German aircraft maker sets ASEAN foray in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines – German aircraft manufacturer AutoGyro GmbH has picked Cebu as the launching pad of its entry to the ASEAN region.

AutoGyro is the global market leader in the development, production and distribution of new generation gyrocopters, otherwise known as  gyroplane or rotaplane. It's a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust.

Cebu's vibrant tourism industry and strategic location as the gateway to different destinations in southern Philippines make it  a good and strategic site to introduce this new breed of aircraft which is a good complement to tourism/leisure activities, farming operations as well as government's security and disaster infrastructure support, said Ferris Kanley, the AutoGyro partner and distributor for Philippines and Asia.

"We choose the Philippines as our entry point to ASEAN because the Filipinos have a good command of the English language, there is a pool of highly qualified aviation professionals like pilots and aircraft mechanics, and Cebu in particular is a hub/gateway to almost everything," Kauley said.

For the Philippine distributorship, Kauley operates in partnership with the Professional Air Maintenance Services (PAMS) to sell and maintain this type of aircraft, as well as train pilots for this specialized aircraft.

Since its introduction in 2004, the German-manufactured gyrocopters have been used by government/institutions and affluent hobbyists in 40 countries including United States, China, Australia and New Zealand.

In the US, autogyros are used by police department's border patrol and other security programs, as it is more convenient and cost-effective compared to using helicopters.

Big farms use gyrocopters for spraying, mustering and other station duties.

As a tourism complement, gyrocopters are best for island hopping, aerial tours and other leisure activities. A gyrocopter can fly from Cebu to Dumaguete for about an hour, or to Boracay for 2 and 1/2 hours, Kanley said.

The Kauley-PAMS partnership is selling AutoGyro units for an average cost of US$75,000 (roughly P3.5 million pesos) per unit.  They may offer rental service when the demand calls for it, and when they have already train more pilots to fly this type of aircraft, said Guido Platzer, Sales Director of AutoGyro Germany.

At present, the company has six AutoGyro models in Cebu, with three professional AutoGyro safety pilots to officially start its operations in the Philippines.

The AutoGyro units are on display at the PAMS hub along the General Aviation Road, Lapu-Lapu City. (FREEMAN)