Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) is set to enter into a joint venture agreement with global aerospace major Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) for an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre in Bangalore.HAL and P&WC officials are close to signing an agreement regarding this.Confirming the development, Claude Lachapelle, VP of P&WC Commercial-Service Centres, said the two parties might sign an agreement soon."We have had talks with HAL and will soon sign a joint venture agreement for a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) shop for aircraft engines in Bangalore," he said.Lachapelle said the MRO centre, which could service about 150 aircraft engines every year, was likely to come up by the middle of next year.The details of the joint venture regarding shareholding and investments are yet to be finalised, Lachapelle said. He said the centre may initially start with 50 engineers.Earlier, P&WC had signed long term business agreements with Kingfisher Airlines and Air Deccan for engine maintenance.Globally, P&WC designs, develops, manufactures turbofans, turboprop and turboshaft engines for business, general and regional aircraft and helicopters.A team from the company met HAL officials in Bangalore last week regarding the JV.
