KATHMANDU, July 5 -- Chinese plane manufacturing company AVIC International Holding Corporation has completed the first big periodic maintenance of Chinese-made Modern Ark (MA) 60.

XAC MRO Company under AVIC International conducted the periodic maintenance of national-flag carrier MA60, which has been operating regular flights in Nepal under the fleet of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) since June 2014.

"A team of nine engineers and a auality assurance officer were involved in the biggest periodic maintenance of Chinese aircraft in the last 10 days. They worked mainly on air-frame, engine and the controlling system," Zhao Baolin, General Manager of XAC MRO Company told Xinhua.

The periodic maintenance should be conducted in every two years for the smooth operation of an aircraft, according to the officials at AVIC.

In December, 2012, Nepal government had signed a commercial agreement with AVIC to procure and purchase six new aircrafts. As per the agreement, two aircrafts MA60 and Y12e were gifted to NAC on grant, whereas the remaining four aircrafts -- three Y12e and a MA60 are yet to join the fleet of NAC under concessional loans.

Wang Xinghai, Deputy Director of Customer Service Department at AVIC International said "Our two brand new aircrafts have been operating smoothly in Nepal since last two years. We have been extending possible support to NAC either through mobilization of our instructor pilots or periodic maintenances. Our cooperation will continue in coming days as well."

AVIC has already conducted several small periodic checks for MA60 in the last two years.