Air India and GE Aviation have signed a 20-year OnPoint SM solution agreement for the maintenance and repair of GE90 engines in the airline's fleet. The value of the deal has not been revealed.
As part of the OnPoint solution agreement, GE will provide Air India with comprehensive material support, training and assistance on overhaul work scoping. While Air India develops its GE90 maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, GE will provide the airline with overhaul services.
The national carrier is expanding its MRO capabilities at its Mumbai facility and it will be certified for basic GE90 MRO by 2012. Air India also plans to build a new MRO facility in Nagpur which will include GE90 testing capabilities.
“Air India has already established partial capabilities on GE90 engines in Mumbai with the help of GE. Three engine overhauls were recently completed, saving us shipping costs and also reducing our turnaround time significantly. This will help us as we prepare to take on third-party work in the facility,” said Mr K M Unni, Strategic Business Unit (SBU) Head of the MRO SBU and Board Member, Air India.
Air India ordered 23 GE90-powered Boeing 777 aircraft in 2005 and currently operates 20 of these aircraft with the remaining three aircraft to be delivered in the next few years.
OnPoint solutions are flexible, long-term commitments designed to meet customers' unique engine services needs.