If one has a private pilot's license or an instrument rating from a US flight school, are they qualified to become PAF pilots?

If not, are they qualified to still go to PAFOCS or PAFFS?

Check out Bell Helicopter's Huey Training course

http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/training/...folder=header_8

Peanuts...

:fire:

Some civilians pilots are members of the Air Force Reserve (Reserve Airlift and Tactical Support Group (RATSG) and PCG Auxilliary (Air Operation Wings).

Nope. To be rated as a military pilot in the PAF, one has to be a graduate of the PAF Flying School or the USAF. There are, however, provisions for other than military pilot ratings such as service pilots. Very rare birds. I only know of one civilian pilot called to active duty, assigned with the Weather birds.

You get awarded lousy pilot wings that look like this:



Instead of highly coveted one like this:

When you mean the USAF, do you specifically mean the US Air Force Academy and UGPT (undergraduate pilot training) for non-academy OTS grads - or does the PAF accept pilots who've gotten licenses/training from Civil Air Patrol (Air Force Auxiliary) ?

BTW, what if someone took that Huey pilot course shown above? Could they still become a Huey Pilot?

First you have to be a commissioned officer in the Philippine Air Force. You should be a graduate of the PAF Flying School UPT or USAF UPT/JSUPT, meaning the Philippines sent you there for flying training although that has not happened in many years.

Graduates of the US Air Force Academy are not yet pilots. They would still have to undergo UPT.

Civil Air Patrol. Negative.

RP losing pilots to foreign airlines
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 02/06/2006

Pilots of the Philippine Air Force and the country’s three major airlines are joining the exodus of skilled Filipino workers leaving for high-paying jobs abroad.

Many of the pilots are seeking jobs with foreign commercial airlines.

News reports from an international cable news network said India, the second most populous country in the world, is in need of as many as 4,000 pilots to fly the planes of several airlines operating there.

Industry sources said flag carriers Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines are feeling the pinch of the mass hiring by foreign air carriers.

Last month, Indian job recruiters arrived in the country and promptly started interviewing possible recruits in a hotel in Makati.

A pilot working with a Philippine air carrier told The STAR that the Indian headhunters were offering very attractive compensation packages of as much as $6,000 for flight officers and $8,000 for experienced pilots of Boeing 737s.

Sources inside PAL told The STAR that the arrival of the Indian recruiters had reportedly panicked PAL management which is asking the Philippine National Police (PNP) to arrest and immediately deport those conducting recruitment activities without the coordination and authorization of the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority.

However, it was learned that the assault by foreign commercial airlines on the country’s pool of skilled pilots does not end with the departure of the Indians.

A source said recruiters for South Korean airline, Asiana, arrived recently to entice pilots to leave their jobs with local airlines.

The South Korean job recruiters are offering salaries higher than those dangled by the Indian counterparts with some experienced pilots being offered as much as $12,000 a month, the source added.

The source said that, effective last Feb. 1, PAL gave a 10-percent salary increase to their pilots as an incentive to stay.

The increase came despite safeguards built into PAL’s five-year employment contracts with their pilots to prevent piracy.

"While it is not much, its still an improvement," a PAL pilot said.

PAL pilots here reportedly earn a salary equivalent to around $3,000 a month.

While relatively high, the source said that many pilots see their pay as meager considering the steep price they had to pay to go through flying school.

Nowadays, one has to shell out as much as P2 million to complete a demanding two-year pilot training with a reputable flying school, the source added.

http://philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200602060405.htm

=====================================================

I dont know if we can call this a blessing or what.

Foreign airline companies are showing confidence in our pilots. They are even offering them a very enticing salary.

Problem is, what happens when PAF will lose its best pilots to these foreign airline companies?

I believe we can't stop them from getting better jobs. They've got families and dreams too.

SIGURO, MAG TRAIN NA LANG TAYO NA MAS MARAMI PANG PILOT AND THEN HABAAN ANG REQUIRED STAY SA PAF.

Ang susuway ay kasuhan.

