A QUARTERLY NEWS DIGEST FOR INDIAN MROs
AERO MRO DIGEST
A UNITING FORCE FOR THE INDIAN MRO INDUSTRY
GIFAS
Mission India Co
ve
r S
tory
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 A
CONTENTS
COVER STORY
(1) GIFAS - India Mission
IN THE NEWS
(3) Indian airports saturate as aviation boom
(4) Suresh Prabhu takes additional charge as Aviation
Minister of India
(5) Maharashtra Govt. signs ₹35,000-cr deal with Amol
Yadav
(7) Trujet evolves into a national carrier. 20 additional
routes acquired
(8) Spike Aerospace predicts Supersonic market for
13million+ passengers annually
(9) BrahMos missile tested with indigenous seeker
(9) AirAsia India plans to begin its overseas operations
by January 2019
(10) Nepal awaits a nod from India
(11) Nuclear Capable Ballistic Agni II Missile test fires successfully
(13) CAAC grants airworthiness certification to SR Tech-
nics in Malaysia
(14) Indian air space to reach 855 million air passengers
by 2030-31
(14) India test-fires Nuclear capable Prithvi II missile
(15) Agni I missile test fired off Odisha Coast
(16) Indian Aviation soars, whereas MRO Industry sores
(18) Fifth test of India’s nuclear-capable Agni-5 missile successful
BUSINESS DECLARATION
(6) HAL-Safran partnership for setting up infrastructure
at Honda, Goa
(7) Boeing and TAL Manufacturing sign a new contract
for ACFB
(8) IATA and CAAS sign MoU for SPARC
(10) Indian Navy and Boeing sign contract for P-8I
training simulator
(11) AAR to start maintenance service in India soon
(13) Tata & Boeing unite to open Apache helicopter
fuselage facility in Hyderabad
(15) Component maintenance contract expanded for
Jet Airways
(16) MoU signed between Andhra Pradesh and Emir-
ates Group for Aviation infrastructure
(17) GE and Tata break ground together for Hyderabad
aerospace facility
LATEST TRENDS
(4) World’s largest Jet Engine, maiden flight gener-
ates 100k pounds of thrust
(5) Virgin Galactic spaceplane completes transonic
Glide flight
(6) Falcon Heavy – A game changer by SpaceX
(10) In-flight connectivity now available across Air
Astana’s Boeing 767 fleet
(12) Honeywell introduces RECON – Predictive
maintenance enhanced
(18) Boeing releases its new Unmanned CAV design
Disclaimer : The views expressed in the articles are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of the
publisher or the publishing house. Unless otherwise noted, the author writes in his/her personal capacity. They are not intended and
should not be thought of, to represent official ideas, or policies of any agency or institution mentioned thereof. The information in
this newsletter is for information purposes only. The articles may also be from a syndicated source, but are rewritten (retaining origi-
nal facts, to the best of our knowledge) to meet the office policies. MRO Association of India assumes and/or bears no liability or
responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information
contained about every individual, event or organization is known to have been provided by such individual, event organizers or or-
ganization without verification by us. Sources of information may vary. Feedback is welcome.
NOTE: This edition was delayed to accommodate a spe-
cial event—’GIFAS - India Mission’. We apologize to our
readers for the delay.
AVIATION EVENTS
(20) Aviation Events—Jan 2018 - Mar 2018
NEW APPOINTMENTS
(21) Aviation Events—Jan 2018 - Mar 2018
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 1
GIFAS mission engages Indian counter-parts successfully with Make-in-India theme
Following the French President, Emmanuel Macron’s visit
to India in March 2018, the French Aerospace Industries
Association, GIFAS had launched a mission to strengthen
the French-Indian aerospace and defense cooperation.
GIFAS, which is the driving force behind the French-Indian
cooperation, brought a major industrial mission to India
between 16-19 April 2018. This mission is derived from a
very constructive and promising feedback received from
the French President’s visit to India.
Eric Trappier, the Chairman of GIFAS and CIDEF (Council of
French Defense Industries) and the Chairman & CEO of
Dassault Aviation, brought a group of 60 French Aero-
space, MRO and Space companies, for this mission. Coop-
eration in the areas of aeronautics and space that started
in the Fifties, is organised and well established. It has been
strengthened by bilateral strategic partnerships that were
brokered twenty years ago. This GIFAS trade mission is an
industrial demonstration of this long-standing strategic
partnership across the civilian, defense and space sectors.
In New Delhi and Bangalore, Mr. Trappier and team met
with several ministers and officials such as Mrs. Nirmala
Sitharaman, Minister of Defense, Mr. Suresh Prabhu, Min-
ister of Commerce, Industry and Civil Aviation, Dr. Subhash
Bhamre, Minister of State for Defense, Mr. Jayant
Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, and Mr.
R.V. Deshpande, Minister of Industry and Com-
merce of the State of Karnataka.
On the occasion of the Conference, on 16th April 2018, on
Indo-French Cooperation in Defense and Aerospace, the
Minister of State for Defense, Mr. Subhash R Bhamre, said,
"the Make-in-India initiative offers a valuable opportunity
for French companies and Indian to engage in the produc-
tion of defense equipment in India . " The minister particu-
larly encouraged French SMEs, stressing their interest in
integrating a global supply chain, stimulated by the "huge"
needs of India and supported by "qualified" human capital.
Mr Bhamre emphasized that "the biggest challenge to
overcome [for Indian industry] was to remedy the techno-
logical backwardness.” He is therefore pleased to benefit
from the French experience in creating a state-of-the-art
business ecosystem and a supply chain using a wide range
of technologies.
The GIFAS lead team attended meetings with various aero-
space industries, from major Indian cities like New Delhi,
Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad, to bring together the
aerospace industries from both the countries. The major
aviation and space players representing both civilian and
defense business interests will be present – Airbus, Ariane-
Group, Dassault Aviation, MBDA, Safran and Thales; along
with 54 subcontractors, suppliers, SMEs and equipment
manufacturers.
On the third day of the industrial mission went to Banga-
lore. On the agenda were visits to several pioneering SMEs
and ETIs in India, whose implementation 10 to 20 years
ago was a total success. First stop for GIFAS manufacturers
at Mach Aero. This company specializes in ball joints and
high-precision mechanical equipment for aeronautics, was
born in 1962 in Brétigny-sur-Orge, Essonne. Since 2007, it
has installed its first industrial building in Bangalore, and
now has three sites (two factories and a control center)
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 2
in the Indian city. Another example is that of the SME Re-
caero & Dynamatics, an equipment manufacturer specializ-
ing in the manufacture of aerostructure parts and engines
for aircraft models whose production has been stopped.
Founded in Toulouse in 1991, with around 30 employees,
the family company now has 350 employees in France and
270 in India. Same enthusiasm when visiting First, a group
specializing in electromechanical relays for extreme envi-
ronments, also based in Bangalore. These companies have
taken the gamble to invest in India to develop a high-level
technology, while integrating perfectly into the local eco-
nomic and cultural landscape. It should be noted that
French manufacturers also went to the headquarters of
the Indian group Centum, which recently bought two
French companies: Centum Adetel and Centum Adeneo.
As part of the industrial mission led by the Chairman of
GIFAS, the 60 industrialists participated in three round ta-
bles chaired by senior Indian authorities of the Ministries
of Civil Aviation and Defense. These roundtables focused
on strategic topics such as the development of an ecosys-
tem in the aerospace and space sectors in India, the sus-
tainable growth of the civil aviation market and the Franco
-Indian cooperation in the field of aviation. space. At the
same time, more than 400 B2B meetings were organized
with local partners to strengthen economic and industrial
cooperation between SMEs and ETIs from both countries.
The GIFAS team was led by Eric Trappier, along with seven
members of the GIFAS board. Eric Trappier said, “France
and GIFAS are proud to develop and strengthen our bonds
with India through this mission, as our country and indus-
tries are clearly committed to encouraging the “Make in
India” initiative. We are glad to contribute to buttressing
the strategic partnership between France and India.”
MRO Association of India in its endeavor to help the GIFAS
Delegation in India helped it to organize a bespoke Round
Table on Civil Aviation – Key Factors to ensure Sustainable
Growth chaired by Ms. Vandana Aggarwal, Economic Ad-
viser to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The other panelists
were
Mr Stéphane Abrial, Chairman of the GIFAS International
Commission, Senior Executive Vice President International
and Public Affairs, Safran, Mr. Jean-Claude Volot, CEO of
Dedienne Aerospace, Member of GIFAS Board, Mr. HR Jag-
annath, CEO, Air India Engineering Services Ltd., and Mr.
Arvind Mehra, CEO, Mahindra Aerospace. The Round Table
was moderated by Mr. Cedric Post, Senior Vice-President,
International and European Affairs, GIFAS.
