RMAF AIROD

RMAF AIROD
(1976-1985)
Commanding Officers
Lt Col J. Ponnudurai
Col A. Shanmuganathan (deceased)
Col Kamaruddin Shariff

AIROD is the acronym for "Aircraft Repair and Overhaul Depot" of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. It was conceived way back in the early 1970's primarily to embark on a "self-reliance" posture as a defence strategy (depicted by its motto "BERDIKARI") with the big agenda to spearhead the development of an aerospace industry for Malaysia. Besides that it was foreseen that there would be substantial savings in cost and time to carry out our own overhaul and repair work on our aircraft, engines and components. And with the expertise gained in such depot-level engineering work, it would be a natural progression for AIROD to embark on assembly and licensed manufacturing of aircraft parts and even the whole aircraft in the future.

The AIROD project was approved by the government in 1971 following which a team of engineers headed by Lt Col (then Wg Cdr) J. Ponnudurai was sent to study various overhaul facilities in the UK, Europe, USA, Australia and India. On completion of their study tours they came back to produce their reports. After several meetings and discussions at Mindef and the Treasury, the project was approved.
Land was acquired at Subang International Airport, well away (then) from the Terminal building. Building started in 1973 and was completed in 1976. However, personnel started moving into the facility in 1975 when the main overhaul building and the Test Cell were completed. Minimal foreign expertise was engaged: just five Qantas engineers for a period of six months.

The completed Engine Test Cell building
housing two cells, the jet and the shaft engine cells

The Main overhaul building completed in early 1976.
AIROD made history when they successfully overhauled
the first Sikorsky S61A-4 (Nuri) helicopter turboshaft engine
— the T58-GE5 in November 1976, followed by the
first turbojet engine — the J85-J4 of the CL41 (Tebuan) aircraft,
in March 1977. See pictures below.

AIROD became a novelty then. We had endless visitors from local and foreign military top brass in 1977. AIROD was the manifestation of the "Malaysia Boleh" spirit that was very much alive then. AIROD was privatised in January 1985 and is now known as Airod Sdn Bhd.

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Last update: 26 March, 2006

AIROD is the acronym for "Aircraft Repair and Overhaul Depot" of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. It was conceived way back in the early 1970's primarily to embark on a "self-reliance" posture as a defence strategy (depicted by its motto "BERDIKARI") with the big agenda to spearhead the development of an aerospace industry for Malaysia. Besides that it was foreseen that there would be substantial savings in cost and time to carry out our own overhaul and repair work on our aircraft, engines and components. And with the expertise gained in such depot-level engineering work, it would be a natural progression for AIROD to embark on assembly and licensed manufacturing of aircraft parts and even the whole aircraft in the future.
The AIROD project was approved by the government in 1971 following which a team of engineers headed by Lt Col (then Wg Cdr) J. Ponnudurai was sent to study various overhaul facilities in the UK, Europe, USA, Australia and India. On completion of their study tours they came back to produce their reports. After several meetings and discussions at Mindef and the Treasury, the project was approved. Land was acquired at Subang International Airport, well away (then) from the Terminal building. Building started in 1973 and was completed in 1976. However, personnel started moving into the facility in 1975 when the main overhaul building and the Test Cell were completed. Minimal foreign expertise was engaged: just five Qantas engineers for a period of six months.
	The completed Engine Test Cell building housing two cells, the jet and the shaft engine cells
The Main overhaul building completed in early 1976. AIROD made history when they successfully overhauled the first Sikorsky S61A-4 (Nuri) helicopter turboshaft engine — the T58-GE5 in November 1976, followed by the first turbojet engine — the J85-J4 of the CL41 (Tebuan) aircraft, in March 1977. See pictures below.

AIROD became a novelty then. We had endless visitors from local and foreign military top brass in 1977. AIROD was the manifestation of the "Malaysia Boleh" spirit that was very much alive then. AIROD was privatised in January 1985 and is now known as Airod Sdn Bhd.