Airbus announced that its Airbus Lifecycle Services Centre (ALSC) has started its operations in Chengdu (China), offering solutions to manage the entire lifecycle of an aircraft.

The European planemaker said this centre is the "first of its kind" to cover, as a one-stop shop, the full range of activities 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 from dismantling.

The ALSC in Chengdu is certified by both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). 

The Airbus Lifecycle Services Centre covers a surface area of 717,000 square metres and has a storage capacity of 125 aircraft.

The main buildings have obtained the LEED(1) (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for their construction, which is a first step to reducing the environmental impacts of operations at the ALSC site.

"I'm glad to see the Airbus Lifecycle Services Centre enter into service in Chengdu," said Cristina Aguilar, Airbus SVP Customer Services. "It echoes our purpose to pioneer sustainable aerospace and shows our approach to environmental responsibility across the entire aircraft lifecycle."

Aguilar noted that the Airbus service centre is also a great example of Chinese-European cooperation in the development of the circular economy for the aviation industry.

The Airbus Lifecycle Services 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 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.

Airbus noted that 75% 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% of the aircraft's weight.

Airbus said the site will progressively ramp up operations between now and 2025, directly employing up to 150 employees.