L&T considers manufacture of components for commercial jets

Mumbai: Engineering and construction company Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) is exploring the possibilities of making components of passenger aircraft at its factory at Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
This will mark the entry of private players in aircraft component manufacturing for bigger jets at a time when India alone is going to buy 500 civilian planes in the next five years for scheduled operations. Until now, state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, or HAL, was the only company undertaking the manufacturing of components such as doors for bigger passenger planes made by Airbus SAS of Toulouse, in France and Boeing Co. of Seattle, US.
Bangalore-based Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Ltd is currently making components and two- and six-seater aircraft that are used for private and business purposes.
Besides high precision components, L&T is also looking at parts such as doors, and the company is in talks with Boeing and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., the parent company of Airbus.
India accounts for about 10-12% of the combined order backlogs of Airbus and Boeing. Airbus pegs India’s demand for airlines at 1,100 aircraft worth $105 billion (Rs4.15 trillion), over the next 20 years, according to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.
08/10/07 P. R. Sanjai/Livemint

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Categories: General Aviation Oct 2007, New Oct 2007