Indian MRO provider Air Works has received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 145 approval covering base maintenance services for Airbus A320 aircraft at its Kochi facility.

Under the certification, the company is now carrying out repair services on A319, A320 and A321 variants at its 200,000 ft.² twin hangar location in the southwest Indian city, where its workshops are equipped to undertake structural, interiors and composites repairs. Air Works says the first monthly check on an A320 aircraft has already begun. 

The approval from Europe’s regulator follows certification from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation last year. With the EASA approval, Kochi becomes Air Works’ second facility, after its Hosur location, with an EASA Part 145 certification.

“We are excited to enhance our EASA-certified capacity and capabilities that will help expand the scale of our operations for aircraft owners and operators in the region," says Anand Bhaskar, managing director and CEO at Air Works Group. "The EASA approval for our Kochi maintenance facility was a much-awaited and long-overdue milestone.”

Bhaskar adds: “The approval will help us offer and undertake a comprehensive series of maintenance checks and repairs, ranging from simple to complex ones on A320 aircraft that dominate the narrowbody market in India, including the various airworthiness directives and supplemental type certifications from time to time.”

Air Works says the strategic location of the Kochi facility, located at Cochin International Airport, makes it an emerging hub for Middle Eastern airline traffic. Air Works counts several Middle East-based carriers among its maintenance customers. Kochi is also a major base maintenance facility for Air Works’ business aviation customers for a variety of aircraft.

This approval follows Air Works recently expanding its line maintenance operations in Dubai, and it also has plans to provide further access to both international and domestic carriers.