Boeing 737’s vertical fins to be made at Hyd plant

Hyderabad: US-based aerospace biggie

Boeing

on Friday said it will be adding a new production line at the Hyderabad facility of its joint venture with the Tata Group, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), to manufacture complex vertical fin structures for its 737 family of airplanes.

The vertical fin is a complex structural part of the aircraft and the new production line will utilise cutting-edge robotics and automation for its manufacturing, it said. The vertical fin is a stabiliser that helps aircraft fly straight and prevents the nose of the plane from swinging from side to side.

According to Boeing, the expansion marks a significant milestone for the joint venture, which currently manufactures aero-structures for the Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters, including fuselages, secondary structures, and vertical spar boxes for global customers, at a 14,000 sq meters facility at Adibatla near Hyderabad’s international airport. The expansion will create additional employment opportunities and enable skill development as well, it added.

Boeing India president Salil Gupte said the availability of skilled talent, robust infrastructure, ease of doing business, and a highly responsive government administration make Telangana an ideal destination for the aerospace and defence sector. “TBAL is an example of Boeing’s commitment towards co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defence in India, for the world, and a reflection of the country’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative,” Gupte said.

Telangana’s industries & IT minister KT Rama Rao said Telangana is an established hotbed for India’s defence and aerospace industry, supported as it is by a robust ecosystem, including a large pool of skilled and industry-ready workforce.