Page 12 - AAA JULY - AUGUST 2013 Online Magazine
P. 12
FeATure ouTsourcing Mro
changing,” he says. Air Works, with an
EASA-certified facility in southern India,
provides heavy maintenance capability for
Airbus A320, ATR42/62 and Boeing 737/
NG family of aircraft.
Certified and local
Having the flexibility to get the aircraft
serviced at a local MRO, with European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved
facilities in India results in a 30% to 40%
saving in aircraft maintenance costs for
most airlines, despite the tax regime
on import of spares into the country,
which makes them 30% more expensive
compared to international MROs, asserts
Air Works’ Gour.
Most Indian airline fleets include a
mix of directly purchased aircraft and
airplanes that are leased. The leasing
ABOVE: It remains to official spokesman from a LCC asserts option requires maintenance and re-
be seen if Indian MRO on condition of anonymity. Nonetheless, delivery checks, and since most of the
providers can persuade MRO units in India are constantly in leasing companies are either European
local carrier SpiceJet discussion with local and international or American, it is imperative for the
to return home for
maintenance works carriers offering all facilities. Indian MRO companies to have global
Vivek Gour, MD of Air Works, one of certifications to perform MRO activities to
the leading independent general aviation conform to contract requirements.
and airline MRO firms in the country, The benefits for the domestic airlines
says that the battle is an uphill one. “In in availing themselves of the MRO services
the absence of quality infrastructure, offered in India include cost advantage and
airlines (in India) were forced to carry faster turnaround time, points out Ravi
out maintenance outside India at the Menom, Executive Director of Air Works.
nearest available MRO locations such as “The ferry time of getting the aircraft
(Southeast Asia, the Middle East and even serviced in India is another advantage,
Europe), incurring a ferry flight, logistics which can save fuel, logistic costs,
costs and engine hours. This is slowly and engine, auxiliary power unit and
component hours. This in turn translates
into more revenue for the airlines,” points
out Menon. He says that despite this, one
major reason why the airlines continue
to look towards the international market
is because of the perceived quality of
service. “But then the safety standards are
the same globally,” Menon says.
So with ever increasing passenger
traffic and fleet expansion, mainly by
low-cost carriers, the Indian aviation
sector should see a wide-open gate of
opportunities for aircraft companies
working in the MRO segment.
Air India and Jet Airways have their
own or captive MRO facilities. Additionally,
there are several MRO projects under
development in India. For instance, Cochin
12 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS JULY / AUGUST 2013 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM
