BANGALORE, India, Feb 8 (AFP) - Airbus said Tuesday it is considering setting up a training centre in India and announced it has signed a deal with a Bangalore-based technology firm to develop engineering solutions for its new A380 super-jumbo.
"We are looking at setting up a training centre in India," said David Velupillai, regional press manager for the European planemaker.
"With the emergence of Air Deccan and Kingfisher you have a need for more trained personnel, pilots, flight attendants and mechanics so we are looking at the centre but have not decided on the details," Velupillai told AFP.
New budget carriers such as Air Deccan and Kingfisher Airlines have entered India's aviation market to challenge established players such as Jet Airways and state-run Indian Airlines.
"We see a growing market in India. It has been underestimated in previous years. With more than six percent growth in gross domestic product and the emergence of low-cost carriers a new market is being created," Velupillai said.
"Because the fares are attractive there is a new group who are flying who would previously have travelled by train. We certainly see India as a much bigger market for airliners than we have done in the past," he said.
Air Deccan recently said it would buy 30 Airbus A320 aircraft for delivery starting in September 2005, while Kingfisher Airlines placed a similar order.
India's civil aviation ministry recently authorised private airliners to fly international routes and Velupillai said the move could trigger demand for more aircraft.
Velupillai said Bangalore-based VidhyaCom Technologies would provide engineering services and illustrations for the double-decker A380.
He said the company would create illustrations and drawings for A380 technical manuals such as parts catalogues, aircraft maintenance manuals and tool and equipment manuals.
The company would also provide engineering services such as analysing airframes to find stress points.
Airbus has also outsourced the manufacture of doors for its A320 to India's aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics.
02/08/2005 11:27 GMT - AFP