The Hindu Business Line : Maharashtra to help aeronautical body to set up office in Mumbai

Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, flanked by Mr Ravi Menon (left), Chairman, Aeronautical Society of India, Mumbai Branch, and Dr G. Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO, and President of the Aeronautical Society of India, at the Annual General Meeting of the Aeronautical Society of India held in Mumbai on Friday. — Paul Noronha

Mumbai , Dec. 2

THE Maharashtra Government has promised the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI) assistance in identifying a plot to set up its office and training centre in the city.

Addressing a conference on challenges in aviation technology, integration and operation, organised by the society here on Thursday, the Chief Minister, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, assured all support for the development of aviation in the State. He pointed out that both Airbus and Boeing were in talks with a number of State Governments for setting up MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) facilities in the country.

He added that the State Government was keen to identify and introduce aviation courses in college curricula in view of the shortage of trained manpower for the industry.

Dr G. Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO, said there was need to strengthen the industry base to cater to growing aircraft operations, and maintenance and repair requirements. Research and development and other related activities in aeronautics should be integrated and brought under a single umbrella.

Dr Nair, who is also the President of the AeSI, said there was need to set up a National Aeronautics Committee along with the Department of Aeronautics to promote and integrate the various organisations, currently functioning under different ministries.

Dr Kota Harinarayana of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said the lack of MRO infrastructure was hampering aviation growth in the country. Besides Air-India and Indian Airlines, which had set up facilities to meet their own requirements, the private domestic carriers had to send their aircraft abroad for maintenance and overhaul.

He pointed out that with the number of aircraft in the country likely to double to 500 by 2010, there was huge potential for the growth of the MRO business in the country. According to a study by Frost & Sullivan, the MRO business in India was valued at $615.3 million, and accounted for just 7.6 per cent of the total Asian MRO business ($8.1 billion). Globally, the MRO business was valued at $37 billion.

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