ADAT to set up world’s first GE engine Alliance MRO

ABU Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) today unveiled details for the world’s first GE and Engine Alliance network partner Overhaul Shop and Test Cell Facility for the GEnx and GP7200 models, located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Design of the new facility is underway with ground breaking planned for Q1 2011. It is expected that the test cell and shop will be ready by Q1 2013 and will support the growing fleet of GE engines in the MENA region.

As part of the GE and Mubadala agreement signed in 2009, GE has been supporting ADAT in the design and construction of this facility to meet the industry’s global regulations, through providing the necessary expertise during the development phase. In addition to the GEnx and GP7200, the facility will also service the GE90 engines.

ADAT is owned by Mubadala Aerospace and forms a key part of plans to establish Abu Dhabi as an integrated global aerospace hub. Mubadala has formed partnerships with the world’s leading aerospace companies to develop the industry in Abu Dhabi. The new ADAT engine facility forms part of GE and Mubadala’s 2009 agreement that expands GE's global network of engine maintenance, repair and overhaul providers in the Middle East and further advances Mubadala's plans to build a global MRO network centered in Abu Dhabi.

Today’s announcement represents the next step in the Mubadala Aerospace GE partnership, which since formation has seen ADAT and SR Technics benefitting from enhanced technical and material support for the CF6 and CFM56 engines, and significantly, ADAT establishing GE90 on-wing support capability and is currently GE’s middle east on-wing support partner for this engine.

Homaid Al Shemmari, Chairman of ADAT and Executive Director Mubadala Aerospace, said: “Today’s announcement is an important milestone for our MRO plans and another example of the strength of the Mubadala GE relationship. The ADAT facility will be a world first GE and Engine Alliance facility and brings significant new capability to the region.”

Muhammad Al-Lamadani, GM Eastern Europe, ME and CIS , GE Aviation commented “ GE Aviation has been in cooperation with ADAT for two decades, and we are delighted to enhance our relationship and MRO network with Mubadala.” 

Source: Indian Aviation Magazine

Royal Air MAROC engineer wins prestigious Msc MRO bursary

Yassine Herraz, Maintenance Planning & Packaging Manager, at Royal Air Maroc has been awarded a bursary by A J Walter Aviation, the complete aircraft spares support specialist, for the MSc Aircraft Maintenance Management degree course sponsored by the Company and organised by City University, London. 

This year AJW offered the Bursary to students exclusively from North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean region and the entries AJW received were exceptional, with particularly outstanding applicants from Morocco and Ethiopia.  This is the fourth year that AJW have supported the degree course and it is a source of great pride to the Company to be in a position to help talented individuals achieve academic success.

Mohammed Bellatig, VP Maintenance & Engineering at Royal Air Maroc is proud of his young engineer, “The possibility of further education in the field of aircraft maintenance management at the renowned City University, London is of a great benefit for both our colleague Yassine Herraz and Royal Air Maroc.  That Yassine won against such tough competition confirms the high professional level and expertise of our employees and as a Company we look to our young engineers to drive the change that our business needs to flourish in the future.”

Christopher Whiteside, President of AJW, is delighted with the response this year and made a special effort to personally present the award to Yassine in Casablanca: “We believe that our continuing sponsorship of both the course and the bursary demonstrates our commitment to the training and development of aviation professionals and we are encouraged by yet another year of considerable interest in our programme.  Last year a student from Czech Airlines won the accolade and prior to that it was won by engineers from Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates. These people are often the unsung heroes behind efficient and profitable airlines and so it gives us enormous pleasure to reward such exceptional individuals in this way.”

Professor Roger Wootton, Course Director at City University, London comments ‘The complete MSc in Aircraft Maintenance Management programme benefits from visiting lecturers working with leading airline companies including senior managers from British Airways, Boeing, Lufthansa, Monarch and Emirates. AJW is a significant contributor to the course and City University is very grateful for their continuing support.”

