Page 34 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2014 Online Magazine

NEWS

INduSTRy NEWS ANd uPdATES

Pilatus Ties Up With
TASL To Make PC-12 In
India
Swiss airframer Pilatus Aircraft will
soon start assembling aero structures
of its turbine-powered business aircraft
PC-12 NG in India with the help of Tata
Etihad Airways New Livery Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
India’s TASL has replaced an existing
For the first time, Etihad Airways Etihad Airways has firm orders for ten Pilatus supplier, who was responsible
unveiled its all-new livery design on its A380s and will become the 13th operator for producing PC-12 aero structures
first Airbus A380 at a special ceremony of the aircraft. With 318 orders so far by in Eastern Europe, to be the second
at the Airbus site in Hamburg, Germany. 19 customers the A380 captures 90 percent support facility for PC-12 after OGMA
The airline’s first flagship aircraft will of the Very Large Aircraft market. To date œ Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal.
now go through its final phase of cabin over 65 million passengers have already India has been looking at acquiring
furnishing, followed by ground and enjoyed the unique experience of flying on more aircraft from the Swiss aircraft
flight tests, before being delivered to board an A380. Every four minutes in the maker. In 2012, Pilatus Aircraft entered
the Abu Dhabi based airline towards the world, an A380 either takes off or lands, into a contract with the Government of
end of the year. and the network is constantly growing. India to supply 75 PC-7 MkII turboprop
basic trainer aircraft to the Indian Air
Force.
financial solutions for the introduction “The partnership (with TASL) is
of Airbus A320 and the other family of important in the context of Pilatus’
aircraft to the fleet in the form of sale offset obligation resulting from the
and lease back or financial lease or sale of the PC-7 MkII Training Aircraft
commercial lending,” says an IndiGo System to the Indian Air Force,” says
official. Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus Aircraft
IndiGo already has a relationship Ltd.
with ICBC, the largest commercial As per the 10-year contract, TASL will
bank in China. “The agreement reflects assemble the airframes at its facility in
IndiGo Inks Deal With the strong business relations between Hyderabad, in southern India.
The number of airframes manufactured
India & China,” the official adds.
Chinese Bank The announcement coincided with at the TASL facility will be significant
Industrial and Commercial Bank of the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping and relevant to the current annual
China Ltd (ICBC) has signed a $2.6 to India in September. production requirement of the PC-12
billion deal with India’s low-cost IndiGo, one of the few profitable aircraft.
carrier IndiGo to finance more than 30 airlines in the country, has 81 aircraft “The first complete PC-12 NG aero
new aircraft. in its fleet at present and majority of structure is expected to be delivered
“Under the memorandum of them is financed through sale and during the second half of 2016,” says a
understanding ICBC will provide IndiGo leaseback agreements. spokesman of Pilatus.

34 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM