Safran to establish a MRO facility worth USD 150 million in Hyderabad

A high-level delegation of French aircraft engine maker Safran Group on Tuesday, July 5 met defence minister Rajnath Singh and briefed him on the firm’s upcoming projects in the country, including the establishment of a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility and its new joint ventures being inaugurated in Hyderabad and Bengaluru this week, officials familiar with the development said.

During the meeting with the delegation headed by CEO Olivier Andries, Singh asked Safran to explore more opportunities for co-development and co-production in line with the government’s ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative. The firm is one of the leading original equipment manufacturers of advanced aircraft engines for commercial and fighter jets.

Safran to establish an MRO facility worth USD 150 million in Hyderabad

“During the meeting, the CEO of Safran briefed the Raksha Mantri of their company’s plans to set up an MRO facility in India to overhaul LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines in use by Indian and foreign commercial airlines,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

ALSO READ - Safran to set up an MRO facility for LEAP commercial aircraft engines in India

The MRO facility will involve an investment of USD 150 million, will create 500-600 highly skilled jobs and will have the capacity to overhaul more than 250 engines per year.

In recent years, Hyderabad has been bidding big on the aerospace and aviation defence sector with companies such as Lockheed Martin Corporation, GE Aviation, Boeing etc establishing their facilities in the city. The state government promotes the aerospace sector with seven SEZ parks in Hyderabad.

A high-level delegation of French aircraft engine maker Safran Group met defence minister Rajnath Singh and briefed him on the firm’s upcoming projects in the country

India and France have had a very strong relationship in the aviation sector since the 1950s, said Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd), director general, Centre for Air Power Studies.

“India urgently needs to develop an engine manufacturing ecosystem. The setting up of the MRO facility for the new-generation LEAP engines will provide a boost to the indigenous aero engine manufacturing sector,” he added.

According to an official familiar with developments, the Safran CEO also briefed Singh about the new joint ventures that will be inaugurated this week — Safran Aircraft Engines and Safran Electrical & Power India Pvt Ltd (both to come up in Hyderabad), and Safran-HAL Aircraft Engines in Bengaluru.

The Safran Aircraft Engines in Hyderabad will involve an investment of 36 million Euros, and will produce parts and components for advanced aircraft engines including rotating seals, the ministry said.

The Safran Aircraft Engines in Hyderabad will involve an investment of 36 million Euros

The helicopter engines to be produced under the joint venture are learnt to be for the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH), which is a medium-lift chopper currently under development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Safran is one of the leading original equipment manufacturers of advanced aircraft engines for civil and fighter jets.

Safran Electrical & Power India will produce harnesses for civil and fighter jets. The joint venture between Safran and HAL is for the production of rigid piping for aircraft engines including helicopter engines, the statement said. The joint venture is expected to hire 160 highly skilled personnel soon.

“The CEO of Safran outlined his company’s long-term plan in co-development and co-production of advanced jet engines and transfer of technology as per the existing policy of Government of India,” the statement said.

https://twitter.com/SAFRAN/status/1544335619266068480

Singh highlighted the importance India attaches to its strategic partnership with France and welcomed the setting up of the new facilities in Hyderabad and the joint venture in Bengaluru.

“We are a big market. However, we are increasingly focused on making in India for competitively addressing the needs and supplying to friendly foreign countries. You can leverage all the competitive advantages India offers, including the cost advantages and availability of a trained workforce,” Singh said during the meeting.

He also briefed Singh on Safran’s capabilities in areas of technology beyond aircraft engines.

Singh invited Safran for more co-development and co-production projects in India, in tune with the Indian government’s “Make in India, Make for the World” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” plans.

https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1544262646416887809

The minister asserted that both countries can contribute to each other’s capability building.

Safran Aircraft Engines (previously Snecma) is a French aerospace engine manufacturer headquartered in Courcouronnes, France. It designs, makes and maintains engines for commercial and military aircraft as well as rocket engines for launch vehicles and satellites.

Some of Snecma’s most notable developments include the M88 for the Rafale, Olympus 593 engine for the Concorde, CFM56/CFM-LEAP for single-aisle airliners, and Vulcan engines for the Ariane 5 rocket.

ALSO READ - DRDO to collaborate with Safran to manufacture engines for India’s 5th gen stealth fighter

It was earlier reported that Safran is also in talks with the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) for developing the 110-Kilonewton Kaveri engine that would power indigenous home-built aircraft such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

CFM Engineering, a joint venture between Safran and American engineering giant GE, makes the CFM56, Leap-1A and Leap-1B that power most of the Airbus A320s and the Boeing 737s in India.

There are currently 600 CFM engines powering 330 passenger aircraft flown by six airlines in India, said Jean-Paul Alary, chief of Safran aircraft engines. That number will go up to 1,500 in the next few decades, making it the biggest engine order book from Indian carriers, including the soon-to-fly Akasa.

The MRO facility will service the Leap-1A and Leap-1B engines, which comprise the largest chunk of Indian airlines’ order book. Global aircraft and engine makers have been reluctant to set up repair shops in India because of high taxes which would make the services unattractive to customers.

India’s airlines have typically had aircraft and engines serviced in markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong and even Colombo.

An engine of a Vistara aircraft on its way from Bangkok failed after it landed at the Delhi airport but all passengers disembarked safely.

Vistara flight suffers engine snag after landing safely at IGI Airport.

Vistara said UK-122 which was operating the Bangkok-Delhi flight had an uneventful flight and touched down safely on runway 10 at IGI. After vacating runway engine number two, the left engine was shut down for single-engine taxing, at the end of taxiway 'K', engine number 1 failed.

ATC was informed and a tow truck was requested. Subsequently, the aircraft was towed to the parking bay."

"After landing in Delhi, while taxing to the parking bay, our flight UK122 (BKK-DEL) had a minor electrical malfunction on 5th July 2022. Keeping passengers safety and comfort in mind the crew elected to tow the aircraft to the bay."Vistara Spokesperson

In June, Vistara was fined INR 10 lakh for allowing a co-pilot to land an aircraft at Indore despite not having the requisite training in a simulator. The airline apologised for the 'regrettable violation'.

Vistara faces an electrical issue after a flight from Bangkok landed in Delhi.

Reacting to the development, with also the recent SpiceJet incident, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that passenger safety is paramount and even the smallest error and hindering of safety should be thoroughly investigated and course-corrected.

Meanwhile, sources say that more than 30 incidents are reported on average every day, while include go-around, missed approaches, diversion, medical emergencies, and bird hits. Most of them have no safety implications.

A Texas-based aerospace company - Jaunt Air Mobility, will reportedly collaborate with a subsidiary of Indian engineering giant - L&T, to develop an eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) air taxi.

Business Wire

Apparently, L&T Technology Services & Ltd. (LTTS), has won a multi-year $100-million-plus electrical air mobility deal from Jaunt that has its design and manufacturing centre in Montreal, Canada.

As a part of the contract, LTTS says it’ll open an engineering and R&D Centre in Canada “for the next-gen electrical plane producer to supply engineering companies for the eVTOL air taxi”.

According to sources, the L&T-Jaunt craft could have its pilot runs in the US before it comes to India and other countries. And from what is known, the US-based firm has taken quite an interest in India.

Representative | Times of India

It is to be noted that the Indian Union Aviation Minister, Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia had very recently invited eVTOL entities to come to manufacture their products and conduct operations here in the country.

LTTS will provide structural design analysis, certification support, manufacturing engineering services for the ‘Jaunt Itinerary’. We will also provide services to support the integration of flight controls, air data management and cockpit display systems. Apart from utilising (our) current development centres in US and in India, LTTS will open an engineering centre in Quebec provinceLTTS said in a statement

Jaunt is creating a new generation of sustainable aircraft to meet the growing demand for increasingly urban and regional travel. These EVTOLs take off like a helicopter and fly like a fixed-wing plane.

