Sunday, February 04, 2007
Aviation school now operates in Subic
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT -- A new business venture in the country's premier freeport came with the entry of Subic Aeroflite Corporation that will infuse US$3.2 million to operate an aviation training school and aircraft charter services here.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga announced that the entry of Subic Aeroflite to the Subic Freeport will place the Subic Freeport's name in Philippine aviation history by producing world-class pilots. This will certainly boost the tourism industry in the region with its aircraft charter flight services, he said.
"Manned by aircraft factory trained instructors, Subic Aeroflite is going to train future pilots in a cost-effective way without compromising flight safety using modern training aids and actual aircraft and components hands-on," Salonga said.
Among the courses offered by Subic Aeroflight include two-year Aircraft Mechanics Course, two-year Aircraft Avionics Course, Flight Attendant Course, Airline Management Course, six-month Specific Aircraft Type Training Course, and six-month Specialized Training Course at Building 8313 of the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) Complex.
"Our company is the first-of-its-kind in the Philippines and 100-percent Filipino-owned and controlled. With the expected investments and tourist arrivals in the Subic Freeport this year, we will be utilizing the Subic Freeport as our new hub for operations," said Subic Aeroflite executive vice president and chief operations officer Jerome John Valera.
Valera said many foreign students are already training in the freeport with three planes to subsequently augment the aircraft fleet after the installation of Aeroflite's state-of-the-art facilities and aviation instrumentations.
"We will be bringing in most of our planes here. We intend to build a long lasting institution here in the Subic Freeport that would provide the trained pilots the career break as we aim to provide an adequate protection and growth to investor's resources," he added.
Meanwhile, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said Aeroflite will also help boost the tourism industry in the area with the introduction of a new way -- by air -- to behold the beauty of Subic Bay and various destinations inside the freeport and its nearby provinces.
"Recently, tourists only had the option to enjoy the many wonders of the Subic Freeport by land and by water only. With Subic Aeroflite, they could have a very unique and exciting experience traveling to these wonderful spots from the sky," he said.
Subic Aeroflite Corp. is an affiliate company of Manila-based Aeroflite Aviation Corporation, owner and operator of Aeroflite Airways which charter tourists to Baguio, Clark, Boracay, Alaminos, and now Subic Bay. (MHD)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (February 4, 2007 issue)
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