By Rudy Santos
August 14, 2010
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has ordered the suspension of four aviation schools in Metro Manila for failing to comply with audit procedures conducted by the aviation regulatory body.
CAAP director general Alfonso Cusi said a student pilot in one of the four schools was reported to have logged 55 hours’ flying time in two days, a feat he described as “glaringly impossible.”
He identified two of the schools as Strike Wing Aviation Training Center Inc. and the National Aviation Specialist Academy Corp. but refused to name the two others, saying their applications were denied outright because “they failed to conform with certain standards.”
He said of the 58 flying schools registered with CAAP, 10 were audited, four of which were later suspended. The rest are still undergoing assessment.
Cusi said the student pilot who logged 55 hours’ flying time is a foreign student. He added that both the school and the students are being investigated for conniving in an apparent attempt to expedite the pilot’s training so he would be issued a flying license at the shortest time possible.
“CAAP investigation revealed that there were cases of student pilots who are out of the country but were logging flights in their flight log,” he said.
Cusi said some aviation schools offer “a package deal of $30,000, where a student would be offered ground-schooling and a private pilot’s license after logging about 40 flying hours. A commercial pilot’s license would need about 200 flying hours, although at this stage, the pilot is not yet ready to be employed in any airline company.”
The CAAP chief said the country’s schools were audited after Philippine-issued flying licenses and certificates lost their face value in foreign countries following revelations that these licenses were issued through illegal means.
CAAP director general Alfonso Cusi said a student pilot in one of the four schools was reported to have logged 55 hours’ flying time in two days, a feat he described as “glaringly impossible.”
He identified two of the schools as Strike Wing Aviation Training Center Inc. and the National Aviation Specialist Academy Corp. but refused to name the two others, saying their applications were denied outright because “they failed to conform with certain standards.”
He said of the 58 flying schools registered with CAAP, 10 were audited, four of which were later suspended. The rest are still undergoing assessment.
Cusi said the student pilot who logged 55 hours’ flying time is a foreign student. He added that both the school and the students are being investigated for conniving in an apparent attempt to expedite the pilot’s training so he would be issued a flying license at the shortest time possible.
“CAAP investigation revealed that there were cases of student pilots who are out of the country but were logging flights in their flight log,” he said.
Cusi said some aviation schools offer “a package deal of $30,000, where a student would be offered ground-schooling and a private pilot’s license after logging about 40 flying hours. A commercial pilot’s license would need about 200 flying hours, although at this stage, the pilot is not yet ready to be employed in any airline company.”
The CAAP chief said the country’s schools were audited after Philippine-issued flying licenses and certificates lost their face value in foreign countries following revelations that these licenses were issued through illegal means.
And Gutierrez administrations's first act in office was: To re-instate Strike Wing (reason: The owners are ex-PAF!)
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