Eurocopter and Pawan Hans to Set up Joint-ventures for MRO and Training in India

Hyderabad, March 03, 2010 INDIA AVIATION 2010. Eurocopter, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer and Pawan Hans Helicopters, the largest civil helicopter operator in India, announced the project to form two joint-ventures (JV) for Maintenance Repair and Overall (MRO) and training, through the signatures of MoUs. Both JVs should be created within 2010.

Under the terms of the first joint venture, Eurocopter and Pawan Hans will set up an MRO facility in a key Indian metro to better serve the huge Dauphin fleet being operated in India. The second Joint venture will set up a training centre to support Indian needs. It will include all necessary state of the art training medias.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. R. K. Tyagi, Chairman & Managing Director, Pawan Hans said, “As the Indian helicopter market expands, we see tremendous opportunity for Pawan Hans in the oil & gas, tourism and corporate travel segments. It is a significant asset to have Eurocopter as a reliable partner offering the best-in-class products and services to help us meet our goal of providing the best services to our customers.”

Pawan Hans is the biggest customer of Eurocopter in India and Eurocopter’s approved Dauphin Maintenance Center for this part of the Indian Sub-continent. Its fleet of helicopters is used for transportation of personnel to offshore platforms, for shuttle flights between drill barges and for transport of state officials and VIPs. It also provides charter services for tourists.

“We have shared a very special relationship with Pawan Hans for the past 24 years, and are very happy to further strengthen this association. Through these joint ventures we wish to come closer to the Indian customers and serve them better. We will now be able to provide even better support, service and fleet safety solutions to the Indian market. Also, seeing the need for trained helicopter pilots in India, we look forward to supporting the country in meeting this need”- added Mrs. Marie-Agnes Veve, Head of Eurocopter activities in India. Pawan Hans started operating Dauphin Helicopters in India in 1986. Since then, Pawan Hans has logged over 326,000 flying hours.