With EASA approval received, Air Works will be able to offer full MPD support for the Airbus 320 family for base maintenance.
Air Works, India’s largest independent Maintenance Repair and Operations (MRO) and aviation services and solutions major, recently announced that the company has received the European Aviation Safety Agency’s [EASA] Part 145 Approval for its state-of-the-art twin-hangar MRO facility at the Cochin International Airport, India. Air Works is the first Indian Airline MRO service provider to be EASA certified and the first to be accredited with EN9110 aerospace standards in SE Asia. The Company offers line maintenance, aircraft cabin interior, commercial aircraft asset management, and safety management solutions.
With EASA approval received, Air Works will be able to offer full MPD support for the Airbus 320 family which will also include the A318, A319, A320 and the A321 Aircraft for Base maintenance up to and including 120-month inspection for all 4 engine options viz. PW1100G, CFM 56, Leap-1A and IAE V2500. The company can also conduct C-Checks, structural and corrosion inspections, as well as undertake major repairs and modifications for the Airbus 320 aircraft family, in addition to End-of-lease-transitions, bridging checks and engine changes.
D Anand Bhaskar, Managing Director & CEO, Air Works Group said, “We are excited to enhance our EASA-certified capacity and capabilities which will expand the scale of our operations and support to regional aircraft operators and global lessors. EASAs 145 approval of our Kochi facility was a much-awaited and long-overdue milestone and is a step forward in accelerating indigenous maintenance, complementing the country’s ambition of becoming Atmanirbhar and an MRO hub. I take this occasion to acknowledge the relentless commitment of our Quality team who have been instrumental in securing this approval.”
The twin-hangar MRO facility at Kochi, spread over 50,000 sqm, is a completely integrated, independent setup, housing key workshops equipped to undertake structures, interiors, and composite repairs to support timely aircraft maintenance & turnaround. Kochi complements Air Works’ primary facility at Hosur, Tamil Nadu, India which is India’s first EASA-certified Commercial MRO facility founded in 2009. In addition to the Airbus 320 family, the Hosur facility also offers full MPD support for ATR 42- 400/500/72-212A and Boeing 737-600/700/800 and 900.
The Kochi MRO facility located at the Cochin Int’l Airport is a strategic success for the company as Kochi has been a hub for leading carriers from the Middle East. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 145 approval has come at a time for the company when Air Works recently expanded its operations to Dubai in an endeavor to enhance access to its cost-effective and industry-leading workmanship to both international and domestic carriers, aiming to reinforce its position in India’s MRO market.
The Kochi facility was commissioned in March 2021 during the pandemic and has already received certification by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It is also a DGCA-certified facility for Air Works’ Business Aviation (General Aviation) customers for a variety of aircraft.
Mangesh Karyakarte, Chief Sales Officer – Commercial & Defense MRO, Air Works Group said, “With EASA Part 145 approval, we are now uniquely poised to offer flexible maintenance support to our customers from two independent facilities providing end-to-end Engineering & maintenance services. The approval enables us offer and undertake a comprehensive series of maintenance checks and repairs, ranging from simple to complex ones on A320 aircraft that dominate the narrow body market in India, including the various airworthiness directives (AD) & Supplemental Type Certifications (STC) from time to time.” Over time, I see Kochi becoming a preferred maintenance facility for both domestic as well as incoming carriers from the SAARC, South-East Asia, Middle East and North Africa.”
The consistent and successful renewal of Air Works’ EASA certification for over a decade demonstrates Air Works’ unwavering commitment to its customers to upholding the highest standards of quality in aviation. The Group also undertakes MRO work for the Indian Défence forces.
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Having two independent facilities will allow the company to spin them into specialized bases offering a comprehensive yet independent scope of services at each location, creating Centres of Excellence. Air Works intends to deepen its capabilities at Kochi by adding Type Approvals for maintenance for the B737NG family.
