India''s first independent aircraft MRO operations being set up in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The city-based Hyderabad Aircraft Maintenance Company (Hamco), promoted by a group of experienced aviation specialists, has announced plans to set up India's first independent maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations.

Speaking to the press, Uday Naidu, co-founder, chairman and CEO, Hamco, said, "Our aim is to fill the vacuum in the Indian MRO market, by designing effective and efficient systems and building in quality control from the outset. Our proposed MRO will not only service local airlines but also attract global airlines who fly to India."

"The global market size for MROs is $36 billion per year. The Indian market is around $100 million per year. This market is expected to grow by at least 15 per cent over the next three years. With this kind of rapid growth, we definitely have a strong market to tap in to and capture a sizeable share. In fact, we already have letters of interest from a couple of airlines," he added.

The world over, the law requires airlines to have their aircraft undergo periodic checked ups. The check ups take up typically four to sixteen days depending on the number of flying hours the aircraft has put in. Only Indian Airlines, Air India and Jet Airways, which have their own MRO's, are able to maximise their returns on maintenance.

Newer airlines that have been set-up as well as the ones that are expected to be set up in the next few months could lose several millions of dollars if they have to set up and maintain their own MRO's. The option of using MRO's outside India is expensive but sometimes the only economically viable option.

Hamco's planned world class MRO presents to them a hassle-free, cost effective opportunity at hand, which will reduce turnaround times and tremendously save on cost.