Air India and GE Aviation have signed a deal that makes the carrier's maintenance facility in Mumbai a certificated centre for the engine manufacturer's GEnx-1B powerplant.
Under the GE Branded Services Agreement (GBSA), GE will provide technical support as Air India offers maintenance, repair and overhaul services. India's national carrier will be licensed to perform MRO work on the GEnx-1B, while GE will provide Air India with assistance, including material support and training.
The GEnx-1B engine will power the 20 Boeing 787s that Air India has ordered, which are expected to join its fleet in 2011. However, both companies say that this is not part of any offset requirement related to that deal. Instead, it is a partnership that allows them to tap on each others' competencies, especially since the Mumbai facility will only be the second worldwide to come under the GBSA, they add.
The total investment in the facility will come up to $90 million over the next five years. GE's contribution will be $20 million and the facility will grow in phases with demand for engine maintenance and overhaul.
Air India chairman Arvind Jadhav says that the agreement will allow Air India to develop the expertise to service engines from south and South-East Asia and the Middle East.
Source: Flight International
