NACIL-EADS to come up with $40 mln MRO center in Delhi next yr

Hyderabad, Oct 16 (UNI) The National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) and European Aeronautics Defence and Space Company (EADS) today signed an agreement to set up a 40 million dollar Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) center at Delhi.

The MRO centre, after it receives Government approval, will start operations from early 2009 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

According to the agreement signed at the on-going civilian airshow at Begumpet Airport here, the total project cost has been estimated at 40 million dollars spread over five years, which includes new wide body aircraft hangars and equipment, Mr Jitender Bhargava, spokesman of Air India, a part of NACIL, told a press conference.

Both NACIL and EADS are initially 50-50 equity partners in the joint venture. A third Airbus network partner and local affiliate EADS company would be inducted soon.

The facility will allow Air India to have more aircraft available by reducing the maintenance check time.

The centre, which will employ 250-300 indian technical staff, will repair the Airbus aircraft of NACIL to begin with, he said.

Later, the facility will be extended to other types of aircraft and aircraft of other airlines as also to aircraft other that the Airbus family and to component maintenance business.

The facility would cater to the markets in South Asian Region and neighbouring countries.

By 2013, more than 100 single-aisle aircraft and ten wide body aircraft per year would be maintained.

Other Indian as well as foreign operators and airlines would benefit from its services soon.

Mr Bhargava said three more MROs would come up, including one with Boeing in Nagpur.

UNI YJ SBA NS1632