AI’s Rs.110 crore MRO commissioned

Thiruvananthapuram: Commencing a new chapter in the burgeoning global Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) business and putting the capital into the list of global off-shoring MRO destinations, the Rs. 110 crore MRO of the national carrier Air India was commissioned in the vicinity of Thiruvananthapuram international airport on Friday.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi lighted the traditional lamp and unveiled the plague to inaugurate the MRO that was set up on the 6.07 hectares of land given by the State free of cost at Chakka to the national carrier at Chakka.
Minister for Ports and Excise, K. Babu, Shashi Tharoor, MP, Director of Engineering, Air India, K M. Unni, Chief Operating Officer of the Kochi-based Air India Express S. Chandrakumar and Chief Engineer, AIE, H. R. Jagannath were present.
With the commissioning of the state-of-the-art MRO, the national carrier will be able to take care of all the engineering requirements in house initially of Boeing 737-800 aircraft of Air India Express, the no-frills airline of the national carrier. All engineering checks from transits to “C’ can be undertaken in the MRO that has 5000 sq.m of workshop, ware house and office space.
Later, addressing the gathering, the Union Minister said the operational efficiency and the often heard complaints of flight delays of Air India Express and Air India can be avoided with the opening of the new facility in the state capital. The aircraft repair and maintenance will be carried out here instead of waiting for engineers rushing in from Mumbai or sending the aircraft to the MRO in Mumbai.
Mr. Ravi said the MRO will create job opportunities for many and instructions had been given to those managing the MRO to recruit local people to the unit here.
Around 150 personnel will be taking care of the engineering and allied activities in the MRO. Of them, 30 will be Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (skilled) and 50 will be mechanics (semi skilled). Already, these personnel are on the rolls of the national carrier and had been trained. The cleaning and other jobs will be outsourced and the locals will get priority in the recruitment, Chief Engineer, AIE, H. R. Jagannath said.
16/12/11 The Hindu

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Categories: Air India Dec 2011, airports Dec 2011, Indian Aviation- In General Dec 2011, New Dec 2011