Dont get me wrong here pero that is fair naman kasi pinag-aral naman sila ng gobyerno para magsilbe eh. :thumb:

The PAF, I'm sure, imposes a contract of service on it's pilots so they serve a given number of years to repay the government investment in their training. I'm sure Filipino airlines require such agreements each time they send staff to learn new equipment. It's only logical for the organization to benefit from their investments. If the employee leaves before the agreed time, that employee has to recompense his employer for said training.

Once the contractual obligations are up, then the employee is free to seek work elsewhere.

I read somewhere that the number one reason people leave their jobs for others isn't money but the prospect of a clear upward career path. I guess Filipino airline companies will have to be creative about the compensation packages they give.

That's why it's also important for the PAF to get modern aircraft for it's inventory. After all, military pilots get to do things that civilian pilots don't do - like fly faster, higher and farther - and that has been the traditional draw of the Air Force.

:patrioticpinoy:

Sigh!!! I should have pushed thru with my application at PAL Flight School. When it was still under gov't control, they give 2 years scholarship for flight school.

A friend of mine from the PAF told me that pilots must stay for at least 8 years before they can leave the service. May added years pag may special schooling. May penalties din pero di ko alam kung strict sila.

I suggest we give our pilots the chance to seek better jobs AT THIS TIME... because the PAF DONT HAVE ENOUGH OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM ANYWAY.

NO PLANES TO FLY.

NO CAREER PATH TO CONSIDER AS WELL.

Sayang din kasi kung may offer sa labas kasi para din sa family nila yun.

Kaya di mo din masisi ang mga PAF at local airline pilots.. AT THIS TIME.

:exactly:
Malaking bagay sa piloto ang maramdaman nila na masaya sila sa ginagawa nila maski di gaanung maganda sweldo.

If they can fly better planes and choppers, i believe a lot of them will prefer to stay.

Papaanu ka naman masasayahang magtagal pa sa PAF kung alam mo na puro bulok naman paliliparin mo, kung meron man, at baka maging dahilan pa ng maagang kamatayan mo. Samantalanag sa commercial ay napakalaki ng pagkakataon para kumita ng pera at mamuhay ng maganda. Diba? Plain and simple.

Another strategy is to give them opportunities in removing the burden of investing in much needed properties. Siguro housing loans and car loans and educational loans expecially crafted for PAF pilots will be an enticing strategy.

Malaki na kasi demand sa piloto sa labas kaya we need to draft a much better remuneration package partnered with a better career path for these guys.

Ban to arrest depletion of RP pilots sought

Leaders of the aviation sector yesterday batted for the imposition of a three to five-year moratorium on the overseas recruitment of mission critical skills to arrest the ongoing "brain drain’’ that has threatened the viability of the industry.

This developed following a public hearing on the issue conducted last Tuesday by the Committee on Labor and Employment of the House of Representatives chaired by Rep. Roseller Barinaga (NPC, Zamboanga del Norte).

The major players in the local aviation industry were in full force during the hearing to dramatize before lawmakers the urgency of adopting measures aimed at counteracting the continued depletion of pilots, aircraft engineers, and aviation mechanics.

They complained that manpower for mission critical skills in the country is fast becoming scarce as a result of vigorous poaching operations of international airline companies in connivance with local employment agencies.

Barinaga initiated the congressional inquiry into the issue as he acknowledged a looming manpower crisis in the aviation industry. He also scored the Air Transportation Office’s seeming indifference to the problem.

In attendance during the hearing as resource persons were Jaime Bautista, Philippine Airlines; Andy Maningo, Aviation Partnership; Lorenzo Ziga, Lufthansa Teknik; Antonio Rodriguez, Cebu Pacific’ Cesar Lamberte, PAL; Ed Medina, Air Philippines; Nikolai Scmolcke, Lufthansa-Teknik; and Andreas Hezzner, Lufthansa-Teknik.

The group appealed for immediate government action to the rapid brain drain in the aviation sector, saying that a three to five-year moratorium on overseas placement of skilled and highly trained workers appear to be the most effective solution to the industry’s dilemma.

"All of us are suffering from deep bleeding (in manpower). We are losing (pilots and mechanics) faster than we can produce. Even trainers and instructors are now being pirated,’’ said Medina. (Ben Rosario)

Medina disclosed that among those being pirated by international airline companies are the cream of the crop in the local aviation industry who have undergone extensive safety and skill proficiency trainings financed and conducted by Philippine-based airline firms.

