36 hours ?!! No wonder so many companies are outsourcing to India.
(I smell a marketing pitch. D'you think this 'assembly' process involved much more than installing the pine-scented air freshener in the cabin...?
)
From
Newkerala.com
HAL creates history by assembling American Bell 407 chopper
New Delhi: Having built "French" under technology transfer and the indegenious Advance Light helicopter "Dhruv", state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has for the first time successfully assembled an American Bell 407 helicopter.
"The HAL assembled helicopter has been delivered to Karnatka's VSL mining company and the task was completed within a span of a day and half", according to Max Wiley, Bell's Executive Director for Asia.
The assembling of the helicopter assumes significance as Textron company Bell 407 helicopter is bidding for the Indian Army's contract for 197 helicopters to expand its aviation wing.
Bell, along with Eurocopter, has been shortlisted for the contract and the American company's 407 helicopter has successfully completed technical evaluation including winter trials in high altitude areas of Ladakh and summer tests in the Pokhran range in the Thar desert.
Army Aviation, which at present equipped with the ageing French Aleutte I and Aleutte II helicopters is proposing to Purchase 60 helicopters outright and assemble the rest 137 in the country at HAL.
"Both Bell and HAL were equally excited that this assembly could be done at HAL since it exposed the company to the complete process of assembly and delivery of the Bell 407 helicopters" Wixley said.
I/C