Air Works’ twin-hangar MRO facility at Cochin International Airport in India has received EASA Part 145 approval.
With EASA approval, Air Works will be able to offer full MPD support for the A320 family (including A318, A319, A320 and A321 types). This will include base maintenance up to and including 120-month inspections for four engine options; C-Checks; structural and corrosion inspections; major repairs and modifications; end-of-lease-transitions; bridging checks; and engine changes.
“We are excited to enhance our EASA-certified capacity and capabilities, which will expand the scale of our operations and support to regional aircraft operators and global lessors,” said D Anand Bhaskar, managing director and CEO, Air Works Group. “EASA’s 145 approval of our Kochi facility was a much-awaited and long-overdue milestone and is a step forward in accelerating indigenous maintenance, complementing the country’s ambition of becoming Atmanirbhar [self-reliant] and an MRO hub. I take this occasion to acknowledge the relentless commitment of our Quality team who have been instrumental in securing this approval.”
The location of the Kochi MRO facility is strategic, given that Kochi has been a hub for leading carriers from the Middle East. The EASA 145 approval comes at a time when Air Works recently expanded its operations to Dubai, UAE, in an endeavour to enhance access to both international and domestic carriers. The Kochi facility – commissioned in March 2021 during the pandemic – is already certified by the DGCA. It is also a DGCA-certified facility for Air Works’ business and general aviation customers, for a variety of aircraft.
“With EASA Part 145 approval, we are now uniquely poised to offer flexible maintenance support to our customers from two independent facilities providing end-to-end engineering and maintenance services,” said Mangesh Karyakarte, chief sales officer – commercial and defence MRO, Air Works Group. “The approval enables us to offer and undertake a comprehensive series of maintenance checks and repairs, ranging from simple to complex ones on A320 aircraft that dominate the narrow-body market in India, including the various airworthiness directives (ADs) and supplemental type certifications (STCs) from time to time.”
“Over time, I see Kochi becoming a preferred maintenance facility for both domestic as well as incoming carriers from the SAARC, Southeast Asia, Middle East and North Africa,” Karyakarte added.
The twin-hangar MRO facility at Kochi, spread over 50,000m², has been thoughtfully designed and is a completely integrated, independent setup, housing key workshops equipped to undertake structures, interiors and composites repairs to support timely aircraft maintenance and turnaround. Kochi complements Air Works’ primary facility at Hosur, Tamil Nadu, an EASA-certified commercial MRO facility. In addition to the A320 family, Hosur also offers full MPD support for ATR 42- 400/500/72-212A and Boeing 737-600/700/800 and 900.
The group also undertakes MRO work for the Indian defence forces. Having two independent facilities will allow Air Works to turn them into specialised bases offering a comprehensive yet independent scope of services at each location. Air Works intends to deepen its capabilities at Kochi by adding type approvals for maintenance for the B737NG family.
