The aviation maintenance base. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]
In the aviation industry, maintenance bases are vividly referred to as "aircraft hospitals". Xiamen Aviation Maintenance Base has grown into the largest and most comprehensive "aircraft hospital" in China.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), 983 aircraft entered Xiamen for maintenance, generating industry revenue of 60.8 billion yuan ($8.63 billion). Amid the ongoing recovery of the global aviation market this year, Xiamen Customs has overseen 206 inbound aircraft for maintenance as of Dec 16, a record high for the same period.
Established in 1993, HAECO Xiamen is a leading provider of aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services in the Asia-Pacific region. Within its modern 46,000-sq m complex, the facility can simultaneously accommodate 12 wide-body and five narrow-body aircraft for comprehensive service.
Xiamen Aviation Maintenance Base, home to HAECO Xiamen, has attracted a cluster of internationally renowned MRO enterprises such as ST Engineering and Honeywell. Together, they have formed an integrated industrial ecosystem spanning a full spectrum of services, including aircraft structural overhaul, passenger-to-freighter conversion, business jet completion, and technical training.
In the first 10 months of this year, the base maintained strong momentum in revenue growth, reaching 16.45 billion yuan, already surpassing last year's total revenue.
Xiamen has implemented a series of innovative policies, including an integrated supervision system for aviation maintenance, which has boosted maintenance efficiency and garnered greater trust from international clients.