The interactive Round Table was attended by around 20
French MRO companies who were given a first-hand infor-
mation about the status of the Indian MRO industry. Subse-
quently, the team visited Air India Engineering Services Ltd
(AIESL), Mumbai hangars on April 18 where they were
shown around.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 3
Indian airports saturate as aviation booms
Indian airports are striving to manage the massive incre-
ment in passenger number. They are bursting at seams,
owing to the huge boom in air travel, as the growing mid-
dle-class population are increasingly taking to skies. This
has made the imminent expansions of airport infrastruc-
ture, necessary. Analysts have already warned that air-
port capacity boosting is highly due, and experts inform
that the present infrastructure are failing to keep up with
the surge.
India has seen a six-fold increase in passenger number in
the past decade, as citizens have taken advantage of
better connectivity and cheaper tickets, owing to a host
of LCCs. In 2016, Indian airports handled 265 million pas-
sengers and this number is expected to cross 300 million
in 2018, according to CAPA report. India’s current entire
airport network is capable of handling 317 million passen-
gers, as per the report. CAPA also predicts that India will
take over Britain as the third largest market by 2025 and
will have 478 million passengers by 2036.
According to aviation experts, Indian government is facing
a race against time, to build infrastructure to manage the
increasing passenger traffic. Flights have increased over
20%, annually, over the last 3 years, which has stretched
the airports to their breaking point. In a report released
by CAPA in February 2018, ten Indian airports, which in-
cludes Dehradun, Jaipur, Guwahati, Mangalore, Srinagar,
and Pune are already operating beyond their capacity and
others are nearing their limits. CAPA predicts that Indira
Gandhi International Airport and Chennai International
Airport, will reach their operating capacity within next 4-5
years. Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
(CSIA), is facing an even more severe situation as, accord-
ing to CAPA report, it is operating at 94% capacity and is
close to its saturation point.
To combat the passenger capacity issue at the Mumbai
A networking lunch was organised by MRO Association of
India in the afternoon, where the Managing Committee
Members headed by President Mr.Bharat Mankani, Vice
President Mr. Ravi Menon, Treasurer Mr. Rajendra Johri,
Jt Treasurer Mr. Parag Chitnis and many other members
of the Association. A meaningful hour-long discussion be-
tween the French and Indian side followed. A meaningful
progression to this inaction is expected.
MRO Association of India endeavor to create a window
for interaction between overseas groups and the Indian
MRO Industry. In this year only, the Association has host-
ed a team of MROs from British Columbia, Canada and
now French companies under the umbrella of GIFAS.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 4
World’s largest Jet Engine, maiden
flight generates 100k pounds of
GE Aviation, one of the top aircraft engine suppliers, an-nounced the first lift-off for its new engine model, GE9X. The maiden flight of the GE9X engine took place on 13th March 2018, where is was fitted under GE Aviation’s 747 flying testbed in Victorville, California.
GE Aviation is designing the massive engine specifically for Boeing 777X and can generate 100,000 pounds of thrust. This thrust is more than that produced by the rocket, Free-dom 7 or Mercury-Redstone 3 (78,000 pounds of thrust), which propelled the first American to space. During the test flight, the engine flew for over four hours and was able to complete the entire test card. The engine was then validated for operational and functional characteristic.
Besides the flight test, the engine has also completed its icing test, at the GE Aviation’s facility in Winnipeg, Manito-ba, Canada. The engine is presently undergoing crosswinds test, at Peebles Test Operation, Ohio. GE expects that the engine will receive final certification in 2019.
The engine will have the largest front fan at 134-inches in diameter of any jet engine with a composite fan case and 15 fourth generation carbon fiber composite fan blades. The engine has a 27:1 pressure-ratio 11-stage high-pressure compressor and a third-generation TAPS III com-bustor for efficiency and low emissions. GE Aviation has already received 700 orders for the engine.
airport, government is building another greenfield interna-
tional airport in Navi Mumbai, 30 km away from CSIA. In
the 2018 Budget announcement finance minister, Arun
Jaitley allocated $613 million to Airport Authority of India
for airport capacity expansion. According to CAPA estima-
tion, India needs to invest $45 billion by 2030 for airport
capacity expansion. During the budget announcement,
government announced a new initiative, NextGen Airports
for Bharat (NABH) Nirman, under which airports are to be
enhanced to handle up to 1 billion passengers, by 2030.
Suresh Prabhu takes additional charge as Aviation Minister of India
Indian minister of Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prab-
hu was given the additional charge as the Civil Aviation
Minister of India on 10th March 2018. This followed the
resignation of P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary
(of the Telugu Desam Party), from the PM’s council of
ministers.
According to the communique released, Suresh Prabhu's
appointment as Civil Aviation Minister was not interim. As
Civil Aviation Minister, Prabhu's most pressing concern
will be the disinvestment of national carrier Air India.
Suresh Prabhu has earlier served at various ministerial
positions like, Industry Minister, Minister of Environment
and Forests, Minister of Fertilizers & Chemicals, Power,
Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises. He was also Chair-
man of Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers with a status
and rank of Union Cabinet Minister. He was elected a
member of the World Bank parliamentary network and
chaired the South Asia Water regional group of the World
Bank. He was elected as Rajya Sabha member from the
state of Andhra Pradesh on 3rd June 2016. On 9 November
2014, he was sworn-in as Cabinet minister in Narendra
Modi government. He was the Union Railway Minister of
India from November 2014 to September 2017. He is the
incumbent minister of Commerce and Industry since Sep-
tember 2017.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 5
Maharashtra Govt. signs ₹35,000-cr deal with Amol Yadav
Maharashtra govt. has given clearance to Captain Amol Yadav and signed an MoU for setting up an indigenous fac-tory for manufacturing a 20-seater aircraft, in Palghar. The project cost is ₹35,000 cr, as per the MoU. The 41-year-old Deputy Chief Pilot, Captain Amol Yadav, would be allotted 157 acres of land, in Palghar, located approx. 100 kms away from Mumbai. This venture would be in line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Captain Amol Yadav made news when he displayed his small six-seater aircraft, constructed on his building ter-race, in the ‘Make in India’ mega-event held in Mumbai, in February 2016. Amol Yadav’s aircraft exhibit attracted attention of visitors and dignitaries including then Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Maharash-tra CM, Devendra Fadnavis. The ambitious MoU was signed in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Amol Yadav’s company ‘Thrust Aircraft Pvt. Ltd.’ on the day 3 of the ‘Magnetic Maha-rashtra: Convergence 2018' global investors' conclave, held in Mumbai. The six-seater aircraft was registered by DGCA on 2th No-
vember 2017 and is named ‘VT-NMD’ where NMD stands
for Narendra Modi Devendra, dedicated to hon’ble PM of
Indian and CM of Maharashtra. This aircraft is made of
aluminium, measures 10-ft eight-inches in height, and
was put together under the guidance of Air Marshal Mu-
rali Sundaram, and an advisory panel of the IIT-B profes-
sors. It has been fitted with 30-year-old Pratt and Whit-
ney engine. It can fly up to 13,000 ft, climbing at a rate of
1500 ft per minute. It can achieve a top speed of 185
knots and has a range of 2,000 km.
Virgin Galactic spaceplane, VSS Unity, completes Transonic Glide flight
On 11th January 2018, Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo-
class suborbital rocket-powered passenger carrying space-
plane, VSS Unity completed its seventh unpowered glider
test flight, in the Mojave Desert, California. This test was a
part of series of dry run flights for VSS Unity, which is a
replacement for the initial prototype VSS Enterprise, the
aircraft which was lost in an unfortunate midair accident
in October 2014.
VSS Unity was carried aloft its mothership, VMS Eve, before
being dropped at a high altitude to return to Earth, in a
glide path. The flight was performed by test pilots, Mark
“Forger” Stucky and Michael “Sooch” Masucci, who execut-
ed a series of maneuvers over the desert. The purpose be-
hind the test flight was to expose the VSS Unity to higher
acceleration loads and forces, to simulate the conditions of
powered flight and to push aircraft’s performance enve-
lope. This was also a test for the aircraft’s Thermal Protec-
tion System, which was installed for the first time. This TPS
gave a characteristic silvery luster to the aircraft. VSS Unity
had not flown since August 2017 as engineers and techni-
cians were ensuring the readiness of the aircraft for higher
payloads and rocket-powered flight, for when the need
arises.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 6
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., doing busi-ness as SpaceX, is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX has since developed the Fal-con launch vehicle family and the Dragon spacecraft fami-ly, which both currently deliver payloads into Earth orbit.
HAL-Safran partnership for setting up infrastructure at Honda, Goa
Post the approval of transfer of the industrial plot in Hon-
da, by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation
(GIDC), to the Helicopter Engines MRO (HE-MRO) division
of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL); a joint venture
was formed between the French Aerospace firm, Safran
and HAL, to set up infrastructure at the plant in Honda,
Goa. The aeronautical engineers of the HE-MRO have al-
ready started servicing helicopters used by the three
‘Armed Forces’ in the Forward Operating Bases. "We have
started catering to client needs at forward bases. The joint
venture itself would be attending to the issues in the for-
ward area by themselves," Raju said. "They had an oppor-
tunity to attend to the requirements abroad." Said Mr. T
Suvarna Raju, the M.D. of HAL.