Rodriguez revealed that poachers have resorted to buying up employment contracts that usually tie pilots, mechanics, and aviation engineers to local airline firms.

Airline firms in European countries, India, Middle East, and the United States have been identified as among the poachers of skilled Filipino manpower.

India alone reportedly offers as much as ,000 monthly pay for pilots. The salary is exclusive of other amenities offered such as free board and lodging for the recruit’s family and even scholarships in international schools for their children.

Filipino aviation personnel are acknowledged worldwide as among the most competent and the best trained in the industry.

Local firms are responsible for financing their training and in providing the experience needed only to lose them to their international competitors. (Ben R. Rosario)

http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2006030257581.html

Dapat lang siguro the higher authorities must act right now before its too late. We cannot afford to lose pilots to other foriegn carrier operators. We must protect also our local aviation industry.

My cousin in the Air Force is also seriously thinking about leaving the Air Force after more than a decade of dedicated service there. This is very disturbing to hear especially if you know that the person has been true to his job, one who really understood what "Courage, Integrity, and Loyalty" meant and practiced them ever since he was int the academy.

We always look at our pilots as the ones getting more combat pays and all as compared to their Army and Marines so hearing them saying that they are going to give up their career is not that easy to accept. But when you have done everything you can for the service and you have no decent planes and choppers to fly and you have superiors who do nothing but get fatter everyday, it's hard to blame them for thinking of leaving the service for higher pays and better lives outside the military.

As long as the pilots have no tainted records, I think they should have the right to consider their familiy's future as well. No need to increase the current length of service required on them. I think it's already long enough as it is. At least, that's how I see it.

If the government does not want the brain drain phenomenon to continue, then the government should stop graft and corruption and improve the benefits and salaries of their people.

The reason why good guys leave the country is that they cannot find a place to work a decent living without resulting to corruption. Sad to say, but the only way you could get a decent living fit for your position in the government nowadays is to be corrupt yourself. If you try to be clean, kawawa ang pamilya mo. This, is what needs to be changed.

Putting sanctions on our pilots, engineers, and other professionals for leaving the country is merely curing the symptom, but the disease is still there. To put an end to this so called brain drain, we need to stop corruption NOW so that our professionals will see hope and a brighter future in this country, which will influence them to stay and work here instead.

I caught a line from today's early morning TV news that some lawmakers are proposing to ban pilots and aircraft mechanics from working abroad...any confirmation?

PAL expansion jeopardized by loss of pilots, mechanics
By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
The Philippine Star 03/17/2006

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines may have to slow down its expansion and refleeting program due to an alarming drop in its number of mission-critical staff, particularly pilots and mechanics.

PAL president Jaime Bautista revealed yesterday that instead of taking delivery of four Airbus 319s this year under the company’s two-year refleeting program beginning in 2006, they have decided to defer the delivery of one aircraft to May of next year.

The four Airbus 319s will all be leased by PAL, while the six 320s scheduled for arrival next year and five 320s in 2008 will either be acquired by the company outright, under finance lease (lease to own), or under a leaseback arrangement.

The three Airbus 319s that will be arriving late this year will be used for domestic and regional flights.

"We expect that half of the new aircraft will be owned by PAL and the rest will be leased," Bautista said.

He added that by 2008, PAL will be operating 18 Airbus 319s/320s that will replace the existing 737s.

PAL expects to spend about $840 million for the refleeting program, which will be sourced either through export credit agencies or commercial financing, or both.

PAL expects to end the current fiscal year (ending March 31, 2006) profitably. Bautista said that the company posted a net income for the third quarter (October to November 2005). "While October and November were both losses, December was a profit which more than offset the losses for the October-November period," said.

He also disclosed that January 2006 was a good month during which PAL made a profit. February, he added, is always a month of losses. "For the entire fiscal year, PAL will post a significant net income inspite of the 20 percent increase in fuel cost. Part of the increase in fuel prices was passed on to the passengers via a fuel surcharge last year," he added.

The last adjustment was made by PAL in September last year when the cost of aviation fuel was at $60 to $65 per barrel. Now, the price of fuel has gone up to $72 to $75 per barrel.

