Air Astana, the Kazakh flag-carrier, has opened a new Aviation Technical Centre at Astana’s Nursultan Nazarbayev international airport, marking the airline’s 16th anniversary.
The new centre will enable Air Astana to undertake all aircraft engineering and servicing requirements up to heavy maintenance level. The project was financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and totalled US$19 million.
The company said the centre’s single span hangar will be energy efficient and offer 5,556 square metres of floor space, and can simultaneously accommodate widebody aircraft such as the Boeing 787 or Boeing 767, alongside a single-aisle aircraft like the Airbus A320neo Family.
The Canadian-designed structure is built to remain fully operational even under the extremely low temperatures the location experiences during winter months, the company said.
In addition to the hangar, the Aviation Technical Centre incorporates a spare parts warehouse and a complete range of workshops for the repair and overhaul of aircraft components. An auxiliary building provides space for the existing Air Astana Engineering Centre to significantly expand training of engineering and maintenance staff to international standards.
“With Astana, the futuristic capital of Kazakhstan, and Air Astana, the national flag carrier, respectively, celebrating 20th and 16th anniversaries in 2018, the opening of this new Aviation Technical Centre represents a shared cause for celebration,” said Peter Foster, president and CEO of Air Astana. “For Astana, the added aerospace infrastructure contributes to the city’s standing as the leading air hub in Central Asia, whilst for Air Astana, it represents another significant step in expanding the carrier’s capabilities and boosting its international reputation for excellence.”
