KATHMANDU: India’s largest independent aviation services & MRO major Air Works announced that it has begun offering Line Maintenance services to international carriers from Kathmandu in Nepal. With the launch, Air Works has now expanded its footprint in the SAARC region.
The company has collaborated with Kathmandu-based Siris Aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Pvt. Ltd. (SAMRO) to offer its acclaimed Line maintenance services from Nepal’s biggest international airport – Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu.
Siris Aircraft MRO (SAMRO) is part of the siris.aero Group which been in the aviation business in Nepal for over 30 years. The company has been partnering with leading manufacturers and renowned aviation & MRO companies to offer aviation maintenance/ services and support.
SAMRO notably, is Nepal’s first private and independent Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) with a strong presence at the Tribhuvan International Airport. Licensed by the Government of Nepal including the Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation, as well as Ministry of Industry, it holds 145 Approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to undertake technical handling services including Line maintenance, periodic inspection as well as the rectification of minor defects, at the international airport.
Commenting on its SAARC expansion, Mr. D Anand Bhaskar, Managing Director & CEO, Air Works Group said, “Since long, our key international customers had been requesting us to expand our services footprint in the region, we are extremely happy to have been able to take this first step in association with Siris Aircraft MRO.
The development is also well-timed from a market perspective, given the strong revival in air traffic and the enhancement of aviation infrastructure in Nepal. We believe that this launch could lay the foundation for expanding the scope of our current collaboration with Siris to other airports and other operators in Nepal that could eventually lead to an enhancement in the scope of services beyond the current transit / daily/weekly checks.”
He also remarked that “The extension of our operational footprint into Nepal reflects Air Works’ strong and positive customer relationships that have been built over a decade and are underscored by a philosophy of trust, reliability, mutual understanding and cooperation.”
Reports indicate that international passenger traffic in Nepal has rebounded to near pre-Covid levels, registering an increase of 141 percent from 2021, primarily driven by gains in tourism. This also corresponds with higher international flight movements now that pandemic curbs have been completely eased.
Under the terms of the collaboration, while SAMRO will liaise with local regulatory authorities and provide technical manpower and infrastructure including equipment & tooling, Air Works will depute certifying staff or Maintenance Engineers, to clear the aircraft, besides undertaking business development. The services will be executed under the Air Works’ Quality system which has been extended to cover the new station.
Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Arun Malla, Executive Chairman, Siris Aircraft MRO said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Air Works – India’s numero uno aviation engineering & maintenance company and MRO brand, acclaimed for its domain expertise, workmanship, and professionalism to offer Line maintenance services from the Tribhuvan international airport. The association will not only expand our market proposition but will also enrich our culture and strengthen our work practices, that will help us to be in sync with global service delivery benchmarks. With Air Works now at Kathmandu, incoming international carriers to the airport can be sure of “flying assured”, underlining the country’s commitment to safety. With burgeoning air traffic, Kathmandu and other emerging airports in Nepal represent a cradle of opportunities and beginning with Line services, we intend to leverage and enlarge our relationship gradually and cover entire country.”
Currently, over 30 leading international airlines fly to/ from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) to more than 45 destinations throughout Asia and the Middle East. Despite Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) – Nepal’s 2nd major airport that began international operations last year, Tribhuvan International Airport continues to be the country’s hub for international carriers.
As part of the agreement, Air Works would be extending its entire gamut of approvals covering Boeing (737/ 767/ 777/787 family), Airbus (319/ 320/ 321/ 330/ 350 family) and ATR 42/ 72 (500/ 600) aircraft to the new station.
Interestingly, the new venture has already got a leading Middle eastern airline as its first customer. With a pan-India presence across 19 international airports, India’s most loved MRO is already the biggest provider of Transit or Line Maintenance services to foreign carriers [airlines and cargo] operating into the country. Air Works holds approvals from Civil Aviation Authorities of over 20+ countries that certify it to maintain both narrow body and wide body aircraft at leading airports in the country and now, at Kathmandu.
In what may be of interest to the industry, Air Works relationship with Nepal goes back almost sixty years when it used to maintain and undertake 12/24 monthly checks on the Dakotas operated by Nepal Airlines (formerly Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation).
As one of India’s oldest aviation brands that commenced business in 1951, Air Works Group’s commitment towards MRO & aviation services has been exceptional and this network expansion underscores that the company’s capabilities are on par with international standards.
As the Group spreads its wings in the region, its formidable client base is likely to benefit from this partnership and its resulting synergies.
As India’s largest independent MRO, Air Works is certified to maintain more than 50 types of aircraft, making it also the most diversified MRO in the country with a pan-India network of 27 locations. The Group also provides commercial aircraft asset management services, avionics and aircraft finishing services apart from MRO-related offerings.
Its customers includes both civil (fixed wing + rotary wing) and military services, including commercial airlines, business aviation (owners/operators) companies, and Indian defense forces.
Earlier this year, Air Works was once again bestowed with the Best MRO Services Award by ASSOCHAM in recognition of its contribution towards the growth of the Civil Aviation sector.
Its group company – SA Air Works (JV with Scandinavian Avionics) recently became Indian Civil Aviation’s first Avionics Design Organization [DOA], with the capability to design DGCA-certified STCs and repair schemes for a whole array of aircraft including helicopters.
Last month, Air Works became first MRO in India to successfully complete the End-of-lease check on an A320neo aircraft, within the country.