Aviation academy launched in Subic Bay Freeport

Company officials and guests inaugurate the First Aviation Academy (FAA) at the Subic Bay International Airport complex on Thursday. (From left) FAA Director Gerardo Borromeo, SBMA Chairman Wilma T. Eisma, PTC Chairman Emeritus Carlos Salinas, U.S. Ambassador Sung Yong Kim, Philippine Airlines President Jaime Bautista, MacroAsia Chairman Joseph Chua, and Transportation Asst. Secretary Juvy Manwon. (Contributed Photo)

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — A P150-million aviation school that is seen to take the lead in developing world-class Filipino aviation professionals was inaugurated here on Thursday.

The First Aviation Academy (FAA), located at the Subic Bay International Airport, will make use of a comprehensive curriculum, experienced instructors, and state-of-the-art equipment to produce “airline-ready aviation professionals primed for flight operations, said FAA General Manager Raoul Perez.

Aviation support firm MacroAsia Corp. and PTC Group, one of the country’s leading crew management and diversified maritime services groups, will operate the flight academy with the first batch of student-pilots starting the course this April.

The inauguration was led by U.S. Ambassador Sung Yong Kim, Philippine Airlines President Jaime Bautista, PTC Chairman Emeritus Carlos Salinas, MacroAsia Chairman Joseph Chua, Transportation Asst. Secretary Juvy Manwong, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chair and Administrator Wilma Eisma.

Eisma said the FAA project provides another anchor activity at the Subic airport, which the SBMA has been developing into an MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) hub for the Asian market.

First Aviation Academy officials pour champagne on a brand-new Tecnam P2010 plane during the launch of the First Aviation Academy in the Subic Bay Freeport on Thursday.(Contributed Photo)

Perez said student-pilots at FAA would be trained with advanced equipment like the Redbird MCX and TD2 G-1000 simulators, which are two of the most modern full-motion flight simulation systems in use today.

The school would also field a fleet of brand-new Tecnam P2010 planes with Garmin G-1000 full-glass cockpit electronic instrumentation for actual flight training, he said.

Two units of the Tecnam P2010 were also unveiled here by the company during the inauguration.

FAA sales manager Butch Reyes said the combination of advanced equipment and experienced staff “will enable students to develop the skills set necessary to excel in international aviation.”

He said the academy’s intensive 12-month training program would integrate academic requirements for a private pilot license, instrument rating, multi-engine rating, commercial pilot license, and airline transport pilot license./lzb