Indian Rotorcraft, a JV company of Tata Sons and AgustaWestland commenced the ground breaking ceremony for an assembly line for helicopters in Andhra Pradesh. The proposed facility which will assemble, customise and flight-test new helicopters is being built on a 10-acre site adjacent to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad and will have a 9,000 sq mtrs building incorporating a main assembly building, flight hangar, office accommodation and outside several helicopter landing pads. The JV will initially produce the eight-seater AW119Ke light helicopter, with production commencing from June 2013. The facility will be capable of producing up to 30 helicopters per annum and is designed to be further developed for other helicopter types, right up to the 16-tonne AW101.