus company Satair. Tarmac Aerosave brings its more than 15 years of proven expertise in efficient aircraft storage, dismantling and recycling to the project. Located in the same centre, Airbus company Satair will acquire ageing aircraft and trade and distribute the used parts to complete the full scope of lifecycle services. 75 percent of the aircraft stored in the centre are expected to fly again after storage and upgrade by the joint venture. The remaining aircraft will be dismantled with the unique Tarmac Aerosave process, recovering around 90 percent of the aircraft weight
“Our service centre is a great example of Chinese-European cooperation in the development of the circular economy for the aviation industry,” said Cristina Aguilar, Airbus’s SVP of customer services.