There is a big possibility though that another round of fuel surcharges may be imposed. Bautista said that if the price of aviation fuel increases by 10 to 15 percent, "then we may have to recompute our profitability and ask for another fuel surcharge." Fuel accounts for 35 percent of operating costs.

Also yesterday, Bautista revealed that PAL may increase its flight frequencies to the United States by diverting some of its Middle East flights to the US.

The domestic air transport industry expects to grow as both PAL and Cebu Pacific have announced aggressive expansion programs. Consequently, growth in the number of their technical staff has been estimated at 10 percent per year for the next five years.

The global aviation industry, meanwhile, is projected to register until 2023 a five percent passenger growth annually which will require 16,601 new aircraft. Within the current decade, 279 aircraft will be delivered to the seven airlines of India, 233 aircraft to 11 airlines of China, and 77 aircraft to three airlines of the Middle East.

Data provided by the local industry revealed that China will need 10,000 pilots in the next 20 years while India will require 4,000 pilots in the next five years. Airbus says that the growth period up to 2023 will require 23,000 pilots, 6,000 of which will be in the Asia Pacific region. As for aircraft mechanics, Singapore needs 767 while pending with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration are job orders for more than 2,000 aircraft mechanics for overseas employment.

"This means that even if all the aircraft mechanics currently employed by the domestic air transport industry were recruited by foreign competitors, the existing supply would still not be enough to fully satisfy the demand overseas. This is on top of the more than 1,900 who had already been deployed overseas from 2000 to 2005," industry leaders said in a position paper submitted to the House committee on labor.

This global expansion has resulted in overseas airlines recruiting pilots and mechanics currently employed in the industry to save these companies the trouble of training and getting their newly recruited personnel ready for the fire-up operations for their new aircraft.

PAL, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, Asian Spirit, SEAIR as well as airline service providers have asked government to immediately impose a five-year moratorium or suspension on the overseas deployment of mission-critical skills and workers to enable the air transport industry to build up a pool of qualified manpower.

PAL lost nine pilots in 2003 while another 22 and 28 left in 2004 and 2005. This year, four have already resigned, Bautista said.

Bautista and other industry leaders told the House committee on labor that the industry needs five years during which time the government should not entertain job orders for the mission-critical staff of the aviation industry from overseas employers which is what it will take for the graduates of the industry’s current training programs to fully come on their own.

They said the moratorium is legal since that the Supreme Court in a long line of decisions has said that the scope of private sector activities that may become the subject of regulation through the exercise of police power by the State is broad and flexible provided that the regulatory measures are reasonable and not arbitrary.

Phil Star

Arroyo orders study of training PAF pilots to address commercial shortage

The Philippine Star 03/28/2006

President Arroyo asked the Clark Development Council (CDC) to look into the possibility of training Air Force pilots to fly commercial jets as a stop-gap measure to address the shortage of commercial pilots in the country.

Mrs. Arroyo issued the directive yesterday during a televised roundtable discussion with officials led by CDC president Antonio Ng, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, and Subic-Clark Development Council Eduardo Pamintuan.

Ng announced the Clark Institute of Aviation, an P850-million venture of British Group and Prescient, a sister company of Singapore Technologies, would be opening in May to accept students for training as fully-certified Airbus pilots.

"The airlines have the airplanes but have no pilots, and the Air Force have pilots but no airplanes. I would say if possible, in coordination with the aviation school and private airlines, we would look for a way for Air Force pilots to be trained in commercial airlines," Mrs. Arroyo said during the televised meeting in Malacañang.

After the show, Ng admitted the directive would not be easy to implement since Air Force pilots are banned from moonlighting as commercial pilots.

The directive could run counter to a recent Air Force directive to reinforce existing regulations to prevent their pilots from immediately leaving the service to join the more lucrative commercial airlines, he said.

Officials stressed the directive is meant to prevent some pilots from using the Air Force as a "stepping stone" to enter the more lucrative commercial sector without having to pay for expensive aviation and flying schools.

It was not clear whether the Palace would allow active duty Air Force pilots to fly commercial jets or if public funds would be used to pay for the expensive training.

