Airbus Focus On HAL Partnership At Aero India (Jan. 29)
Airbus is highlighting its partnership with Indian industry and airlines at the Aero-India airshow, which takes place from 5 to 9 February in Bangalore, the home-town of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Airbus' partnership with India dates back almost 30 years, when Indian Airlines first selected its aircraft.
Airbus is exhibiting at the show alongside parent company EADS, in Hall B on stand 509-524, with a display that features scale models of its modern aircraft family as well as videos of its aircraft in service around the world.
HAL is an important contributor to Airbus aircraft, producing passenger doors for the A320 family. It has already produced some 350 sets of doors for Airbus, as part of a contract that will lead to the production of over 600, in a deal worth some $50 million.
Several other Indian companies, including Computervision Research and Development (India) Private Ltd of Pune, and Vidyacom and Infosys of Bangalore, are also involved in providing software that is used by Airbus engineers in designing and supporting its aircraft. In addition, Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited of Hyderabad, contributes titanium parts.
Both Air India and Indian Airlines are major customers and operators of Airbus aircraft, which make up some 70 per cent of their fleets. Air India currently flies a fleet of 17 A310s the largest passenger fleet of the type in the world - on regional routes. Indian Airlines operates a fleet of 36 A320s on domestic and regional routes, is the largest operator of the type in Asia, and will add several more of them , on lease, later this year.
In addition, Indian Airlines has decided to acquire 43 new Airbus A320 family aircraft, as part of a fleet modernization program that will see it replace ageing aircraft and provide for growth.
India is an important airliner market Airbus predicts that its carriers will acquire some 225 large airliners, worth almost $20 billion, in the next 20 years. With a modern aircraft family that offers airlines passenger appeal, economy, and valuable savings in operation through commonality, Airbus expects to win at least a half of this market.
-ends- Airbus Highlights Partnership At Aero-India In Bangalore