These new air taxis will make it possible to travel more than 110km in the air in 25 minutes or less, with trip costs affordable to the public. The Jaunt Journey single pilot aircraft will carry four passengers. The vehicle will offer urban air mobility, cargo delivery, military missions and medical transportJaunt

Representative | Times of India

At Jaunt, our vision is to usher in a range of new age aircraft-driven urban commuting that is fast, safe and convenient. This new clean sustainable aircraft will reduce carbon emissions worldwide. Strategically, we are continuing to grow our Tier 1 partnerships and recognise LTTS as a best-fit engineering partner and together we are confident of pushing the mass-scale commercialisationJaunt CEO and CTO-Martin Peryea

Martin Peryea | aviationpros

LTTS is a listed subsidiary of L&T focused on engineering and R&D services.

Late last month it opened an entering design centre in Toulouse, France- the home city of Airbus.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: eVTOL.news

Europe’s Airbus has raised the stakes in a dispute with Qatar Airways over damage to the painted surface of long-haul A350 jets by revoking the contract for a fourth airplane, three people familiar with the matter said.

The two companies are locked in a dispute over the impact of surface scars on the jets, with Airbus insisting the aircraft are safe and the Gulf carrier claiming there are unanswered questions over airworthiness and refusing to take deliveries.

ALSO READ - UK court denies compensation to Qatar Airways for cancelled A321neos order by Airbus

Airbus revokes the delivery of another Qatar Airways A350

In May, a British judge rejected a bid by Qatar Airways to force Airbus to stop formally trying to deliver more A350s to the carrier, the aircraft’s largest customer.

The procedural ruling means Airbus is free to attempt to trigger payment clauses as more planes are built. It can also try to sell A350s that Qatar has rejected to carriers such as Air India, which industry sources say could step in as a buyer.

ALSO READ - Airbus cancels more A350 orders of Qatar Airways

The fourth A350 was cancelled in late June and is expected to be reflected in the first-half Airbus data due out on Friday, July 8. A fifth aircraft is due to reach the same stage in the pipeline by end-July, followed by a sixth later this year.

The fourth A350 was cancelled in late June and is expected to be reflected in the first-half Airbus data due out on Friday, July 8

Qatar Airways claims Airbus is wrongly trying to offer new jets for delivery, while Airbus claims the airline has broken its contract by refusing to take more A350s and is revoking orders for undelivered aircraft one by one, as they are built.

The two sides are due to meet in a London court on Thursday, July 7 in the latest of a series of procedural hearings ahead of a full trial tentatively scheduled for June next year barring an out-of-court settlement, which sources say so far appears remote.

Qatar Airways has grounded some two dozen A350s amid safety concerns stemming from flaws in the protective painted surface of the planes and is refusing to take delivery of further A350s due until the matter is resolved.

A fifth aircraft is due to reach the same stage in the pipeline by end-July, followed by a sixth later this year.

ALSO READ - Qatar Airways accuses Airbus of acting like a “bully” over ‘peeling paint’; files USD 1 billion lawsuit

The dispute is now before the UK courts. Qatar Airways is suing Airbus for USD 1 billion in damages. Airbus has been countersued for damages.

ALSO READ - Qatar Airways prepared to take the Airbus legal dispute to trial

According to Airbus delivery data, Qatar Airways has 53 A350 aircraft in its fleet, including 34 A350-900s and 19 A350-1000s. As of May 31, a further 19 A350-1000s remained undelivered.

Earlier this year, Airbus cancelled orders from Qatar Airways for 50 A321 jets with over USD 6 billion because of the A350 dispute.

Qatar Airways is a substantial Airbus customer, with 143 aircraft from the plane builder in its fleet. Earlier this year, Airbus cancelled orders from Qatar Airways for 50 A321 jets with over USD 6 billion because of the A350 dispute.

ALSO READ - Airbus responds to Qatar Airways’s A350 dispute by cancelling A321 Order

Other A350 operators have acknowledged the problem but continue to fly the affected planes. Airbus and European aviation regulators say the aircraft is safe to fly. So far, things haven't really gone Qatar Airways' way in court regarding this matter. Airbus also says it would prefer to settle the dispute out of court.

(With Inputs from Reuters)

Two Choppers of a charter company Heritage Aviation, which flies pilgrims to Amarnath were grounded by the civil aviation regulator on Tuesday, July 5 after a damning video clip showed one of the aircraft landing close to a mountainous dirt track amidst mules carrying travellers.