HAL and Safran have each decided to invest ₹21.25 cr, at
the initial stages to start the repair and maintenance fa-
cility, since each firm has a 50-50 share in the joint ven-
ture. As per the initial strategy drafted for the joint ven-
ture, the repair facility will provide maintenance, repair
and overhaul services for Safran TM333 and HAL Shakti
Engines, installed on HAL-built Helicopters.
Falcon Heavy – A game changer by SpaceX
Falcon Heavy, a partially reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX, has success-fully been launched in to space and was able to put a car in space. Despite the complications, the successful launch of the vehicle, has set a milestone, not only for SpaceX but also for the whole space industry. Officially, Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket, which can carry twice the payload as the next closest operational vehicle, Delta IV Heavy. Besides the payload capacity, the reusability of the vehicle makes it three times cheaper. Where the Delta IV heavy can cost up to $400 million per launch, the Falcon Heavy costs only about $90 million per launch. The Falcon Heavy Rocket was launched on 6th February 2018, at 3:45 EST, from the launch pad of the historic Kennedy Space Center in Florida, used for Saturn V’s 1969 Apollo 11 mission.
Elon Musk, SpaceX founder, informed at a press conference that Falcon Heavy is to be a cargo rocket for both private companies and the military. More of the rocket’s launch could be expected in future. Elon Musk expects the Falcon Heavy to be certified for launching satellites on national security mis-sions for the U.S. military just like the company’s previous vehicle Falcon 9. “Falcon Heavy opens up a new class of pay-load. It can launch twice as any payload as any rocket in the world. It can launch things right to Pluto and beyond. No stop needed,” Musk told the press just after the launch.
According to The Verge reports, an economical and powerful rocket like Falcon Heavy could also catch NASA’s attention. NASA is presently developing its own heavy-lift launch vehicle, Space Launch System (SLS). However, SLS is currently far from being put in to operational use, and it could also cost up to ten times, that of Falcon Heavy. Greg Autry, the former White House liaison to NASA told Ars Technica magazine that the lower cost, better performance, over Atlas V and Delta IV, and with its sooner availability as compared to SLS, Falcon Heavy may emerge as an option for future spacecraft sent to Mars or the intriguing moons in the outer Solar System such as Europa, Enceladus, and Titan.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 7
dards of precision and quality and developing a high-
ly skilled workforce to undertake high-technology
work for global customers”
Lokesh Srivastava, COO, TAL Manufacturing Solutions said, “We have been able to meet the quality and delivery needs of the 787 programs, using next-generation technol-ogy and manufacturing practices for making the ACFBs. The new contract reinforces the value potential of our partnership and is a testament to this recognition of not just TAL, but the expertise being developed across India in aerospace manufacturing.”
Trujet evolves into a national carrier —
20 additional routes acquired
Turbo Megha Airways Pvt. Ltd. promoted as ‘Trujet’, the
scheduled regional airline, will be evolving into a national
carrier, soon. Trujet has acquired permission to fly on 20
routes throughout the nation. These include Ahmedabad,
Porbandar, Nashik, Jalgaon, Guwahati, Cooch Behar,
Burhanpur, Tezu and Tezpur to name a few.
Presently, under the UDAN initiative, Trujet flies to 13
destinations; Hyderabad, Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Chen-
nai, Cuddapah, Goa, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Vijayawada,
Nanded, Mysore, Mumbai and Bellary; with 32 services a
day. Trujet is also planning to add seven more aircraft to
their existing fleet of 5 aircraft to deploy on the newly
acquired 20 routes.
Besides the launch of Salem – Chennai sector; which, in
itself, is a commendable feat, as Salem airport was un-
served since Kingfisher operations stopped in 2011, the
addition of 20 routes will certainly boost Trujet in the
league of national scheduled carriers.
Once the Honda facility is operational, it is estimated to repair,
50 helicopter engines, each year. This capacity will be later
ramped up to 150, as mentioned in a statement issued by Safran
Helicopter Engines. The HE-MRO is expected to have 100 em-
ployees and was earlier meant to start the repair activity by
2018, but the project faced a procedural delay, which resulted in
pushing back the outset of the HE-MRO facility by 12-18 months,
according to sources.
After the formation of joint venture, the HE-MRO engi-
neers were recruited and trained by Safran Helicopter En-
gines, and the HE-MRO operations began at Bengaluru.
The manufacturing and assembly of Helicopter engines will
begin later at the Honda facility, as informed by Mr. Raju.
Boeing and TAL Manufacturing sign new contract for ACFB
Boeing one of the largest global aircraft manufacturers, has signed a new contract with TAL Manufacturing Solu-tions Ltd. on 14th March 2018 for TAL’s continued manu-facturing of the Advanced Composite Floor Beam (ACFB) for Boeing's 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft. With this contract, TAL will continue delivering its world-class manufacturing competencies and capabilities to meet Boeing's quality and delivery standards on critical and highly complex 787 structural component. The first con-tract signed by Boeing and TAL was in October 2011 for the floor beams, and TAL successfully delivered the 13,000th beam to 787 fuselage suppliers. TAL has a dedicat-ed manufacturing facility for Boeing in MIHAN SEZ, from where it manufactures and transports the ACFBs.
Boeing President, Pratyush Kumar, said, “This new con-tract for Advanced Composite Floor Beams for the 787-9 and 787-10 is a reaffirmation of our belief and commit-ment in India. Boeing has provided advanced technology to support this partnership, and closely worked with TAL as they trained the frontline factory workers who are now delivering world class quality.”
Banmali Agrawala, President, Infrastructure, Defense and Aerospace, Tata Sons, said, “The collaboration between Boeing and several Tata group companies on various aer-ospace and defense programmes in India will drive syner-gies and create future opportunities for both companies in manufacturing and innovation. This partnership demonstrates our capability in providing world-class stan-
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 8
Spike Aerospace predicts Supersonic
market for 13 million+ passengers
annually
Spike Aerospace, an American aerospace manufacturer
firm based in Boston, has predicted the aviation market
for Supersonic aircraft, stating that supersonic flights
could be flown by over 13 million passengers annually,
post 2025, when the supersonic flights are expected
begin. In order to make this forecast, Spike Aerospace has
analyzed over 4 billion global passengers, which flew in
2017, which accounts to 11 million passengers per day, in
150,000 flights. Analysis was done on parameters like
origin-destination, distances travelled, types of passen-
gers, cabin class and airlines to identify opportunities and
potential demand. Of specific interest were long distance
flights where supersonic speeds provide the most value.
According to Spike Aerospace analysis, more than 650 mil-
lion passengers flew long-haul, non-stop, international
flights, with distances ranging between, 2,000 – 7,000
miles (3,000 to 13,000 km). Premium passengers (First and
Business class), accounted for 72 million or 11.2% of those
seats, in 2017. This is expected to grow to 128 million by
2025.
More than 81% of long haul flights are across continental
locations, while only 19% are trans-oceanic (crossing At-
lantic or Pacific Oceans) flights. Hence supersonic flights
are required to cause a low-sonic boom, to fly over popu-
lated areas, ensuring that there is no harm done to people
or animals on the ground. Advances and innovations in
several technical aspects, assures faster, more efficient
and quieter supersonic flights possible by mid 2020s. Opti-
mized aerodynamics, quieter engines and composite ma-
terials are all technologies that make supersonic aircraft
viable.
"Supersonic flights could be enjoyed by over 13 million
passengers annually when flights begin in 2025. While su-
personic aircraft might be ushered in by the wealthy, they
will ultimately benefit anyone who wants and needs to get
IATA and CAAS sign MoU for SPARC
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has signed a
Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with an intention to
establish a Global Safety Predictive Analytics Research
Centre (SPARC), in Singapore. This MoC was signed be-
tween the Director General and CEO of IATA, Mr. Alexan-
dre de Juniac and Director General of CAAS, Mr. Kevin
Shum. SPARC will access the research capabilities available
in Singapore, along with the Operational Flight Data and
Safety Information, which are available under IATA’s Glob-
al Aviation Data Management (GADM), to develop predic-
tive analytics to identify potential aviation safety hazards.
This system can be made available throughout the avia-
tion network, for the end user to address and implement
appropriate safety measures, to lessen, or even prevent
the occurrence of safety hazards.
Primarily, SPARC will be focused of Runway Safety applica-
tion, due to events like Runways excursions being one of
the most frequent accident category, in recent years, ac-
cording to IATA’s analysis. “Safety is aviation’s highest pri-
ority and all stakeholders are committed to making flying
even safer. The accident investigation process will contin-
ue to be a fundamental tool in improving safety. However,
as the number of accidents declines, we need to take a
system-based, data-driven, predictive approach to pre-
venting accidents, including analyzing the more than
10,000 flights that operate safely every day. The Singa-
pore Government and the CAAS have been strong part-
ners of IATA and we look forward to working with them
through SPARC to help to take aviation safety to an even
higher level,” stated Mr. Alexandre de Juniac.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 9
weapon with Indian-made seeker flew in its designated
trajectory and hit the target with pin-point accuracy.’