Source: Indian Aviation Magazine

Air France-KLM to set up repair unit in India

INDIA'S growing aviation market and huge aircraft orders from domestic airlines are proving to be a big attraction for foreign carriers to invest here. The Air France-KLM combine recently picked up a 26 percent stake in a Mumbai-based firm, Max Aerospace and will soon launch a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for aircraft components in India.

The European giant, which has become one of the first international airlines to invest in a MRO here, has a simple business model for the MRO: Offer spare parts required by Indian carriers in the country itself without ordering them from abroad.

"The Indian market is growing very rapidly. Repairing or replacing aircraft components is a huge business opportunity. There are two cities (not Delhi or Mumbai) that have emerged as the options for locating this facility," said Vincent Knoops, senior V-P at KLM. Before Air France-KLM, Lufthansa's Lufthansa Technik was in talks with an Indian airport major to have an MRO in joint venture. But that deal did not click.

Indian carriers currently send their planes abroad for maintenance checks and also rely on overseas suppliers for their component requirement. "This process becomes very time-consuming. So if there are international players that can at least have a warehouse for spares in the country and offer them fast and at reasonable rates, it can be a win-win situation for them and us," said a senior airline official.

Source: Indian Aviation Magazine

MRO India 2011 to showcase the latest in International Aerospace Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) systems, technology and practices

~Aerospace event slated to be the first of its kind in the country~

~Exhibition to highlight the latest global aerospace technological solutions~

~Elite set of international and domestic industry personnel to discuss and address key issues pertaining to the country’s growing MRO requirements~

Mumbai, 9^th March, 2011: MRO India 2011 (Civil & Military) is poised to be the nation’s first dedicated aerospace event for the growing Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) space in both the civil and military segments.  With the rapid growth rate being witnessed in the Indian aerospace sector and the expected expansion in Tier II and Tier III cities in the coming decade, the need for advanced MRO facilities within the country is paramount.  Therefore, MRO India 2011 is positioned as a platform to address this and will host a unique exhibition for visitors coupled with an insightful conference series, which will feature some of the nation’s authoritative aerospace personnel sharing the dais with several international counterparts.  The event is slated to be held from March 16^th to 18^th, 2011 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai.

The exhibition will showcase market offerings from a series of exhibitors that include Air Works India, Max Aerospace, Tri-County Aerospace Inc., HEICO Aerospace, Turkish Technic, AAXICO, Partsbase, the Society of Indian Aerospace Technology and Industries, The ADS UK Group as well as several other MRO service providers.

In relation, MRO India 2011 will also host a special conference series, scheduled to take place over the three days of the event, which will focus on key areas pertaining to the MRO field such as its growth, opportunities and challenges for the Indian Civil and Military Aviation Markets, the present state of MRO in India and the wish list of operators, challenges faced in helicopter maintenance, taxation and customs duties that are impeding MRO growth in the country and the roadmap to facilitate greater development within the MRO space.

Several prominent industry figures are expected to participate, who include Ravi Menon, Business Development Director of Air Works India, Bharat Malkani, Chairman & Managing Director of Max AeroSpace, Nalin Jain, Country Director of GE Aviation, Sanjeev Rotkar, Executive Director (Sales & Mktg.) MRO SBU of Air India, Eng. AAR Corp, Marko Niffka, Director Marketing & Sales Asia, MTU Maintenance Hannover GmbH, Air Vice Marshal K Sridharan (Retd.), President Rotary Wing Society of India, Air Vice Marshal B. K. Murali (Retd.), and Sujit Ghosh, Partner, BMR Legal.

Plus, as an added element, MRO India 2011 will also host an exclusive Aerospace Awards Night that will be held on the 17^th of March at the Leela Hotel in Andheri (East).  Several award categories include Best Third Party MRO Organization in India, Best Airline MRO in India, Best Helicopter MRO in India, Outstanding Aerospace Personality etc.