Airbus has put into operation its life cycle services center in Chengdu, Sichuan province, as the European aircraft manufacturer remains bullish about the growth potential of China's aviation market.

The center is expected to provide solutions to manage the entire life cycle of an aircraft.

Airbus said Chengdu has a comprehensive aviation ecosystem.

As a one-stop shop, the center is the first of its kind for Airbus globally to cover a full range of activities.

The center has become operational at a time when China and France are celebrating the 60th anniversary of establishing mutual diplomatic relations.

The center provides services such as parking, storage, maintenance, upgrades, conversions, dismantling and recycling of various aircraft types, as well as the controlled distribution of used parts from dismantling, the plane maker said.

Located beside Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, the center can accommodate 125 aircraft. The site will progressively ramp up operations between now and 2025, directly employing up to 150 people.

"We are happy to support the Chinese market, which is so important for us. China has introduced various visa-free policies to attract overseas visitors, which is expected to further boost air traffic growth," said Philippe Mhun, executive vice-president of Airbus.

China is expected to become the largest commercial aircraft services market globally by 2042, exceeding North America and Europe, tripling such services value to $54 billion, Airbus had projected earlier.

The forecast sees 2,320 aircraft will retire between now and 2042 in China, with more than 100 aircraft retiring annually as a result of continuous fleet modernization. This will create growing market opportunities to reuse, repair and recycle older aircraft and contribute to a circular economy, Airbus said.

"The latest investment shows Airbus' recognition of China's investment environment and the attractiveness of China's huge civil aircraft market," said Zou Jianjun, a professor at the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China.

The center unites under one roof a JV between Airbus, Tarmac Aerosave, Satair and the local government of Chengdu. Tarmac Aerosave will provide expertise in aircraft storage, dismantling and recycling for the project.

Airbus company Satair will acquire aging aircraft then trade and distribute the used parts to complete the full scope of life cycle services.

Specifically, 75 percent of the aircraft stored at the center are expected to fly again after storage and upgrade by the JV. The remaining aircraft will be dismantled, recovering around 90 percent of the aircraft's original weight.

"The center echoes our purpose to pioneer sustainable aerospace and shows our approach to environmental responsibility across the entire aircraft life cycle. It is a great example of Chinese-European cooperation in the development of the circular economy for the aviation industry," said Cristina Aguilar, senior vice-president of customer services at Airbus.

The center is certified by both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association, which released data on air travel performance in November, indicated that air travel demand topped 99 percent of 2019 pre-pandemic levels.