The BrahMos is a joint venture between India’ DRDO and
Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia. It is a medium-range anti-
ship ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched
from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. It is the world’s
fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world, inoperation.
It has a surface-to-surface, ship-launch, submarine-launch
and air-launch variants. The test flight on 22nd March was
a surface-to-surface one. The name BrahMos is derived
from the ‘Brahmaputra’ river in India and ‘Moskva’ river in
Russia. The two-stage BrahMos missile is a derivative of
the Russian P-800 Oniks over-the-horizon supersonic anti-
ship cruise missile.
AirAsia India plans to begin its overseas
operations by January 2019
Budget carrier AirAsia India, has recently inducted 17th
aircraft in their fleet, and announced the launch of their
services on the New Delhi - Imphal sector, as well as to
Delhi and Pune from Bangalore. In the first quarter of
2018, AirAsia has successfully inducted 3 aircraft, along
with 8 new routes. As per existing rules, domestic airlines
can fly overseas provided they deploy 20 aircraft or 20 per
cent of their capacity in the domestic market, whichever
is higher. AirAsia is currently, 3 aircraft short to qualify for
flying overseas. The airline plans on connecting more and
more tier II and tier III cities, wherever an Airbus A320 can
operate and after completing induction of 20 aircraft,
to their destinations faster. This is going to make the
world smaller and easier to access, so passengers can
personally experience and enjoy all the world offers."
stated Vik Kachoria, CEO & President of Spike Aerospace.
BrahMos missile tested with indigenous seeker
On Thrusday, 22nd March 2018, at 08:42 am, in the
Pokhran test range in Rajasthan, India successfully test-
fired the BrahMos, a supersonic cruise missile, which was
fitted with an indigenous ‘seeker’. With the success of
this test fire, India’s ability to strike the enemy target has
been extended up to 400 km. The test was conducted by
scientists of DRDO and BrahMos, along with the Indian
Army. A high-level team, led by DRDO chairman Dr. S
Christopher, which included Director General (Missiles &
Strategic Systems) and Scientific Adviser to Defense Min-
ister G Satheesh Reddy and Director General BrahMos
Sudhir Mishra, was present during the flight trial. Senior
IAF officials were also present for the test.
This was the first time when the missile was tested with
indigenously developed ‘seeker’ technology. The seeker
was developed by Defense Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) and BrahMos Aerospace & manu-
factured by state-owned Electronics Corporation of India.
The BrahMos missiles in-services have equipped with
seeker developed in Russia, for terminal guidance. India
has been working towards developing a new seeker tech-
nology, to replace the Russia-made one, owing to con-
tractual disputes between the two nations. The range of
BrahMos was initially set to 290 km, as the Missile Tech-
nology Control Regime (MTCR), prevents proliferation of
missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable
of carrying above 500 kg payload for more than 300 km.
Since India joined the MTCR, the range has been extend-
ed to 400 km and plans are being made to develop the
missile for a range of 600 km.
Indian Defense Minister, Nirmala Sitharman tweeted
about this event ‘Formidable Supersonic Cruise Missile
#BrahMos was successfully flight tested at 8:42 AM today
at Pokharan Test Range, Rajasthan. The precision strike
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 10
Indian Navy and Boeing sign con-
tract for P-8I training simulator
The Indian Navy has signed a contract with the US based Boeing, one of the largest global aircraft manufacturers, for acquisition of P-8I aircraft training simulator. The con-tract also included the construction of a 60,000 sq. ft. civil facility, with the inclusion of Training, Support and Data Handling Centre. Also included in the contract is the on-site Comprehensive Annual Maintenance, for a span of 10 years. The complete training facility would be commis-sioned at INS Rajali, Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu. This facility will be Boeing’s third global P-8I reconnaissance training facility; US and Australia has a similar facility.
With the full motion simulator, to train the crew, a maintenance simulator will also be commissioned at Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology (NIAT), Kochi for ab-initio training of the technical personnel, according to a news agency. The P-8I training simulator, with the mainte-nance contract, will be brought from Boeing at ₹19,49 cr. As per the BusinessLine sources, post the 10-year mainte-nance contract expiration, the training facility will be run by the navy itself.
The first P-8I aircraft was inducted in the Indian navy in 2013 and presently, 8 aircraft, based at INS Rajali, have been fully integrated in the Indian Naval Services. In 2016, Indian Defense Minister placed another order for four more P-8I, the deliveries of which are to begin in year 2020.
Nepal awaits a nod from India
With the construction of new airports in progress, Nepal is
expectant of getting approval for an inbound flight route
from west, from India. Nepal is a nation surrounded by
land on all four sides; with India surrounding 3 sides and
China covering the northern end. Presently, India allows
outbound flights from the eastern and western side, but
inbound flights are restricted to eastern side, over the city
of Patna in Bihar.
AirAsia India, will begin flying international. They have set
target to begin their international operations by January
2019 as per ET sources.
"The first quarter of 2018 is proving to be an exciting one
for us. The new route is currently under-served, and the
launch of services will enhance connectivity. So far, we
have added three aircraft, three new destinations, eight
new routes. Our strategy is that once we get to 20 planes
(operating in domestic operations) we will start flying in-
ternational. Mostly, it will be to South East Asian coun-
tries. We will be flying mostly to Malaysia, Indonesia and
neighboring SAARC countries as well. Bangladesh, Nepal
and so on and so forth. Our ultimate mission is to enhance
air connectivity and making air travel a reality to everyone
in the country." stated Amar Abrol, CEO and MD of AirAsia
India.
In-flight connectivity now available
across Air Astana’s Boeing 767 fleet
Air Astana, the flag carrier of Republic of Kazakhstan, has
completed the installation of Rockwell Collins’ cabin sys-
tem, which supports the Inmarsat’s GX Aviation in-flight
connectivity (IFC) service. This installation was performed
across the whole Boeing 767 fleet, operated by Air Asta-
na. The IFC service will be made available to both Busi-
ness and Economy class passengers, to facilitate the inter-
net connectivity for the passengers to access various
apps, software and websites, related to IM & Social net-
works, Email access, etc. on their laptops, tablets and
smartphones. Presently, Air Astana offers three packages
for internet connectivity: Light option - 15 MB, Regular
option - 50 MB and Super option 100 – MB. The Internet
connectivity speed is estimated to be an average 2-5
Mbps. In September 2017, Air Astana became the first
airline in the world to offer Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX)
Aviation onboard a wide body aircraft, to provide in-flight
connectivity, when the installation of the above-
mentioned Rockwell Collins’ cabin system installation was
completed on its first Boeing 767. Air Astana operates the
Boeing 767 domestic trunk routes and high-density long-
haul routes out of Almaty and Astana.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 11
at least 250 workers to get started, and that will grow into more than 400 when we have a full workload in the six ini-tial hangars.” He also said that this facility will provide ser-vices like the wide range of services AAR provides in the U.S., including, “painting, lease-return modifications, cabin modifications and upgrades including inflight entertain-ment, and so forth. As part of full-service provision, there is also a plan for component repair back shops immediately.”
One of the reasons for establishing this partnership with Indamer, is that it is an Indian company and knows the lo-cal market and workforce. “A training school under Inda-mer’s CAR 147 certification will be used to train engineers under the government of India’s skill development pro-gram,” Shah explained. This training will be in addition to the AAR’s own maintenance and training experience. The preliminary batch of technical staff will receive at one of AAR’s maintenance facilities in U.S. The initial focus of the Nagpur facility will be towards serving Indian Airlines. The facility is currently working on procuring certificates from FAA, EASA and DGCA.
Nuclear Capable Ballistic Agni II missile test fires successfully
India’s indigenously developed medium-range nuclear ca-
pable ballistic Agni II missile was successfully tested on 20th
February 2018. This test was conducted from Launch Com-
plex-4 of Integrated Test Range (ITR) on the Abdul Kalam
Island off the Odisha coast. The test was conducted as part
of user training exercise, by the Strategic Forces Command
(SFC). Agni-II is considered as a backbone of India’s land
based deterrent force. Hence, it is road and rail mobile and
according to media reports, the entire trajectory of trial was
tracked with sophisticated radars, telemetry observation
stations and two naval ships located near impact point in
the down range area of Bay of Bengal.
Mr. Sanjiv Gautam, the Director General of Civil Aviation
Authority of Nepal, informed PTI at the Singapore Airshow,
held in February 2018, "We have been in dialogue with the
Indian authority and hope to get approval (for the route)
this year". He also added that inbound flights from west
would have a reduced flight time, instead of having to fly
over Bihar, and then enter Nepal. This approval would cer-
tainly be beneficial for Nepal air traffic
Mr. Gautam also informed that Nepal is preparing to de-
velop its airport infrastructure, to host five million tourists
a year by 2025, which is five times of current annual aver-
age of one million. He also mentioned that the Kathmandu
airport (Tribhuvan International Airport), is already con-
gested.