"We have to sit down with the Air Force to study whether this would be feasible," Ng said.

"It’s just a stop-gap (move) that addresses some of the airline pilot needs," he said.

Ng said the aviation institute could accommodate as many as 400 students once it opens and would be open to all those wishing to enroll. The course lasts one year.

Ng said he also expects many foreigners to enroll in the aviation school. He claimed that in Asia alone, there is a shortage of 4,000 commercial pilots. — Paolo Romero

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200603280418.htm

It is high time for Lucio Tan and John Gokongwei to learn that some forms of highly-skilled labor are dictated by the universal law of supply and demand. What they have to do is simple: pay their pilots and mechanics more.

They really don't have to match the salaries of the others since a Pinoy would rather be based at home rather than a foreign country. They can offer 70 or 80% what the other airlines will offer and the pilots and mechanics will stay.

They should also train more pilots and aircraft mechanics since, inevitably, a lot of these will be poached kahit anong gagawin nila. In short, Mr. Tan and Mr. Gokongwei have to open their fat wallets and invest in people instead of running to the government for help.

Passing a law banning pilots and airplane mechanics from leaving would be as helpful as repealing the law of supply and demand. Hindi naman mga tanga ang mga piloto at mga mekaniko natin. Pupunta lang sila sa Hong Kong and from there go to their next overseas work where they will earn a lot of moolah compared to their local jobs here.

Even if the government agencies like the NBI, PNP, POEA, DOLE, etc. were to ban foreign recruiters from coming here, meron namang internet, email, Fedex, telephone, etc.

Passing any law only enables more corruption. Bigay ka lang ng 10 or 20K pesos at lilingon na ang sino man ang nagbabantay na hindi aalis ang mga piloto at mekaniko.

Just before the tech bubble crashed in 2000, there were similar complaints about computer programmers leaving the Philippines for the almighty dollar and, yes, there was a proposed law banning these highly-skilled programmers from leaving the country. Sounds familiar?

With the shortages of Pilots, these 2 guys just chose the wrong path...

2 ex-PAF pilots nabbed for drugs

http://news.inq7.net/metro/index.php?index=1&story_id=76649

20 pilots quit Air Force

...and 2 went awol, not much of a problem don't you think? - no planes to fly anyway..hohum :armysad:

full story

no decent aircraft. very little compensation.


these are two the simple reasons why those pilots opted to leave the Air Force for the more high-paying and MORE DECENT jobs in the commercial aviation industry. :armyroleyes:

Yeah, high paying jobs.

If they're the Gung-Ho type, some might end up with Blackwater. They have some Little Birds out there.

15th Strike Wing is helo-based unit?

the wing flies OV-10 Bronco fixed-wing attack planes and MD520MG Defender attack helicopters. those aircraft are VERY IMPORTANT in close air support and ground attack missions.

the pilots have completed their mandatory 8-year service, the lower ranks will now have the chance to move up and get promoted to replace them so i don't there's much of a problem as long as they were trained properly as i believe they were n the PAF Flying School.

Soon even the maintenance crew and technician will leave the air force, when that happens even ordinary repair will be sub contracted

that might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Only if the PAF has the funds to pay for it. Our National budget does not allot that much to the AFP in general. So at the moment, every PAF technical expert and pilot are important to the cause :armyskeptic: .

off course they will quit as they go to airlines better paid or not
their time and training will not be wasted

The PAF may have lost 20 pilots.

I do know that the PAF needs to offload personnel to free up funds for maintaining its aircraft. However, the PAF cannot afford to lose junior officers especially pilots with experience and NCOS especially A/C maintenance crews.

The AFP is already short on well-trained junior officers and NCOs. These are the people needed by the AFP to give the troops quality leadership in the battlefield. They also provide highly needed skills in the frontline like flying combat aircraft and restoring them into 1st-line condition.

i wish the 20 goodluck and enjoy their new life!
they deserve it. they have served the nation.
also to the ground crew, mechanics, technicians etc.
if they wish to leave or already did so.

if personel hiatus proves to be bigger, then this might be a good reason for our beloved PAF (ye olde dinosaur) to trully 'modernize'.

