Cebu Pacific breaks ground for new aviation training center in Clark

MANILA, Philippines - Gokongwei-owned budget carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) broke ground yesterday for its new aviation training center at the Clark Freeport Zone.

The venture, to be known as the Philippine Academy for Aviation Training Inc. (PAAT), is expected to start operations in the third quarter of 2012 and will have the capacity to train over 2,500 pilots annually, as well as other aviation professionals for CEB and third-party airlines in the region.

The groundbreaking was attended by President Aquino, Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Deepak Obhrai, other Philippine government officials, and representatives of CEB and its joint venture partner, Canada-based flight simulation technology provider CAE.

“We are proud to be part of the establishment of the first CAE aviation training center in the country. We look forward to making the Philippines’ vibrant aviation industry become the hub for highly-skilled, highly competent aviation professionals. We are delighted to collaborate with CAE to bring a world-class training facility to the region. This training center will be pivotal to meeting the training requirements not only of Cebu Pacific, but also the region’s pilot and flight training requirements in the next 10 years or so,” CEB president and CEO Lance Gokongwei said.

“CAE is very pleased to partner with CEB to serve their expanding training needs,” accordingto Jeff Roberts, CAE’s group president of civil simulation products, training and services. “The new training center will be a one-stop training facility for CEB and a hub for training services for other airlines. We are confident the training provided will enhance aviation safety and operational efficiency in the region.”

The Philippine Academy for Aviation Training represents an approximate $50 million joint investment. The facility will initially cater to Airbus A319/320/321 series pilot type-rating training requirements and will provide “wet” instructor-led type-rating training for CEB’s current and new-hire pilots. Initial, recurrent, conversion and jet indoctrination training will be available to other Airbus operators.

The training center will initially be equipped with two Airbus A320 FFSs with capability to expand by two additional simulators. Training is expected to be added for other aviation personnel in the future, such as cabin crew, dispatch, ground handling personnel and cadets.

CEB currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 19 Airbus A320 and eight ATR-72 500 aircraft, a fleet of 37 aircraft with an average age of 3.6 years - one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2012 and 2021, it will take delivery of 23 Airbus A320 and 30 Airbus A321neo aircraft orders, and two Airbus A320 aircraft on operating lease agreements.

Gokongwei earlier revealed that CEB is investing $3.8 billion for 37 new aircraft, the largest single aircraft order ever made by a Philippine carrier. This will double CEB’s fleet size by 2021.

He said the low-cost carrier has turned into firm orders its existing purchase options for seven Airbus A320 aircraft, and has placed a new order for 30 A321neo (new engine option) aircraft with options for an additional 10 A321neos. The latter will be a first of its type to operate in the Philippines, being a larger and longer-haul version of the familiar A320. The list price for each A321 is around $100 million.

The said orders for seven A320 and 30 A321neo aircraft will be delivered between 2015 and 2021. These are on top of firm orders for 18 A320 aircraft delivered from the second half of 2011 until 2014. This increases CEB’s total firm orders of Airbus aircraft to 57. By 2014, CEB will have the largest jet fleet in the Philippines.

“Cebu Pacific has made the largest firm order for the Airbus A321neo aircraft in the world. These 220-seater aircraft will be a real ‘game changer’ for us because the A321neo will have a much longer range.