Tyagi impressed with BEML's aircraft towing tractor

Bangalore, Feb 11 (UNI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) has evinced keen interest on the latest model of Aircraft Towing Tractor (ATT) build along with a general power unit by public sector Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) that could enable fighter aircraft draw auxilary power both during emergency and pre flight preparations.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief S P Tyagi was impressed with the Unit kept on display at the Aero India 2007 and indicated that IAF could use such machines of ten tonne capacity, which had a dual role to offer. Currently IAF was having 300 such machines for towing operations only.

Disclosing this to UNI at the Aero Show, BEML Chief General Manager Marketing P Subba Rao said BEML was also currently developing a 50 tonne capacity ATT for heavier aircraft.

Use of such auxiliry power units could result in enormous saving of airfuel by the IAF.

He said BEML would shortly set up a Joint venture unit in Brazil for its earthmoving and mining equipments with an investment of Rs.100 crore. The due diligence of the proposal to be taken up with a Brazilian partner was currently being vetted by a third party and once it was clear the joint venture pact would be signed and work initiated on the project. This was the first time a public sector unit was setting up a joint venture outside the country, he said, adding that this would enable BEML to export its equipments to South American and African countries.

He said that the Company has also tendered for supply of 340 metro coaches to the Delhi Metro and was confident of bagging the order. It had already supplied 220 such coaches and another 40 were on the production line.

He said the Technology division of BEML, a latest addition to the activities of the PSU had attracted a lot of inquiries at the Air Show. With a track record of expertise in engineering softwre and advanced Computer aided design solutions, BEML had opened the new division to capitalise on the huge requirement of off shore engineering services support. The division which supported design engineering, modelling, computer aided engineering and analysis, prototyping, testing and reverse engineering saw a host of aerospace giants and small and medium players evincing keen interest to work with BEML. Currently the Divison had around 70 engineers and the strength would be increased by another 50 very soon, a senior official of BEML said.

BEML was confident of converting some of the inquiries into orders in the near future, the official added.

UNI