Indian MRO Set to Take-off

India holds an edge over other global MRO hubs as it has the availability of lowcost certified technicians

BY PULAK SEN

Dawn of the Year 2023 is like a glowing hue of crimson for the Indian Airline industry. With the full takeover of Air India, the Country’s Flag Carrier by the Tata Group on January 28, 2022, the Indian Airline Industry’s history has changed. The “new” Air India inducted two Boeing 777-200 aircraft in that year alone to operate routes to the USA. This number will increase in 2023.

Air India is close to placing landmark orders for as many as 500 aircraft worth tens of billions of dollars from both Airbus and Boeing as it carves out an ambitious renaissance under the Tata Group conglomerate. Speculations in the industry are that the large order will be split between the two OEMs with approximately 220 aircraft for Boeing and around 280 for Airbus. These would include the Boing 737 MAX, Boeing 787, Airbus A320 family and Airbus A350. In fact, the A350 came on a demonstration tour to India early last year.

Additionally, on September 22, 2022 Air India signed a definitive sale and lease back agreement with Willis Lease Finance Corporation for 34 CFM56-5B engines installed on its Airbus A320 family fleet. Under the sale side of the transaction, Willis Lease will purchase from Air India 34 engines powering 13 Airbus A321 aircraft and four Airbus

A320 aircraft. Through its programme ConstantThrust, Willis Lease will provide replacement and standby spare engines, allowing Air India to avoid potentially costly and unpredictable shop visits on engines powering a transitioning aircraft fleet. Willis Lease will also have an in-country team to coordinate and manage the entire programme and all logistics and transportation involved. This is the first of its kind in the history of Indian airline history.

Air India, India’s leading airline and a Star Alliance member, on December 5, 2022 announced the lease of six Boeing B777-300ER widebody aircraft to further augment its existing fleet. These aircraft are expected to be inducted in the first half of 2023. The decision to lease six aircraft is in addition to the thirty leased earlier in the year including twentyone Airbus A320, four Airbus A321 and five Boeing B777-200LR widebody aircraft. The airline’s aggressive expansion plan has already witnessed 19 longgrounded aircraft returning to the skies with nine more to follow even as the airline has stepped up lease of narrow and wide-body aircraft.

On December 8, 2022, Air India, announced plans to refurbish its entire legacy wide-body fleet, comprising 27 Boeing 787-8 and 13 Boeing 777 aircraft, committing over $400 million for the project. Air India has engaged leading London-based prod-

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