Indian Eurocopter Subsidiary Plans MRO Venture

Aerospace Daily
Oct 22, 2010
PROGRAMS
NEW DELHI — Eurocopter’s new subsidiary in New Delhi is part of its strategy to step up sales and marketing efforts in India. Established Oct. 20, the New Delhi location is Eurocopter’s tenth subsidiary in Asia.

Eurocopter also has signed an agreement to establish a joint maintenance, repair and overhaul venture in Mumbai with Indian government-owned Pawan Hans Helicopters. The MRO should be operational by the end of 2011.

“Once the MRO is set up, it will mean Pawan Hans — the world’s largest operator of the Dauphins — will become the nerve center for Dauphin 365s,” says Joseph Saporito, Eurocopter’s executive vice president for commercial helicopters.

“We will provide the technical support, including spares and training, while Pawan Hans will deliver the MRO.”

Eurocopter is looking at a second industrial partner, its present distributor and maintenance center, Indocopter, for the twin-engine EC155 — a long-range medium-lift passenger transport helicopter that will cover Delhi and the region.

Talks also are on to identify an Indian partner to maintain military helicopters that Eurocopter may produce, including the 197-aircraft Indian army and air force bid the company is competing for. While the winner will be required to work with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. for maintenance, it is likely the help of a third-party provider will be needed.

Eurocopter is looking at increasing its 30% global annual helicopter market share to 50% in the next five years. “India is a very challenging country,” says Marie-Agnès Veve, CEO of Eurocopter India. “We see a lot of opportunity to develop.”

Eurocopter India Pvt. Ltd. will be responsible for neighboring Maldives and Sri Lanka, in addition to India.
- Neelam Mathews