Aviation

Air India Initiates Construction of MRO Facility at Bengaluru Airport

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Air India Group, owned by Tata, announced the launch of a massive Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. As reported by TOI.

Marking a significant step in the airline’s long-term strategy to develop the city as a major aviation hub alongside Delhi and Mumbai. The ambitious project, with an investment of Rs 1,400 crore, aims to bolster India’s self-reliant aviation ecosystem by providing cutting-edge aircraft maintenance capabilities.

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According to Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India, the MRO facility is expected to generate around 1,200 jobs for skilled aviation engineers and provide opportunities for over 200 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Karnataka.

The construction, set on a 35-acre parcel at the Bengaluru International Airport, will be completed in phases. The first phase is projected to be ready by the end of 2025, with full operations commencing in 2026. The facility will feature 12 hangar bays designed to handle both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, air india refurbishment and future expansion will include additional hangars and a dedicated paint hangar.

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Equipped with advanced aircraft maintenance technologies such as overhead tele platforms, cranes, universal docking systems, and India’s largest vertical lift hangar doors, this MRO facility will meet global standards. Air India envisions that the Bengaluru center, along with its refurbished wide-body hangar in Mumbai and upcoming wide-body hangar in Delhi, will make the airline self-sufficient in maintaining its entire fleet from 2025.

In a parallel effort to ensure a steady supply of skilled professionals, Air India also plans to establish a Basic Maintenance Training Organization (BMTO) in Bengaluru by next year. This training facility will provide engineering students with specialized training air india cadet pilot program to become certified aircraft maintenance engineers, with an initial goal of training 50 engineers.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.