Inflatable Hangars have proven to be a success at India’s mainstream Airports. Indeed, in February this year, Hyderabad Airport became the first Airport in Asia to have an inflatable hangar which enables aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). The initiative was set up by the GRM Group, a key player in infrastructure in India. Furthermore, the roll out of such technology has added importance, given India intention to overhaul its Aviation infrastructure across the country’s Airports, which will result in significant increases to their Aircraft fleet.
Whilst Conventional Hangars serve their purpose in protecting Aircraft from adverse weather conditions during ground time, the Inflatable Hangar has greater cost benefits and overall reduces Aircraft downtime. Furthermore, Inflatable Hangars are easier to implement for instances where unscheduled Aircraft repairs are required.
Inflatable Factor A Game Changer
Inflatable Hangar Looks As Streamlined As The Aircraft! | © Telangana Today
The Inflatable Hangar can withstand temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius and as high as +70 degrees Celsius, as well as wind speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour. Furthermore, it only takes up to four months to produce an Inflatable Hangar, as opposed to 18 months for a Conventional Hangar. The associated costs are also stark, with a Conventional Hangar costing up to US $7,000,000 compared to just US $1,800,000 for an Inflatable Hangar, and has a healthy life span of over 15 years.
The CEO of GMR Aero Technic (that produces the Inflatable Hangar mechanism in India), Ashok Gopinath, said, “It is a cost-effective option which can shorten the time of construction. As a part of Airport infrastructure, it can be used to provide line, ad-hoc and base maintenance checks on the Aircraft.”
It is also important to note, that Aircraft Manufacturer, Airbus, have been using Inflatable Hangars for several years and have indicated that they serve a particular benefit in servicing Aircraft at remote airfields located throughout India. They told the Hindustan Times, “With the ongoing major growth of Aviation in India, it is critical that Airlines have access to world-class maintenance facilities within the borders.”
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