42 pilot of PAF suspects in'moonlighting'

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=54428

It is dissapointing that the lack of planes to fly in the Air Force compelled these pilots to get out of the "service" prematurely.

They may have their own reasons but if you will dig into it deeply, the government have the right and "reason" to punish them.

THESE PILOTS ALSO KNOW WELL THAT OUR AIR FORCE IS NOT AS RICH AS THE U.S. AIR FORCE.

They should have considered that fact right before they entered the flying school. The government gave them the opportunity to earn their wings, which they can also use after retiring from the military service.

Prematurely retiring is relinquishing their RESPONSIBILITY to the Air Force, which gave them the opportunity to learn how to fly planes for FREE.

The government gave them the privelege to learn how to fly for free in exchange for their service. So, the pilots must HONOR that pledge of serving the people in order to pay back what the people, the taxpayers who paid for their schooling, have invested in them.

This may sound harsh but so is turning your back to the people, the taxpayers and the government, who helped you earn your wings. Just think about what you owe to the people and the government who gave you the opportunity to learn how to fly for FREE.

Another thing is that, a number of such case happening at the same time or almost will definitely bring forth demoralization not just in the Air Force but in the entire AFP. Ground troops rely on their service for medivac and close air support. Knowing that experienced pilots are dwindling at this rate will add to the worries of the ground troops.

The pilots can live a more lavish life once they retire after 8 years of service anyway. A lot of commercial plane companies are waiting for them, here and abroad. So, it's not bad at all for them.

To make it clear, IT IS THE INCONTESTABLE RIGHT OF THE PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE TO HAVE THESE "GOVT-FUNDED" PILOTS SERVE THE AIR FORCE FOR THE LEGALLY DESIGNATED DURATION.

The Air Force must do something to thwart more cases of moonlighting or AWOL. Penalize them if you have to. The PAF may encourage these pilots to finish their 8 years of service and just apply for early retirement.

The new applicants must now CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THEY WONT BE FLYING STEALTH FIGHTERS AND EARN 3,000 DOLLARS A MONTH.

If they can't accept that fact,,........... THEN DONT ENTER FLYING SCHOOL ANYMORE ...

.. and just give the opportunity to the others who are willing to serve the Air Force and who can wait until their programmed retirement.

Over 1,000 PAF pilots quit for higher-paying jobs--exec

http://globalnation.inq7.net/news/news/vie...rticle_id=31341

‘No shortage of pilots despite exodus’ -- Air Force


By Joel Guinto
INQ7.net
Last updated 04:13pm (Mla time) 11/10/2006


EVEN as the exodus of Philippine Air Force (PAF) pilots to commercial airlines hit an all-time high this year, the military maintained it is not lacking for fighter pilots.

While 54 fighter pilots have resigned this year, they are set to be replaced by at least 98 fresh graduates from PAF flying schools, said Air Force spokesman Major Augusto dela Peña.

Armed Forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro, for his part, said: "There will be no shortage of pilots in the Philippine Air Force."

Dela Peña said the wave of resignations "is no cause for alarm" since the number is "way below" the PAF's projected annual attrition rate of 10 percent.

The PAF currently has 1,085 fighter pilots in its 16,000-strong force.

Bacarro conceded that the relatively higher pay commercial airlines offer, which can reach as high as P100,000 monthly, compared to the PAF’s P30,000, is the main reason pilots resign from the service.

"Local airlines are expanding…They need to hire pilots for their domestic flights. Compensation has been attractive too," Bacarro said.

But "even with the acute lack of planes in the PAF, pilots have remained proud of being in the service," he said.

The PAF has some 130 aircraft in its inventory, mostly UH-1H or Huey helicopters, of which some 70 percent are operational.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/...rticle_id=31786

as long as the economic standing of our soldiers and most Filipinos do not improve, expect more PAF pilots and so many Filipinos, most especially the well-educated middle class, to seek greener pastures elsewhere. :wow:

another reason for the exodus of PAF pilots to better jobs in the airline industry: PAF's lost pride. PAF officers told ABS-CBN in one past report that it was just fine with them if they do not have relatively higher wages provided they have "something" (meaning decent multi-role fighter aircraft and other warplanes) to fly. :armyroleyes:

:exactly: Thats's very true.

