The Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Co.Ltd (TAECO) started on Saturday construction of its 6th hangar which will become one of the world's biggest aircraft maintenance centers.

The hangar, costing 67 million U.S. dollars, will take up over 50,000 square meters. Due to be in operation by the end of 2008, it will enable TAECO to accommodate 17 aircraft at a time.

"Construction of the hangar will satisfy the increasing needs of customers for their long-term development in China," said Chen Bingjie, Xiamen TAECO's CEO.

Over 400 people from China and foreign countries like the U.S., Germany, Holland and Japan took part in the ground breaking ceremony.

A joint venture formed in July 1993, Xiamen TAECO has invested 262 million U.S. dollars in five hangars.

So far, TAECO with the first four completed hangars has the capacity to accommodate six wide body and three narrow body aircraft. The fifth hangar will go into operation in 2007.

TAECO provides service to more than 30 airlines and has overhauled 600 aircraft.

Source: Xinhua