Nepal is in the finishing stages of upgrading the Gautam
Buddha Airport, to a Regional International Airport, mak-
ing it Nepal’s second international airport. The upgrada-
tion is expected to be done in 2018, with an investment of
USD 80 million. Besides, another airport is being built at
Pokhara, which is one of the most popular tourist spots,
for an investment of 260 million, and is expected to finish
by July 2021.
AAR to start its maintenance service in India soon
AAR Corp. the American aerospace and expeditionary ser-vice provider is preparing to enter the Indian MRO market. The company has been establishing its presence globally and has presently decided to partner with Indamer Avia-tion Pvt. Ltd. (one of the leading aviation services provider in India), to build an airframe maintenance facility in Nag-pur, Maharashtra. This facility will have six bays for narrow-body aircraft, which includes a painting bay. Although the partners envision the expansion of facility, to have up to 16 bays plus component repair shops. The facility is said to be opened in the last quarter of 2018.
AAR’s senior VP for Strategic Growth in Asia & Middle East, Rahul Shah informed that the Nagpur facility will support all the narrow-bodies, which include new-generation platforms too. He stated, “Typically, you need
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 12
Honeywell’s HUMS technology enables predictive,
condition-based maintenance using sensors on ro-
tating parts, such as the main rotor, tail rotor and
drivetrain, to measure the health and performance of
these critical components on an aircraft. The systems col-
lect, analyze and manage this data, helping operators and
maintenance crews detect and fix potential mechanical
issues before they ground a helicopter. RECON is an
evolved version of Honeywell’s HUMS, and has the ability
to acquire and process data eight times faster as com-
pared to Honeywell’s previous systems. This will reduce
the flight test time and increase the data collection.
RECON also enables in-flight rapid data processing and
assessment with alerts that can be transmitted via satellite
communication systems. This enables the maintenance
crews to stay connected and monitor the health of the
rotorcraft at any place and any time. Honeywell’s HUMS
products family share a similar hardware and software
structure, which facilitates easy upgrade to the new
RECON system.
University of South Carolina did a study, along with the
South Carolina Army National Guard, and observed that
Honeywell’s HUMS have saved $2.1 millions in parts cost
and operations support. Additionally, 75% reduction in
unscheduled maintenance (which is a key indicator for
mission readiness), was also observed. Also, unscheduled
replacements were reduced to less than 4 percent of total
maintenance actions.
“RECON is built on Honeywell’s successful and field-
proven HUMS technologies, which have helped our cus-
tomers with maintenance needs for more than 30 years.
This next generation of HUMS will help operators in indus-
tries like oil and gas, emergency medical services, forestry,
and defense be connected and ready for takeoff at any
moment. RECON’s ability to transfer data in real time is
enabling the new age of the Connected Helicopter. Using
this new system with other connected technologies like
Sky Connect and Aspire 200, operators can remain con-
nected wherever they go. This can reduce in-flight cancel-
lations by up to 30 percent, reduce test flights by 20 per-
cent and cut down on scheduled maintenance by up to 10
percent.” said Ben Driggs, president of aftermarket sales,
Americas, Honeywell Aerospace.
Minister of Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal congratulated
the team behind the successful test of the Agni II Missile,
stating, ‘India crossed another technological threshold by
successfully test-firing Agni II, indigenously developed me-
dium-range, nuclear-capable missile. It will further
strengthen our defense capabilities. Minister of Commerce
& Industry and and current minister of Civil Aviation,
Suresh Prabhu, also expressed his congratulations through
twitter, stating, ‘Another addition to our defense capabili-
ties. Congratulations to our scientists, engineers on suc-
cessful test-firing of Agni II, indigenously developed medi-
um-range, nuclear-capable missile.’
The Agni-II is a strategic, medium-range ballistic missile
(MRBM) with two solid fuel stages and a Post Boost Vehi-
cle (PBV) integrated into the missile's Re-entry Vehicle
(RV). Agni-II, which is developed as part of medium- and
long-range Agni series of missile systems. Agni-II is a 21
metres in length and 3 metres in width, with a weight of 15
tonnes, and can carry a warhead payload of 1000 kg. Agni-
II has an operational range of over 2000 km.
Honeywell introduces RECON — Predictive maintenance enhanced
Deriving from the Honeywell’s legacy, mission proven,
Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS), they have
developed, RECON, a system which provides complete in-
flight drivetrain data acquisition, data processing and
drivetrain diagnostics for complex aircraft. RECON is a
technology which will help civil and defense helicopter
operators ensure aircraft availability while increasing safe-
ty and reducing operational and maintenance costs. It uses
connectivity to share critical aircraft health data in real
time, allowing maintenance crews to track the health of
the rotorcraft at any location. RECON, in combination with
other solutions like the Sky Connect® tracking systems and
Aspire 200 Satellite Communications System, Honeywell is
enabling operators to benefit from the Connected Helicop-
ter.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 13
wish list of things we want to buy in defense but we want to export from here."
Kenneth Juster, SU Ambassador to India said that the facili-ty stands to be a perfect example of what US and India could do in defense production. He noted that US was not mere a supplier but was partner in developing India as a significant place for advanced defense production. "Having enabling environment that encourages trade investment and ease of doing business in regulatory sense is essential to this effort what we see here." he said.
Sukran Singh, CEO and MD, TASL, said the project was sig-nificant for India and US cooperation. He pointed out that 80 per cent of 2,200 parts in the product are made in India. Pratyush Kumar, President, Boeing mentioned that TBAL is just the beginning of Boeing's future journey of partnership with India. "We see this as a major step towards future op-portunities to pursue the co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defense," he said.
The inauguration was also attended by US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster; Chairman Emeritus - Tata Sons, Ratan Tata; and President and CEO - Boeing Defense, Space and Security, Leanne Caret; Boeing India President, Pratyush Kumar and other officials.
CAAC grants airworthiness certification to SR Technics in Malaysia
SR Technics’ Malaysian operations has been given air-
worthiness certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of
China (CAAC). This certification will enable SR Technics Ma-
laysia to certify components for their customers on the
Chinese market. With this, SR Technics Switzerland also
renewed their existing CAAC certification, allowing them to
issue Chinese airworthiness certificates from its Swiss
maintenance facilities. Since SR Technics is expanding its
component services in China and the wider Asia pacific
regions, the CAAC certification proves to be an important
milestone. This certification will assist SR Technics Malaysia
to certify their existing and new customers, which require
component certification on their Boeing and Airbus aircraft
in China, thus increasing SR Technics presence and capabil-
ities in the Asia Pacific region.
Tata and Boeing unite to open Apache helicopter fuselage facility in Hyderabad
On 01st March 2018, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited, inau-gurated its facility in Hyderabad, which is established to manufacture Boeing’s AH-64 Apache Helicopter and other aerostructures. This facility, which is spread over 14,000 square meters and has an employability of 350 skilled workers, will be the sole producer of the AH-64 Apache helicopter fuselage delivered by Boeing to its customers, including the US Army. In November 2015, Tata and Boeing had announced a Joint Venture for the manufacture of aer-ostructures and collaboration on integrated systems devel-opment opportunities in India. The foundation for the facil-ity was laid in 2016 and the construction was completed on schedule. The delivery of the first fuselage of one of the world's most advanced attack helicopter is expected later in 2018. This facility will also be manufacturing secondary structures and vertical spar boxes of the multi-role combat helicopter. The Boeing-made Apache helicopter has been selected for
acquisition by the armed forces of 16 countries, including
India. Indian ministry of Defense have finalized an order of
22 AH-64 Apache Helicopters and the deliveries are to be
expected in 2019. More than 2300 Boeing made Apache
Helicopters are operated by customers throughout the
world, since it entered production.
The inauguration of the facility was done by Defense Minis-
ter Nirmala Sitharaman and Telangana Minister for Indus-
tries and IT, KT Rama Rao. The Defense Minister was proud
to learn that the facility has been commended by auditors
in the US Army that the products manufactured here have
zero defects. "This shows that zero defect product attribut-
ed normally to robotics and automation is achievable with
high degree of human element," she said. She also said the
world-class facility would give a big push to the defense
industry and set the pace for Make in India in a big way.
Also, the plant would also help India realise its goal of be-
coming an exporter of defense systems. The Defense Min-
ister stated, “Our Prime Minister's dream is to see India as
a defense product exporter. We want to manufacture not
just for our consumption and not because we have big
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 14
India test-fires the Nuclear capable Prithvi II missile
India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed
nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile as part of a user training
exercise by Strategic Forces Command (SFC), on 07th Feb
2018. The logistic support was received from Defense Re-
search and Development Organisation (DRDO). For the
test of this surface-to-surface missile, it was mounted on
a Mobile Tatra transporter-erector Launcher (MTL), and
was fired from the launching complex - III of the Integrat-
ed Test Range (ITR), located at Chandipur, off Odisha
coast at about 11.35 am.