Most military pilots have joined the Air Force to fulfill a dream and that is to fly aircrafts and serve the country.

Money is just second to "what they love to do".

But how can they sustain the PRIDE and ENTHUSIASM when they have nothing to fly anymore?

Worse, flying makes them worry about not returning alive from even the safest sortie instead of enjoying the flight.

THIS IS WHY THE MODERNIZATION PROGRAM MUST BE EXPEDITED TO UPLIFT THE MORALE AND ENTHUSIASM OF THE PILOTS, AS WELL AS OUR SAILORS AND THE INFANTRY.

i just want to start the PDFF version of the same thread that i have started in the PDF so here it goes... :armysmile:


reading the thread on the recent crash of a PAF UH-1H helicopter and all the technicals posted in the Cebu UH-1H thread on the PDF by Sirs PAFUnixGeek and Manokski prompted me to start this thread.

we all know how the Air Force conducts training for pilots for its fleet of fixed-wing aircraft such as the OV-10 Bronco and the C-130 Hercules. we also know that the PAF maintains several fixed-wing aircraft types that are being used for pilot training, namely the Cessna T-41, the SIAI-Marchetti/Aermacchi SF-260 and the Aermacchi S-211.

now, i am curious though as to how the PAF conducts screening and training of helicopter pilots. does the PAF have purposely-built helicopter trainers such as the Eurocopter Colibri, Schweizer 300, Robinson R22 and Bell 206 Jetranger or is training being done directly on front-line rotary-wing aircraft such as the MD520MG Defender and UH-1H Huey?

also, is the PAF also responsible for the training of pilots for the PN, PCG and PNP?

How Cebu Pacific, PAL cut loss of pilots


By Daxim Lucas
Inquirer
Last updated 04:24am (Mla time) 06/15/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- The pilot corps of Cebu Pacific Air was not spared when foreign airlines decimated the ranks of Filipino commercial pilots by offering them triple their salaries.

Unlike Philippine Airlines, which has its own flying school and the financial muscle to pirate pilots from smaller operators, Cebu Pacific’s razor-thin margins as a low-cost carrier did not afford it the same solution.

What it did to solve the problem of pilot supply was nothing short of novel.

Training its own

“We decided that we needed to invest in training new pilots from scratch,” said Cebu Pacific vice president for flight operations, Captain Victor Custodio. “We needed a program that could supply us with pilots fast, without sacrificing quality.”

This called for an investment in a flight simulator that could help students with absolutely no flying experience to train in operating the Airbus A320 -- while keeping Cebu Pacific’s whole fleet active.

The airline paid $15 million for the flight simulator, a computerized mockup of an aircraft cockpit, and teamed up with expatriate pilots of Clark Aviation in Pampanga province for a training program that could create newly minted A320 co-pilots in only a year.

“What we have is a program that cuts through all the things that we don’t need from traditional pilot training,” Custodio said.

“Before, it took a pilot almost five years to accumulate 1,500 [flying] hours,” he said. “With our multi-crew pilot license [program] he can accumulate this inside the simulator.”

He added that the experience inside the flight simulator was 99-percent faithful to actual flying experience.

Coupled with an improved benefits program for its crew, the investment in flight simulator training allows Cebu Pacific to have a steady stream of pilots for its fleet, regardless of the high piracy rates by foreign airlines.

It also allows the airline to offer cheaper airfare to the flying public.

Without the training program, Cebu Pacific would have to poach pilots from other airlines at inflated wages that would eventually be passed on to the consumers.

Cebu Pacific’s tack is not unique. Philippine Airlines (PAL) has used the same tack, but through the traditional way.

“We are aware of the growing demand for pilots so we increased our training rate,” PAL president Jaime J. Bautista said.

the company’s emphasis is on increasing the cadet pilots at its school, Bautista said.

“We are now training 40 to 50 pilots a year to make up for the 40 that we have recently lost,” he said.

PAL also doubled its fleet of aircraft for basic training to accommodate the additional cadets.

The airline had complained about the high turnover rate of its pilots, which forced it to hike salaries last year to $7,000 a month from $4,000.

Foreign airlines could easily get pilots with packages that start at $10,000 a month.

