Tata-Sikorsky fully indigenises S-92 helicopter cabin production

Tata-Sikorsky, the India joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp, a subsidiary of United Technologies, today said that its S-92 helicopter cabin production in India has become 100-per cent indigenous.

The S-92 helicopter cabin and more than 5,000 associated precision components are made at l Aerospace and Precision Engineering SEZ at Adibatla in Hyderabad.

Tata-Sikorsky also announced that TASL's Hyderabad facility completed another significant milestone this month by producing its 50th S-92 helicopter cabin and now has the capacity to produce close to 50 S-92 helicopter cabins in a year.

The Indian operation is not only assembling cabins but also producing all parts needed for the assembly, before shipping the cabins to the US for aircraft completion and customer delivery.

The TASL facility now has the capacity to produce up to four cabins a month and is responsible for future design modifications.

In June 2009, Sikorsky and TASL entered into an agreement for production of S-92 helicopter cabins in India, and in November the two had entered into a joint-venture for production of more than 5,000 aerospace components in India at two manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad. (See: Sikorsky, Tatas in helicopter cabin manufacturing deal)

The agreement marked the first for the manufacture of Sikorsky products in India.

Both facilities commenced production within two years of signing the agreements and today constitute an important part of Sikorsky's global supply chain.

Shane Eddy, senior vice president, operations, Sikorsky, said, ''It is a tribute to the talent and dedication of the workforce in India that we have been able to create an ecosystem for aerospace manufacturing in order to achieve 100 per cent indigenisation of the manufactured components and materials that meet stringent specifications of Sikorsky's S-92 helicopters.''

The SikorskyS-92 helicopter is among the latest and most advanced helicopters in the world, having received the 2003 Collier Trophy for the greatest achievement in aeronautics and astronautics in the US.

TheS-92 helicopter and its variants perform multiple roles throughout the world including search and rescue, medical evacuation, and transportation missions for VIPs including heads of state, offshore oil and gas crews, utility and airline passengers.

The Sikorsky S-92 helicopter fleet has grown to 200 aircraft since entering service in 2004 and has logged more than 530,000 flight hours.

Sikorsky Aircraft, based in Connecticut, is a leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service, while United Technologies provides a broad range of high technology products and services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

TASL, a unit of the Tata Group, has been set up to unify competencies and create capabilities across Tata group companies, and through alliances with global technology majors, to provide integrated solutions and critical technologies in the areas of defence, homeland security and disaster management.

The Tata Group also has JV's in the defence sector with Lockheed Martin, ELTA Systems of Israel and Switzerland's AGT International.