The test was a successful one as all the test missions were
cleared during the event. This test missile was randomly
chosen from the production stock and the entire launch
activities were executed by the Strategic Force Command
(SFC) of the Army and monitored by the scientists of
DRDO. According to Indian Express sources, “The mission
met all mission objectives successfully. Carrying a dummy
payload, the missile covered the desired striking range
before plunging into the sea at a predetermined splash-
down point. The entire flight path of the missile was
smooth in accordance with pre-decided coordinates. It
travelled around 300 km in six minutes." The night trial of
the Prithvi II missile was carried out on 21st February
2018.
Prithvi II is single stage, twin engine-liquid fueled, missile,
which can carry 500-1000 kg of warheads. It uses state-of-
the-art missile uses advanced inertial guidance system
with manoeuvring trajectory to hit the target. Prithvi II is a
nine-metre-long and one-metre thick missile, with a
launch weight of 4.6 tonnes and a strike range of 350 km.
It was inducted in India’s Strategic Forces Command in
2003 and was the first missile to have been developed by
the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Develop-
ment Programme (IGMDP).
Indian air space to reach 855 million air
passengers by 2030-31
Indian air space is likely to see a growth of air passengers
to 855 million, by 2030-31, as informed by Government at
the Parliament on 08th February. These numbers denote a
threefold increase in the air passenger traffic from year
2016-17, where the number was 265 million. The growth
in the number of air passengers over the next 15-year peri-
od will be more than double from the current passenger
handling capacity of the airports in India which is at 334
million, according to the data shared by Government.
"The available capacity at Indian airports is 334 million pas-
sengers per annum against 265 million passengers handled
in 2016-2017 and the traffic forecast for 2030-31 is 855
million passengers," stated Mr. Jayant Sinha, Minister of
State for Civil Aviation, answering a question in Lok Sabha.
In the Budget announcement for 2018, Government advo-
cated the airport capacity enhancement, where the air-
ports capacity to be raised more than five times, to handle
a billion trips per year, under Government’s new initiative,
NextGen Airports for Bharat (NABH) Nirman. Mr. Jayant
Sinha informed that a framework will be developed, for
the next 15-20 years, to promote the aviation sector in In-
dia. The Airport Authority of India (AAI), will leverage its
balance sheet and raise more funds, to achieve the airport
capacity enhancement. AAI will exercise various options in
this regard, including bank financing, Masala Bonds and
External Commercial loans. Under the NABH Nirman initia-
tive, revising regulatory framework for airports, strength-
ening of Airports Authority of India (AAI), forging partner-
ships with states, having multiple airports in metros and
boosting air navigation system to manage crowded air-
space would be the key aspects. A Request for Proposal
(RFP) has been issued for a detailed study to understand
the demand and capital requirements for NABH Nirman.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 15
Post the release of VSS Unity from its mothership, the air-
craft was pushed to a sharp descent, where it accelerated
to a speed of 0.9 mach (approx. 1111 km/h), which is the
maximum speed it can attain without its engine power. It
returned to earth in a successful touchdown, post taking a
glide path. The VSS Unity flew with water ballast equiva-
lent in weight to the fully fueled hybrid liquid/solid rocket
motor and was jettisoned at 22,000 ft to simulate the
weight of a returning spacecraft. VSS Unity still must go a
long way, by successfully completing few powered flights,
before it is ready to carry passengers and research pay-
loads to sub-orbital space.
Component maintenance contract expanded for Jet Airways
The Indian international carrier Jet Airways have expand-
ed their cooperation with Lufthansa Technik, by signing a
Total Component Maintenance Contract, for Jet Airways’
narrowbody fleet of 80 Boeing 737NG, with single compo-
nents repaired in a closed-loop and flat rate-based pro-
cess. Additionally, the existing contract between Jet Air-
ways and Lufthansa Technik for Total Component Support
on Jet Airways’ widebody fleet, was extended for seven
years. The contract comprises an extensive component
pooling-based support for ten Boeing 777 and eight Airbus
A330 aircraft.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Jet Airways, Amit
Agarwal stated, "As India's premier international airline,
Jet Airways follows a stringent selection process for ser-
vice providers. We are pleased to expand the scope of our
ongoing relationship with Lufthansa Technik to include our
Boeing 737NG fleet, in addition to our A330 and 777
fleets, for which they have been a reliable component sup-
plier for many years. We look forward to an excellent part-
nership with them."
Vice President Corporate Sales Asia Pacific at Lufthansa
Technik, Gerald Steinhoff said, "Jet Airways is one of the
most successful international airlines in the fast-growing
Indian aviation market. We are very proud that we have
been a long-term preferred partner for Jet. Our experience
in component support and our long-lasting activities in the
Indian market will help us to further improve the best pos-
sible technical support for their fleet. Our long association
with Jet Airways is proof of the commitment we
make to our customers."
Jet Airways is a major Indian International airline, which op-
erates to 64 destinations within and outside India, including
major destinations from South East Asia, South Asia, Middle
East, Europe and North America. Jet Airways currently, has
a fleet of 119 aircraft which comprises of Airbus A330-
200/300, Boeing 777-300 ER, Next Generation Boeing 737
and ATR 72-500/600
Lufthansa Technik Group is one of the leading providers of
technical aircraft services in the world. It has almost 35 sub-
sidiaries and affiliates around the globe. Lufthansa Technik's
services covers the entire range of services for commercial
and VIP/special mission aircraft, engines, components and
landing gear in the areas of digital fleet support, mainte-
nance, repair, overhaul, modification, completion and con-
version as well as the manufacture of innovative cabin prod-
ucts.
Agni I missile test fired off Odisha Coast
On 6th February 2018, India tested the advanced variant of
surface-to-surface nuclear capable short-range ballistic
missile Agni-I. The test was carried from a defense test fa-
cility namely, the launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test
Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore, off Odisha
coast. The test was conducted as part of the user training
exercise by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of Indian
Army with logistic support from the Defense Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) for a range of about
750 km. It was a successful test which reconfirmed the
missiles ability to achieve the technical parameters set.
According to Indian Express Defense sources, who said,
“The missile was fired in a different trajectory and it per-
fectly demonstrated yaw maneuvering with mid-course
angle. The Agni-I (A) is more advanced and has the capabil-
ity to deceive Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) shield.” The
source also informed that two Naval ships located near the
target, kept a track of the missile throughout the terminal
phase of the flight.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 16
Indian Aviation soars, whereas MRO industry sores
In October 2015, when the news about the new policy, to boost the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul sector in India, was announced, it created a positive stir amongst the MRO players in India. If everything was to be imple-mented and executed accordingly, then Indian MRO in-dustry would have seen a sharp growth in the mainte-nance work in India. But it did not happen. The Indian MRO industry was worth approx. 5 billion, when the poli-cy was announced, and it continues to be at the same amount.
One of the major changes was seen in aviation was when aircraft were allowed to fly in to India for 180 days with-out any permission. Prior to this, aircraft coming to India for more than 15 days required to follow an unwieldy ap-proval process from the DGCA. Owing to the previous pol-icy, many airlines chose to fly to countries like Malaysia, Dubai, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Hong Kong, de-spite of India having the technical capabilities and com-petitive rates. Besides, the aircraft were also not allowed to fly in with passengers, which meant a loss of revenue for airlines, every time an aircraft flew empty. The new policy sought to rectify these issues, allowing aircraft to fly in with passengers.
Where some proposals were certainly implemented, oth-er failed to take off. The 19% import duty on tools and spares, which was proposed to remove in the October 2015 policy, remains. Also remains is the 13% royalty on such work at the airport. Sources were of the view that at Delhi and Mumbai airports it may not happen since GMR and GVK, the two private players involved, have protest-ed this. The Delhi airport continues to charge a 20 per cent royalty. However, Cochin airport, also a private facili-ty, is not charging any royalty. As a result, some private players have in fact taken hangars at Cochin for MRO work.
Adding to the issues, the Service Tax of 15% was replaced by the newly introduced Goods and Services Tax, which could go as high as 28%. Previously, the charges paid on labour could not be set off against the tax which was paid by airlines, whereas now, the full GST can be set off. Ac-cording to industry sources, this would be preferable for airlines as it reduces their overall tax liability. MRO indus-try has proposed AAI to allow maintenance work to hap-pen at its airports, throughout the country. On the face of it, this is permitted by the detailed rules and regulations, make the implementation practically impossible. Provi-sion of work space at reasonable rents and simplification of rules and procedures is essential for maintenance work to be carried out efficiently.