For both PAL and Cebu Pacific, the solution seems to have worked. Bautista said the exodus of pilots had subsided to a “manageable level.”

He said PAL expected to lose only 10 pilots this year -- all to retirement -- as compared with 22 in 2004, 28 in 2005 and 15 in early 2006, which made a big dent on its headcount of 450 pilots.

There are only about 700 registered pilots in the country.

Better work environment

Cebu Pacific’s Custodio said a similar increase in his airline’s non-wage benefits succeeded in reducing the attrition rate among its corps of 180 strong pilots.

He said the investment in a flight simulator -- the only one of its kind in the Philippines -- marked a significant outlay for the budget carrier.

But he said the approach was necessary for Cebu Pacific to maintain a level of safety and to offer cheap airfare in an increasingly cutthroat industry. With INQUIRER.net

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstor...rticle_id=71413


Good thing is .......... MORE AND MORE PILOTS ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO FLY COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS.

:thumb:

Good for all!

Fellows,


They say that this is getting alarming already. Our pilots are indeed being lured by the commercial airline operators. The package is very tempting. Some say they are being offered US6,000 dollars a month.

How can our pilots resist that? It is a fact that at such an environment, it will be impossible to hold them back no matter what we offer them.

I believe the only way we can at least is to slow down the exodus so the new Air Force pilots wh have freshly graduated from flying school can have enough time to effectively prepare to take over the tasks of the outgoing senior pilots.

This is only possible by first compelling or encouraging senior pilots or those who are qualified for early retirement to stay some years longer. Or really require them to stay longer.

We can implement these;

1) Change the early retirement length from 8 to 15 years

There should be sort of a "bond" that pilots must consider. Those who will get out of service before their retirement shall pay a bond. Or it is also possible to take the number of years the pilot is yet to finish. For example, if he retires 4 years before his early retirement year he must pay a bond worth P200,000 (4 years x 50,000 pesos).

Most Air Force recruits nowadays are using the PAF Flying School as a ticket for free education for entering the commercial airlines.

Though we cannot blame them for their plans, this is somewhat unfair to the taxpayers who paid for their schooling in expectation for their service to the secure our country. It is also unfair to the private schools like PATS and AirLink.

So, it is reasonable that we increase their length of stay before they bow out of service. 15 years is reasonable enough.

2) Improvement of their benefits

- flight pay should be increased
- aside from flight pay, pilots in the combat zone should get their combat pay
- free on-base housing
- subsidy on water and electricity

3) Creation of Air Force loan fund

The Air Force can use this for getting loans as high as 300 thousand up to 1 million, depending on their current pay grade and contribution, that they can use to finance their housing, car or business projects.

4) Give them better planes and choppers to fly

Some pilots only entered the Air Force to get a free pilot education. But there are pilots who entered the Air Force to serve the country.

Sadly, financial difficulties also forced these pilots to venture out too soon.

Some, after realizing the danger due to the many plane accidents have been discouraged to stay.

If we can erase that fear in them, then somehow many will opt to stay longer.

Better and modern aircrafts mean SAFER aside fron being an enjoyable and fulfilling flights.

Give the better aircrafts now, so more of them will stay.

Commercial Airlines like Cebu Pacific requires 300 pilots to keep its planes flying all the time. AND THIS NUMBER IS NOT YET FULLY OCCUPIED. What about PAL's requirement? What about the foreign airliners who offer an average of 6 thousand dollars a month?

The govt must act fast before we wake one one day realizing that there are no more choppers carrying our wounded soldiers to the hospitals .. not because we have no choppers.. BUT BECAUSE WE JUST RAN OUT OF PILOTS.

In fact, today even the 205th Helicopter Wing itself is lacking pilots.

The other groups are also feeling the effect of the exodus.

The govt must do act soon enough before it gets even worse.

You also have to remember that quite a number of pilots simply join the PAF to get free flight training. It is their plan, from DAY ONE, to leave the PAF as soon as their mandatory service is up.

Not all pilots join the PAF for patriotic reasons. I can refer you to some stories from ANS to this effect. Some of these guys even brag about what they plan to do after their time is up.

The PAF would be better off without these types.