Pinoy pilots drop food over Afghanistan

At the height of the US-led bombings in Afghanistan, Filipino pilots were also flying over Afghan airspace. But they were not dropping bombs. They were flying in food.

"As long as they can secure the runway, we can fly in," says Capt. Rudy Petican, a retired Philippine Air Force officer. The Filipino pilots of TransAfrik, a private company hired by the United Nations, have seen action in Cambodia, Rwanda, Somalia, Angola, and other international hotspots. "I’ve experienced my plane being shot at in Rwanda," says Petican.

In Somalia, Petican and his Filipino crew were ordered to shuttle a warlord to meetings with the UN. "Medyo matapang-tapang ang mga Filipino at neutral ang tingin sa atin" (Filipino pilots are brave and are seen as neutral), says Capt. Cesar Manzano, Petican’s co-pilot.

Petican and his crew were flying missions to southern Sudan when they were called to make food airdrops in Afghanistan for the World Food Program.

Their route took them from Islamabad and across Afghan airspace to Tajikistan, the former Soviet republic where the food cargo was unloaded and brought in by convoy to the drought-stricken areas of western Afghanistan.

Last Nov. 21, they decided to fly in the food and land in Bagram Air Base, the former Soviet base now being secured by British commandos.

Petican, a PMAer and graduate of the flying school in Lipa, approached the runway in Bagram through a "spiral descent" to avoid being shot at by hostile forces. All he needs is a 100-mile radius to land safely.

In Bagram’s periphery were bombed-out trenches abandoned by the Taliban. In countries where the UN has a mission, "we’re always the first to go in," says Petican. Five Filipinos who worked in similar flying missions were killed in action, he adds.

"I’ve been trying to explain my job to my wife for the last 15 years," says Petican. "I don’t tell her the details or the risks."

"At first my family was apprehensive," says Captain Manzano. "I told them we have a good purpose."

The pay is good. They make six to 12 thousand dollars a month, not including their hourly rate and allowances. But the work takes them away from their family for three months. Their next vacation won’t be until February. This Christmas Captain Petican and his crew will be flying in food – and a little hope – to the people of Afghanistan.