Prime Group - Business Standard

Looking Beyond Tomorrow

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Press Reviews:-

Business Standard, August 2011

Press Reviews > Business Standard Special Report on Business Aviation, August 2011

Business Standard Special Report on Business Aviation, August 2011

	INNOVATION: BY WAY OF TECHNOLOGICAL COLLABORATIONS AND INNOVATION, PCI HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF
	Looking beyond tomorrow

SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1986, the Prime Group (PCI) has focused on the role that advancements in technology can play in speeding up the overall growth of the country."Over time, global technological journey of looking beyond tomorrow has become the comer stone of all our corporate actions, “says Padma Shri Surinder Mehta, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of PCI.

India is poised to be the fastest growing country for air travel. Mr Mehta says, "The growth story in aviation requires the industry to build, develop, introduce and adapt technologies, infrastructure and systems to cope up with the growing pressures of volume, safety and security," adding, "and I see huge growth for us, too."

On how PCI is contributing to innovation in the field of aviation, Mr Mehta says, "We Introduced totally new technology in the flight training area through Diamond Aircraft, which uses a composite structure giving the aircraft aerodynamic performance superiority and superior strength vis-à-vis those with an aluminium airframe." Indeed, the introduction of such technology has raised the level of basic pilot training in the country and has contributed to building the infrastructure for future aviation growth.

PCI's Aerospace Division was set up with a clear mission to address the fact that aerospace will have a significant role in the building and the rapid acceleration of the economy of the nation and the region. This has stemmed from the company's collaboration with Diamond Aircraft Industries of Austria and Evektor of the Czech

Republic. "Our Aerospace Division addresses the needs of corporate houses, flying schools, hobby and adventure flying needs, for aviation training schools and point-to-point taxi/charter services,” Mr Mehta says.

The group has also been planning other diversifications in the field of aviation. “Through Prime Group company Skymaster Aviation Adventures Pvt Ltd we have undertaken several unique initiatives and the development of a MRO facility for light aircraft at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh is one such. We plan to expand this in to a manufacturing facility for composite parts of light aircraft," Mr Mehta says. Prime Group has also made a foray into the design and production of customized cable assembly, harness and electrical looms for use in aerospace and defence applications. For this, Prime Harness System Pvt Ltd has been set up, which is a joint venture with AAS Hivut Ltd of Israel, a world leader in this vertical.

On PCI's plans over the next few years, Mehta says,"PCI plans to shortly introduce in India the EV 55 Outback in collaboration with Evektor of the Czech Republic. "This new generation twin turboprop aircraft designed for reliable and powerful performance, offers a variety of configurations - from 9-passenger interior to Combi or All-cargo, more productivity per flight hour and low operating costs - making it ideal for regional transport aircraft operators in India. This new addition to PCI's aircraft product line too shall be backed by our MRO operations at Rewa," he concludes.