MANILA, Philippines — The joint venture between Lucio Tan’s MacroAsia Corp. and the PTC Group opened yesterday its P150 million aviation school in Subic Bay Freeport Zone to address the projected surge in global demand for aviation professionals.
The First Aviation Academy (FAA) located at the Subic International Airport is the fruit of the efforts of MacroAsia and the PTC Group, both regarded as leaders in their respective industries, to develop the next generation of world-class Filipino aviation professionals.
The FAA intends to be at the forefront of professional development for the airline industry, with its comprehensive curriculum, experienced instructors, and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to produce airline-ready aviation professionals primed for flight operations.
FAA general manager Raoul Perez said Boeing’s pilot outlook in 2018 indicated that there is a global demand for 791,000 pilots, of which around 261,000 will be needed in Asia, in the next 20 years.
“Right now CAAP releases about 600 commercial pilot licenses yearly, so based on that figure, we can generate about 12,000 pilots for the next 20 years. And that’s only around five percent of the total demand,” Perez said.
“Demand is really significant and this investment is a serious attempt to really address not only the shortage, but also producing global aviation professionals who will have same standards as the rest of the world,” he said.
In the Philippines, the country’s growing tourism industry and the ongoing development of airports are expected to fuel the need for more professionals in the aviation sector.
Two main features that are expected to set FAA apart from other aviation schools in the country are its fleet of brand-new TECNAM planes with full glass cockpit electronic instrumentation and the Redbird MCX and TD2 G-1000 simulators.
These platforms will enable students to develop the skill sets necessary to excel in the international aviation space.
Through its intensive 12-month training program, graduates from the academy will have completed a private pilot license, instrument rating, multi-engine rating, and a commercial pilot license.
Meanwhile, top graduates will have a chance to become a flight instructor, providing a unique way to build up their flying hours, while honing their instructor skills.
MacroAsia is a listed company that is known as a globally competitive provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, ground handling, airline catering and foods services management among others.