The alliance for engine MRO will work under the brand ‘The A Team.” Targeting initially the Middle East market, the alliance seeks to offer MRO solutions to all airline operators of the region, said V P Nagarajan, Executive Director ETA-Star Group, the parent company of Aerostar.

Aerostar has been involved in jet engine management for various customers since 2005.

A Team will utilise the existing engine overhaul facilities of Air India at Mumbai and marketing setup of Aerostar in the Middle-East. In the first year, the alliance aims to repair and overhaul 25 aircraft engines from operators from the Mddle East, said Ajay Chaukulkar, General Manager Star Aviation Group, a subsidiary of ETA-Star Group.

The alliance would sell repair services for jet engines such as GE CF6-50 and 80 series, P&W 4000 series, GE-90 series and CFM56-7 series and would also cover CFM56-5 series engine in the near future, the release said, K M Unni, Director of Air India Board.

Unni said Air India’s Engine Overhaul facility in Mumbai could offer cost efficiency and quicker turnaround time compared with other MRO services providers in the world. “Our cost is 30 per cent cheaper than the competition, and we have a track record for excellent turnaround time which will result in reduced cost of ownership for engines operators,” he said.

The Mumbai facility, established in 1966, has been catering to third-party MRO services since 1999.

The Mumbai facility is approved by Director General of Civil Aviation, India, Federal Aviation Administration, USA, and European Aviation Safety Agency. It is also an ISO rated facility.