GMR's MRO eyes global market

MAS GMR Aero Technic Limited, the maintenance repair and overhaul facility at Hyderabad International Airport, is planning to foray into the global markets besides becoming an authorised service facility for the Bombardier Q400. A wholly-owned subsidiary of MAS GMR Aerospace Engineering Co Ltd, MAS GMR Aero Technic Limited (MGAT) also aims to perform 75 checks on aircraft this fiscal.

MAS GMR Aerospace Engineering Company is a 50:50 joint venture of GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) and Malaysian Aerospace Engineering Sdn Bhd.

"MGAT has plans to aggressively foray into the international market and to actively participate in international MRO and airline conferences in order to create recognition in the market.

With such business development activities, MGAT aims to perform around 75 checks on various types of aircraft including C-checks and end of lease checks, in the financial year 2013-14," said the annual report (2013) of GMR Infrastructure which is a majority shareholder in GHIAL. In the last fiscal, maintenance service was provided on 30 families of aircraft which include C-checks on B737-800, B737-900, ATR-72, A320 and A321 for domestic customers and painting on Cessna Citation 560XL and ATR 72-500 aircraft, it said.

The main customers during the year were Spicejet, GoAir, Kingfisher and Indigo. MGAT intends to become an authorised service facility for Bombardier Q400 and other Dash series aircraft. This would enable MGAT to service the Bombardier aircraft in the region.According to a senior official of GMR, SpiceJet has a fleet of Bombardier Q400 in India.

MGAT is in advanced stages of negotiations with various domestic airlines and is making efforts to execute contracts and plans to engage marketing consultants for business development.

"MGAT aims at securing end of lease checks of aircraft from an international airline. This will form a strong case and will help in securing more end of lease checks from the international market," it said.

Group Chairman G M Rao in his letter to shareholders, said, the past year has been possibly a low point for the overall aviation sector and things are expected to improve from now. Air traffic remains a cause of concern with pan-India 2012 passenger traffic recording a net decline of 4 per cent compared to 2011, he said. Rao, however felt the drop was temporary in nature and not a systemic issue and in the long term the demand for air travel will go up both on domestic and international routes.