Emirates Engineering, whose latest high-tech maintenance facility opened for business recently, has secured five new engineering contracts.

Engineers from the Dubai-based company began their first-ever major maintenance check for a foreign customer - a "4C" check on a Lauda Air Boeing 777, which had booked in to stay at the new $4.5m computer-controlled aircraft dock for 18 days.

The giant 330-tonne dock adjusts automatically to give engineers safe access to all areas of different aircraft at up to 60 feet above the ground.

As the world's most versatile multi-aircraft dock, it has expanded Emirates' heavy maintenance capability, putting it in pole position to win third-party work from customers across the region, and reinforcing Dubai's role as a global aviation hub, a statement said.

As well as Lauda Air, Emirates has secured new contracts with Switzerland's Balair (Boeing 757 line maintenance); Malaysian Airlines (Airbus maintenance); and the UK's Airtours and Air 2000, (Boeing 767 line maintenance technical handling).

In an unusual arrangement, a licensed Emirates engineer flies from Sharjah to Goa and back on Balair's weekly Boeing 757, providing technical support throughout the flight.

Adel Al Redha, Head of Emirates Engineering, said: "Last year when we first did this, Balair admired our versatility. Now they have signed up for the winter, which may make them the first customer for this unique service." Malaysian has contracted for line maintenance and technical handling of its A330 flights to Istanbul via Dubai, giving Emirates its third A330 external contract after Thai and Swissair. UK charter firms Airtours and Air 2000 have signed Emirates for technical handling on their Boeing 767 flights to Male, Maldives. Senior Emirates engineer Colin Disspain, whose responsibilities include winning third-party work, said: "This is testimony to our ability to meet customer needs. We now have contracts with 30 airlines, earning us more than $3 million a year."