Airbus Helicopters, a part of the European aviation major Airbus, on Friday said it has partnered with domestic MRO operator Indamer for servicing its helicopter fleet in India.
Under this arrangement, Indamer will provide Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul services for the rotor-wing aircraft at its facilities in Mumbai, New Delhi and Nagpur, Airbus Helicopters said in a statement.
In addition to these three, Indamer also has a MRO facility in Pune.
The MRO will provide faster turnaround for servicing and help create an efficient after-market experience for the Airbus Helicopters customers not only in India but also in the wider South Asia region, it said.
The tie-up will give a significant boost to the development of the helicopter MRO ecosystem in the country, it added.
"Building and supporting a sustainable end-to-end rotary-wing (helicopter) aviation ecosystem in India is key for Airbus Helicopters. With Indamer, we aim to cater to our growing fleet in India and the future potential," said Romain Trapp, Executive Vice-President, customer support and services for Airbus Helicopters.
Trapp further noted that Airbus Helicopters will bring in the technical competencies that will help advance India's helicopter MRO ambitions.
Currently, there are more than 125 Airbus helicopters, including H125, H130, H135, H145 and Dauphin, under operations in India and South Asia region, particularly in the energy, commercial and business aviation segments, according to the company.
The MRO will provide faster turnaround for servicing and help create an efficient after-market experience for the Airbus Helicopters customers not only in India but also in the wider South Asia region.
Airbus Helicopters said its collaboration with Indamer is the latest in Airbus' expanding industrial footprint in India, which seeks to put in place the building blocks for a mature, comprehensive aerospace ecosystem in the country, adding that currently every Airbus commercial aircraft and helicopter has critical technologies and parts designed, made and maintained in India.
Over a decade ago, Indamer made the strategic decision to establish its rotary-wing MRO division, concentrating on addressing the increasing demands of Indian customers for helicopters, said Prajay Patel, Director, Indamer Aviation.
"With the right support, the maintenance requirements of Indian customers can be effectively fulfilled domestically. We align with Airbus in sharing this collective vision and express gratitude for their recognition," he added.