Referring to the clip, the director-general, of civil aviation said that the "helipad" on which the said helicopter landed was not an authorised one. 

The chopper makes an emergency landing.

The latest video clip shows a helicopter approaching a dirt track even as mules carrying passengers walk past nonchalantly in a single file.

As the helicopter turns and descends towards the dirt track, a person can be heard shouting "side, side, side", exhorting the passengers and mules to give away to the landing aircraft. The helicopter touches down in clouds of dust, a few feet away from the pilgrims. The area being used as a helipad is strewn with gravel and stones and is not demarcated.

"The incident shown in the video clip is of a place on the route called Mahuguna Pass and not any of the helipads cleared by DGCA. The helicopter in the clip seems to be overloaded, whilst not meeting the performance standards and also the SOP for crossing a pass does not seem to have been followed by the pilot."DGCA

Another video clip surfaced over a month ago, which showed a helicopter with pilgrims carrying out a hard landing in Kedarnath helipad on an apron packed with passengers.

It may be noted that the helipads used in Shri Amarnath Yatra are Neelgrath, Pahalgam, and Panjtarni. The civil aviation watchdog has cleared the helipads even for this year's Amarnath yatra after an inspection by the team.

Video of Amarnath chopper flight shows safety lapses, DGCA grounds two aircraft and derosters pilot.

The EC 130 helicopter type of Heritage Aviation involved in this incident, has already been grounded by Air Safety due to exceedance reported for engine parameters. The involved pilot has also been de-rostered.

The agency said that the second EC130 machine of the operator has also been grounded and a probe team has been sent to investigate the incident further.

ALSO READ - DGCA begins probe of a helicopter bouncing and turning 270 degrees while landing at Kedarnath

(With Inputs from The Times of India)

DHL now operates a record 33 flights per week from India with 17 of them connecting Delhi. DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, has commenced operations for the first-ever DHL Aviation Bahrain freighter directly to Delhi.

With this addition, Delhi will now have 17 freighter connections every week, linking both North and East India to over 220 countries and territories across DHL’s global network. Before this, there were 11 freighter connections from Delhi to the West and the Asia Pacific.

DHL Aviation Bahrain commence direct freighter services to Delhi

The new DHL Aviation Bahrain freighter will fly six times each week, carrying 50 tons of shipment per flight on the Bahrain-Delhi-Bahrain route thereby boosting the capacity for the region, and enhancing service quality for customers.

The DHL network continually evaluates available options to strengthen air capacity, to provide optimal services to customers.

"We have been working relentlessly to provide reliable connectivity to our customers to fuel India’s international trade. In line with this, we constantly look for opportunities to expand the capacity of our dedicated air network and invest in ground infrastructure and processes to enhance our service quality to our customers. Through the addition of these dedicated freighter connections, we are well-positioned to remain the provider of choice for our customers across key markets."R.S Subramanian, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DHL Express India

To ensure services continue to be delivered whilst navigating challenges around air network capacities, a potential opportunity was identified to leverage DHL Aviation Bahrain flights into Delhi to help move express loads to and from the western sectors via the Middle East.

Currently, there are six weekly flights connecting customers in Hong Kong and Delhi to Europe via DHL Express’s global hub in Leipzig as well as five connecting back from Europe to Delhi and Hong Kong.

The DHL network continually evaluates available options to strengthen air capacity, to provide optimal services to customers.

These six additional Bahrain-Delhi-Bahrain flights will then further link customers in the U.S. and Europe as well as the Middle East and Africa. Last year, six flights were added from Bengaluru, connecting South and West India to the rest of the world.

ALSO READ - Bangalore Airport gets a newly expanded facility of DHL Express

A total of 33 DHL flights now service customers in India with a combination of B777 and B767 aircraft every week. The logistics company for the world, DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry.

DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfilment solutions, international express, road, air, and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.

A total of 33 DHL flights now service customers in India with a combination of B777 and B767 aircraft every week.

With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows.

With specialised solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as the logistics company for the world.