Sources also mention that the rents at the two major air-ports, Delhi and Mumbai, needs to be relaxed, as they are approx. 50-100% higher than the rent charged on
equivalent facilities in Europe and Turkey. The high revenue share amounts promised at these two facili-ties compel the two private players to charge as much as possible.
If the October 2015 policy was implemented to its fullest, Indian MRO industry would be soaring high with Indian Avia-tion. Servicing in India would have been 25-30 % cheaper. With respect to the changes implemented, aircraft mainte-nance has become roughly 10% cheaper, but MRO sector is awaiting to gain its wings. MRO Association of India, has also been working tirelessly with the Indian Govt and Aviation ministry to bring out reformation in regulations and its im-plementation.
MoU signed between Andhra Pradesh and Emirates Group for Aviation infra-structure
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed be-
tween the Dubai-based Emirates Group, with the Andhra
Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB), to sup-
port the development of aviation infrastructure within the
state. Emirates Group MoU includes all its affiliated enti-
ties, including Flydubai. The MoU was signed between
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, CEO and chairman of the
Emirates Group and Krishna Kishore, the CEO of the
APEDB. This signing occurred during Chief Minister of An-
dhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to Dubai.
The MoU aims at establishing a framework, in various avia-
tion sectors, to support and invest in the development of
the Aviation sector in Andhra Pradesh, by sharing industry
expertise and identifying development and investment op-
portunities in the state. “The Emirates Group is committed
to future investment and expansion in support of India’s
2020 goal to be the world’s third largest aviation market.
We recognize that airlines have a major role to play as fa-
cilitators of economic and industrial growth, and strategic
partnerships such as this are important to achieve that.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 17
Through this agreement, Emirates and Flydubai will work
closely with APEDB to share expertise, discuss opportuni-
ties, enhance and support the growth of the aviation sec-
tor in the state of Andhra Pradesh” stated Sheikh Ahmed
Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
“We are confident that this significant partnership with
the Emirates Group will be a major boost to APEDB’S stra-
tegic efforts to elevate, enhance and develop the aviation
industry in Andhra Pradesh. It will contribute positively to
AP’s economic growth as well as help us build a stronger
framework for industrial and infrastructural develop-
ment. We are optimistic with the pivotal role played by
the Emirates Group in achieving these goals and have no
doubt that the partnership will reap mutual benefits,”
said Krishna Kishore.
GE and Tata break ground together for Hyderabad aerospace facility
GE and Tata group, India’s leading global enterprise and
a significant player in the global aerospace market, had
signed an agreement on 29th November 2017, to set up a
manufacturing facility for the CFM international LEAP
engine components, in India. The manufacturing facility
is to be set up in Adibatla, Hyderabad. The ground-
breaking ceremony for the facility was held in February
2018 and was attended by Vishal Wanchoo, President
and CEO – GE South Asia; K T Rama Rao – Cabinet Minis-
ter for State, for ICT, MAUD, Textile and NRI affairs and
Banmali Agrawala – President, Infrastructure and De-
fense & Aerospace, Tata Sons. Under the strategic part-
nership, GE Aviation and Tata Sons’ subsidiary, Tata Ad-
vanced Systems Limited (TASL), will join forces for manu-
facturing, assembling, integration and testing of aircraft
components. A new Centre of Excellence (COE) will be
established to help develop a robust ecosystem for air-
craft engine manufacturing in India and build related ca-
pabilities.
Speaking on the occasion, K T Rama Rao said, “TASL
had been an anchor investor at the Adibatla Aero-
space Park. GE has joined a list of marquee companies that
have chosen Hyderabad for their operations through this
joint venture. GE and Tata Group are keen to tap India’s
potential in the aerospace manufacturing segment. Tel-
angana has created a strong ecosystem for aerospace man-
ufacturing and has already created two aerospace parks to
enable its growth further. The State also has five airstrips
and is focusing on strengthening its infrastructure support-
ed by its efforts for skilling so that there is adequate man-
power available for the industry.”
Banmali Agrawala stated that, “Tata group’s partnership
with GE will boost the domestic manufacturing expertise
and enhance the capabilities of the group in the global aer-
ospace industry. We look forward to developing a resilient
ecosystem through this collaboration that will help both
companies to strengthen manufacturing expertise in the
country. This investment will create highly skilled jobs and
develop a high-end supply chain that will offer a globally
competitive manufacturing ecosystem in India,”
"Both GE and Tata have a long and distinguished history
of delivering on commitments to help customers solve
some of their toughest challenges. The collaboration be-
tween the two companies will deliver results for India’s
aerospace and defense industry which will be unmatched.
Through our technology centres in Bengaluru and Hydera-
bad, GE has developed high-tech research capabilities in
India. Combining GE’s R&D capability with state of the art
manufacturing within Tata’s new facility in Hyderabad is a
significant step forward in building indigenous capability
for the Indian aerospace industry.” said Vishal Wanchoo.
"This facility will manufacture components for Leading
Edge Aviation Propulsion (LEAP) engines for jets and will
cater to aircraft manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing and
supply components for India and global markets of GE" he
added.
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 18
The manufacturing-cum-research facility is expected to
be completed and ready for manufacturing by the end of
year 2018. During the ground-breaking ceremony, Vishal
Wanchoo shared with the journalists, that the facility has
already received 200 orders from 35 aerospace compa-
nies, even before the start of the company. According to
ET sources, a top official informed that this facility has
received orders, for the next five years. This facility is lo-
cated on the outskirts of Hyderabad, in Adibatla, where
Tata already has manufacturing units with other joint
venture partners, which includes Boeing.
Fifth test of India’s nuclear-capable
Agni-5 missile successful
On 18th January 2018, 09:53 am; India successfully tested
the Agni-5 missile, from the Abdul Kalam Island (formerly
known as Wheeler Island), situated off the coast of Od-
isha. This was the fifth test of the Agni-5 missile and third
consecutive one from the canister on a road mobile
launcher. Agni-5 is India’s nuclear-capable Intercontinen-
tal Ballistic Missile (ICBM), which has a strike range of
5000 Km. Throughout the test, the flight performance of
the missile was tracked and monitored by radars, range
stations and tracking systems. Defense ministry reported
that the success of this test has reaffirmed India’s indige-
nous missile capabilities. All the tests were conducted suc-
cessfully, and the objectives of the mission were success-
fully met. According to PTI, Agni-5 travelled for 19 minutes
and covered 4900 Km. The canister on a road mobile
launcher provides significant mobility to the missile, which
allows quick transport and provides a launch-from-
anywhere capability.
The Agni-5 test launch operation was headed by Agni-5
Project Director, G Ramaguru and Agni Programme Direc-
tor MRM Babu. The test was witnessed by Dr. G Satheesh
Reddy, Scientific Advisor to Defense Minister and Director
General, Missiles and Strategic Systems. The launch opera-
tions were reviewed by Directors of Defense Research and
Development Organisation labs, namely ASL, DRDL ,
ITR, RCI and TBRL. Senior officials from the Indian
Armed Forces were also present at the occasion.
Chairman DRDO & Secretary DDR&D Dr. S Christo-
pher congratulated Agni-5 team and said that the fifth con-
secutive successful flight test of Agni-5 is a major boost to
country’s defense capabilities. India’s Defense Minister
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, expressed her happiness while
inaugurating the Defense Industry Development Meet held
at Chennai. She commended the DRDO and lauded the
industries who contributed to the manufacture of indige-
nous technologies that went into the making of the missile
The Agni-5 missile is the most advanced missile in the Agni
series of missiles, due to navigation and guidance, war-
head and engine. The missile will be eventually inducted in
to the tri-service, Strategic Forces Command, which man-
ages India’s nuclear arsenal. Post the induction of the Agni
-5 missile, India will become a part of small group of coun-
tries which have ICBMs (with a range of 5000 – 5500 Km).
Presently, US, Chine, Russia and France are known to have
ICBMs.
Boeing releases its new Unmanned CAV design
On 10th January 2018, Boeing unveiled a new design for its
electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) design for an
Unmanned Cargo Air Vehicle (CAV). The CAV is powered by
an environment friendly electric propulsion system and are
equipped with eight counter-rotating blades, which enables
the vehicle to have a vertical take-off. The weight of CAV is
747 lbs. (339 kgs.) & dimension of this vehicle prototype
are:
Length: 15 feet (4.57 meters) Width: 18 feet (5.49 meters) Height: 4 feet (1.22 meters) The CAV prototype, developed as part of a collaboration between Boeing HorizonX and Boeing Research & Technolo-gy, is designed to transport a payload of 500 lbs. (227 kgs). The prototype was designed by a team of engineers and
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 19
technicians throughout the company within less than 3 months. The preliminary test flights were done at Boeing Research and Technology’s Collaborative Autonomous System Laboratory in Missouri. This is a prototype will be used to test and further develop Boeing's autonomy tech-nology for future aerospace vehicles. Boeing's Chief Technology Officer, Greg Hyslop said "This
flying cargo air vehicle represents another major step in
our Boeing eVTOL strategy. We have an opportunity to
really change air travel and transport, and we'll look back
on this day as a major step in that journey."
