Air Astana, the award-winning Kazakh flag carrier, marked its 16th anniversary with the opening of a new Aviation Technical Centre at Astana's Nursultan Nazarbayev international airport today. The new Aviation Technical Centre enables 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 at a cost of US$ 19 million.

The Aviation Technical Centre's energy efficient, single span hangar offers 5,556 square meters of floor space and can accommodate widebody types like the Boeing 787 or Boeing 767, alongside a single aisle aircraft like the latest Airbus A320neo family simultaneously.

The Canadian designed structure is built to a very high specification and designed to remain fully operational even under the extremely low temperatures experienced in Astana during winter months. 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 and 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."

Contributed by Air Astana