Leighton Asia, in a joint venture with China State Construction Engineering, secured a contract to construct the third aircraft maintenance hangar at Chek Lap Kok International Airport in Hong Kong.

The development is a world-class 16,000 square-metre facility that can simultaneously accommodate two jumbo jets and one nose-in aircraft to provide a total of three Boeing 747 sized aircraft maintenance positions. It allows a 33% increase in annual heavy maintenance capacity at Hong Kong International Airport.

A key feature and challenge of the project was the roof of the hangar which has a clear span in excess of 150 metres. The steel struss weighs over 2,000 tonnes and was constructed at ground level and lifted into final position with strand jacks. The project also involved the installation of a foam deluge system and computer controlled access scaffold that automatically encloses the aircraft and provides maintenance access to the entire plane.