Sikorsky plans to build H-92 copter cabins locally

JV with Tata Advanced Systems makes 50th S-92 helicopter cabin with 100% local components

US helicopter-maker Sikorsky Aircraft is planning to outsource more work to the Hyderabad manufacturing facility, which was set up in a joint venture with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in 2010 to build S-92 helicopter cabins.

Shane Eddy, senior vice president - Operations at Sikorsky, on Thursday said the company would build H-92 helicopter cabins in this facility once the orders for supply of these helicopters by the Canadian government were cleared. H-92s are civilian certified aircraft built for military operations.

Besides, the company is looking for orders from other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for supply of components being made by Tara Aerospace Systems Limited, the second joint venture set up here between Sikorsky and the Tatas, according to him.  

These plans coincides with the complete indigenisation of S-92 helicopter cabins currently being built at this facility by TASL, which holds a 74 per cent stake in the two joint ventures while Sikorsky owns the rest.

Marking this achievement, TASL chairman S Ramadorai today personally handed over the 50th S-92 helicopter cabin and the first to be built with 100 per cent local components by the JV, to the Sikorsky official.

Eddy said the company was having enough demand for the S-92 helicopters that would require at least two years to clear the backlog.  The plant, which currently operates with two shifts a day, would start three shifts during this year. The company can expand the overall content of the aircraft from this facility, he said while admitting it was deriving significant savings on costs from the Indian manufacturing facility.

TASL now produces four S-92 cabins a month from three earlier to meet the demand as Sikorsky makes about 40 S-92 helicopters a year in its US facility. In June 2009, Sikorsky and TASL had entered into an agreement for production of S-92 helicopter cabins in India and in November 2009, the two had entered into a JV for production of more than 5,000 detailed aerospace components, which go into cabin making. The JVs with 74:26 had set up two manufacturing  facilities -- one for cabin making and the other for aerospace components.

On bagging government order
On delay in the bidding process for buying helicopters for civilian purpose by the Centre, Sikorsky's regional executive retired Air Vice Marshal Arvind Walia said they were looking forward to opening of the commercial bids soon. “Sikorsky is more than willing to provide a solution. Moreover, we are building cabins also here,” he said when asked about the company's prospects in winning the order following the recent controversy over Italian helicopter-maker Augusta, which too is the contender for this order.

Walia, responding to a question, said the company had no problem in bringing more technology and manufacturing to India even though they were allowed to have only 26 per cent equity in the Indian joint venture. However, he said it would like to raise its equity even up to 76 per cent in future if the government  allowed.