Manila Looks To Become Asia's Flight-Training Capital

Manila: Philippine Senator Edgardo Angara wants the Philippines to be the next flight-training capital of Asia, saying the country urgently needs a single, centralized, and autonomous civil aviation authority.
The number of foreign flight students is steadily climbing, according to Omni Aviation Corp. President Captain Ben Hur Gomez. For instance, the president of the premier flight school in the Philippines also said that there are about 400 Indian flight students in different flight schools in the country today.
Many more students are coming in from Asia and Europe, but local flight schools are unable to accommodate all of them.
“With the influx of foreign flight students, the country should be prepared to ensure the safety and efficiency of aviation in the country,” said Senator Angara.
“Being structurally prepared will further boost our competitive advantage in becoming Asia’s flight training capital,” Senator Angara said.
According to the International Air Transport Association, the center of aviation industry in the world is shifting towards India and East China .China recruits 1,000 pilots every year and India will need 4,000 in the next five years.
08/11/07 Preciosa Dumlao/AHN