World-class hangar facility to rise in Clark

A world-class aircraft hangar facility estimated to cost P1 billion will soon rise at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga.

Officials of Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) and project proponent Spirit of Manila Airlines led the groundbreaking yesterday for the construction of the facility.

CIAC president and CEO Victor Jose Luciano and Spirit of Manila Airlines president and CEO Juan Paraiso announced the construction of the aircraft hangar facility at the 2,500-hectare Clark Civil Aviation Complex that will service the aircraft fleet of Spirit of Manila Airlines, which are slated to commence their international flights this November via DMIA.

Spirit of Manila Airlines is a Filipino-owned airline which decided to operate at Clark as their main hub in the country.

The event was also attended by Transportation and Communication Undersecretary Doroteo Reyes, CIAC executive vice president Alexander Cauguiran, vice president for operations and DMIA general manager Bienvenido Manga and other officials of Spirit of Manila Airlines.

“This a one big hangar costing P1 billion that will service their aircrafts for their operations at Clark and an initial 200 jobs would be generated in this project. This is what President Arroyo wants at DMIA which will generate more employment for the people,” Luciano said.

“This will again contribute to the development of DMIA as an aviation center,” he added.

Paraiso also said the initial $20 million investment for the project would be channeled to operate an in-house aircraft maintenance center to ensure regular “C” and “D” checks of their aircraft.

“We are doing this to make sure the airworthiness and safety of our aircraft, and the fulfillment of our commitment to the President to develop Clark a leading world-class service hub in Asia,” Paraiso stressed.

Spirit of Manila is slated to commence international flights via Clark-Taipei and Clark-Macau this month and plans are underway to expand further international flights to Japan and the Middle East using DMIA.

Paraiso said that Spirit of Manila Airlines had acquired a 10-hectare property  inside the civil aviation complex, adding that the world-class hangar will occupy a one-hectare area.

He said the hangar is expected to be completed next year which will house wide bodied aircraft such as the Boeing 747-800 and Airbus A-320.

Paraiso also said the hangar can even accommodate the Airbus A-380, one of the largest aircraft in the world. “The project will complement President Arroyo’s vision and grand plan to develop Clark as logistics and services hub in the Subic-Clark Corridor and the development of DMIA as the country’s next premier international gateway,” he stressed.

Last Thursday, President Arroyo led the groundbreaking rites of the $100 million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility of SIA Engineering Co. (SIAEC) of Singapore which will service long-haul aircraft. The facility is expected to generate over 1,000 jobs and completed by mid 2009. – With Rudy Santos