European aircraft maintenance training organisation Aerocampus Aquitaine to set up facility in Hyderabad

The Telangana government would provide accommodation for the upcoming training facility apart from bearing the cost of trainers in the initial period

Europe's leading aircraft maintenance training center Aerocampus Aquitaine is setting up a training facility in Hyderabad to train technicians and other experts required in this field, adding to the budding ecosystem of aerospace industry here.

Based in Bordeaux, France, Europe's biggest hub of aerospace industry, this training organisation today signed an MoU with Telangana government for this purpose. The government would provide accommodation for the upcoming training facility apart from bearing the cost of trainers in the initial period. Industry minister Jupally Krishna Rao said the government's objective was to produce at least 1,000 technicians and other specialists required in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul(MRO) activity.

"The facility will be located in the Begumpet airport(the old operational airport). Airports Authority of India(AAI) has in principle agreed to give Air India's hangar to run the training center," Arvind Kumar, secretary, industries department said.

It may be recalled that Pratt and Whitney, a unit of United Technologies, had already established a training center at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport last year, providing training to its employees, aircraft engineers and technicians on current and new engine models. The city houses two MROs run by Air India and GMR at the international airport.

Hyderabad, which was also chosen as a permanent venue for the biennial India Aviation Show, has become home for some successful collaborations in aerospace manufacturing forged by Tata Advanced Systems with US-based leading global helicopter maker Sikorsky and aerospace and defence major and Lockheed Martin. Latest addition being the Tata Advanced Systems's joint venture with US aircraft maker Boeing, announced in November, 2015, to manufacture aero-structures for the company's commercial and military aircraft.

These global collaborations coupled with the a large presence of public sector aerospace and defence establishment and a mature ancillary base grew around it has created a new buz with people seeing the city as a potential aerospace manufacturing hub in the country.

The Hyderabad training facility marks Aerocampus Aquitaine's first ever entry into India. This is just a beginning of collaborations proposed under the framework of the sister city agreement signed between Hyderabad and Bordeaux Metropolis, a cluster of 28 cities in France, according to the French representatives.

Jerome Verschave, general manager of Aerocampus Aquitaine said their training not only aimed at creating highly skilled workers but also highly responsible technicians considering the nature of aerospace industry.

Starting with an intake of about 300 students in lower level technician courses, the center would eventually introduce several advanced courses required for the industry to take the total strength to 2,000 people, according to Arvind Kumar. Though all of the facility would only offer paid courses, the state government would like to finance students in lower level technician courses. Students from Telangana would be given first preference, he added.

According to Arvind Kumar, Telangana government's aerospace policy was based on three components, namely training of manpower, promotimg research and development and facilitate startup ecosystem in aerospace sector.