Steve Nordlund, Boeing HorizonX Vice-President said, "Our new CAV prototype builds on Boeing's existing un-manned systems capabilities and presents new possibili-ties for autonomous cargo delivery, logistics and other transportation applications. The safe integration of un-manned aerial systems is vital to unlocking their full po-tential. Boeing has an unmatched track record, regulato-ry know-how and systematic approach to deliver solu-tions that will shape the future of autonomous flight."
Boeing is the Chicago, Illinois based American multina-tional corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, and satellites worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support services. Boeing is among the largest global aircraft man-ufacturers; it is the second-largest defense contractor in the world based on 2015 revenue and is the largest ex-porter in the United States by dollar value.
Aviation Events: April 2018 - June 2018
• ASIAN BUSINESS AVIATION CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION
Date: 17th April 18 - 19th April 18
Location: Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service
Centre Shanghai, China
• EURASIA AIRSHOW
Date: 25th April 18 - 29th April 2018
Location: Antalya International Airport, Antalya, Turkey
• NBAA MAINTENANCE CONFERENCE
Date: 1st May 18 - 3rd May 18
Location: Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque,
New Mexico
• US AIRCRAFT EXPO, CA
Date: 4th May 18 - 5th May 18
Location: McClellan-Palomar Airport, Carlsbad, San Diego
County, California
• EUROPEAN BUSINESS AVIATION CONVENTION &
EXHIBITION 2018
Date: 29th May 18 - 31st May 2018
Location: Palexpo Convention Center, Geneva, Switzerland
• US Aircraft Expo, UT
Date: 22nd June 18 - 23rd June 18
Location: Salt Lake City Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah
Reference:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com telanganatoday.com indiatoday.in aviationtoday.com
aviation-defense-universe.com thehindubusinessline.com aerotime.aero geaviation.com
economictimes.indiatimes.com thenewsminute.com mro-network.com tata.com
aerospace.honeywell.com eturbonews.com wikipedia.org airbus.com
aviationspaceindia.com arabianaerospace.aero businesstoday.in safran-group.com
business-standard.com newatlas.com avitrader.com goacom.com
mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com space.com hothardware.com ainonline.com
mrobusinesstoday.com aviationpros.com ge.com businessair.com
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 20
technicians throughout the company within less than 3 months. The preliminary test flights were done at Boeing Research and Technology’s Collaborative Autonomous System Laboratory in Missouri. This is a prototype will be used to test and further develop Boeing's autonomy tech-nology for future aerospace vehicles. Boeing's Chief Technology Officer, Greg Hyslop said "This
flying cargo air vehicle represents another major step in
our Boeing eVTOL strategy. We have an opportunity to
really change air travel and transport, and we'll look back
on this day as a major step in that journey."
Steve Nordlund, Boeing HorizonX Vice-President said, "Our new CAV prototype builds on Boeing's existing un-manned systems capabilities and presents new possibili-ties for autonomous cargo delivery, logistics and other transportation applications. The safe integration of un-manned aerial systems is vital to unlocking their full po-tential. Boeing has an unmatched track record, regulato-ry know-how and systematic approach to deliver solu-tions that will shape the future of autonomous flight."
Boeing is the Chicago, Illinois based American multina-tional corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, and satellites worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support services. Boeing is among the largest global aircraft man-ufacturers; it is the second-largest defense contractor in the world based on 2015 revenue and is the largest ex-porter in the United States by dollar value.
Aviation Events: April 2018 - June 2018
• ASIAN BUSINESS AVIATION CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION
Date: 17th April 18 - 19th April 18
Location: Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service
Centre Shanghai, China
• EURASIA AIRSHOW
Date: 25th April 18 - 29th April 2018
Location: Antalya International Airport, Antalya, Turkey
• NBAA MAINTENANCE CONFERENCE
Date: 1st May 18 - 3rd May 18
Location: Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque,
New Mexico
• US AIRCRAFT EXPO, CA
Date: 4th May 18 - 5th May 18
Location: McClellan-Palomar Airport, Carlsbad, San Diego
County, California
• EUROPEAN BUSINESS AVIATION CONVENTION &
EXHIBITION 2018
Date: 29th May 18 - 31st May 2018
Location: Palexpo Convention Center, Geneva, Switzerland
• US Aircraft Expo, UT
Date: 22nd June 18 - 23rd June 18
Location: Salt Lake City Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah
Reference:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com telanganatoday.com indiatoday.in aviationtoday.com
aviation-defense-universe.com thehindubusinessline.com aerotime.aero geaviation.com
economictimes.indiatimes.com thenewsminute.com mro-network.com tata.com
aerospace.honeywell.com eturbonews.com wikipedia.org airbus.com
aviationspaceindia.com arabianaerospace.aero businesstoday.in safran-group.com
business-standard.com newatlas.com avitrader.com goacom.com
mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com space.com hothardware.com ainonline.com
mrobusinesstoday.com aviationpros.com ge.com businessair.com
Publisher : MRO Association of India
Office : MRO Association of India, 402, Wellington Business Park 2, Marol, Andheri East, Mumbai-400059 India.
Email: [email protected]
Website : www.mroassociation.in
AERO MRO DIGEST
Vol 2 Issue 2 May 2018 21
New Appointments
Frank Saudo, 41, has been appointed as the CEO of the Safran Helicopter Engines, effective 2nd April 2018. Franck Saudo has degrees from the Ecole Polytechnique, the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and the London School of Economics. He was appointed at the treasury Department of the French ministry as the Head of Finan-cial Markets, where he was in charge of issues concerning international debt and the Club de Paris. In 2007, he was appointed as the financial sector advisor to the cabinet of the French Minister of the Economy, Industry and Employ-ment. He joined Safran in 2011 as deputy to the Group's Executive Vice President for Strategy and Development.He became the Vice President, Support & Services at Safran Helicopter Engines. From December 2017 till date, he was CEO of Safran Transmission Systems.
Name: Frank Saudo
Designation: CEO
Company: Safran Helicopter
Engines
Name: Air Marshal RKS
Shera
Designation: Air Officer-in-
charge Maintenance
Company: Indian Air Force
Air Marshal Raj Karan Singh Shera, or RKS Shera, took charge as Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance, IAF on 01st March 2018. He is a post graduate from IIT Kanpur in Elec-trical Engineering and an alumnus of prestigious National Defense College (NDC) and Naval War College (NWC). He also has fellowships with the Institute of Engineers, Insti-tute of Electronics and Telecommunication and Aeronauti-cal Society of India and is a member of Computer Society of India. He was commissioned in the Aeronautical Engineer-ing Electronics Branch of Indian Air Force on 05 Jan 1981. He was trained in Russia on MIG-29 aircraft at the time of fleet induction in 1986. During his 37 years of service, Air Marshal Shera has held several important command and staff assignments that include Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Engg A), SMSO HQ WAC, Station Commander TETTRA School, Director MiG-29 Weapon Cell at Air HQ, Chief of Aircraft Production at Base Repair Depot, Inspector in Di-rectorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI), Chief Engineering Officer of a Fighter Base and Instructor at Technical Train-ing School, Botswana (Africa). For his distinguished service, the Air Officer was awarded 'Vishisht Seva Medal' in 1993 and the 'Ati Vishisht Seva Medal' in 2014.
Safran Helicopter Engines has appointed Olivier Le Merrer,
57, as the Executive Vice President, Support and Services.
Olivier Le Merrer graduated from École Centrale Paris in
1982 and joined Safran Aircraft Engines in the same year.
There he fulfilled various roles in Engineering, Program
Management, Manufacturing Operations, and Business Unit
Management. He joined Safran Landing Systems as Execu-
tive VP, in charge of its wheels & brakes division in 2009. He
was appointed as the EVP of Safran Electronics & Defense,
in charge of Safran Electronics Division, in 2015. Olivier Le
Merrer has been serving as EVP of Engineering of Safran
Electronics & Defense, since 1st January 2017.
Name: Olivier Le Merrer
Designation: Executive VP
Support and Services
Company: Safran Helicopter
Engines
Name: Jyri Strandman
Designation: Chief Operating
Officer
Company: GoAir
Indian Low-cost carrier, GoAir, has appointed Jyri Strand-man as the Chief Operating Officer. Strandman will be re-porting to the Managing Director, Jehangir Wadia and will also be a part of airline’s core management team. He will be responsible for strengthening GoAir’s operational func-tions of flight operations, engineering, airports security and airside operations; flight safety, inflight safty and integrated operations control centre. Prior to GoAir, Jyri Strandman held positions like Director – Operations and VP – Flight Operations. At Spirit airlines, he was involved in introducing over 70 Airbus A320 family aircraft including the Neos into the airline fleet. Prior to Spirit, Strandman worked with var-ious airlines in management and training capacities includ-ing Virgin America and American Eagle Airlines.
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