Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) has become the first MRO in the Indian subcontinent to perform heavy checks on a Boeing 737 MAX. The MRO provider has inducted a 737 MAX operated by SpiceJet at its Trivandrum facility for a 36-month heavy check.
“This achievement reinforces our commitment to aviation safety and our position as a leader in the industry,” says Anil Kumar Kapoor, executive director at AIESL. Kapoor adds that AIESL’s Trivandrum facility currently holds approvals for the 737 MAX from the FAA and India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and it is working to obtain approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
AIESL expects the facility to receive EASA approval. By the end of the year, after which it will begin offering multiple maintenance capabilities for domestic and foreign customers. EASA’s audit team is expected to visit the facility in October.
AIESL’s Trivandrum facility was built around a decade ago, and at the time it was specifically commissioned for maintenance of Air India Express aircraft. The facility’s team is now anticipating more foreign aircraft in the coming months.
“Many airlines have approached us for [Airbus] A320 lease-return checks, but we are awaiting the EASA approval. Once it comes through, we will have plenty of airlines lining up for checks,” says Prashant Gosavi, general manager and chief maintenance manager at AIESL’s Trivandrum facility. “Trivandrum is one of the fastest growing MROs under the AIESL umbrella, and has grown in leaps and bounds in the last four to five years with addition of aircraft from Air India, SpiceJet and Vistara.”
“The entire team is very excited to undergo this heavy check,” adds Kapoor. “Presently, we are handling three main airlines: Air India Express, Air India and SpiceJet.
AIESL’s Nagpur facility also recently inducted its first foreign aircraft for heavy maintenance, marking an important milestone for the company. The company’s Mumbai facility is expecting aircraft from Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways next week for base maintenance.
AIESL is also planning to recruit about 1,000 maintenance technicians and engineers in the next few weeks as a part of its expansion program. “We are trying to penetrate the deeper market apart from domestic carriers, on the global front,” says Kapoor.
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