Air Force adds 2 modified Hueys to fleet

Two more helicopters were added to the Philippine Air Force (PAF)’s fleet of refurbished aircraft in ceremonies at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City yesterday.

A multi-purpose Huey and an MG-520 light attack helicopter have brought to 20 the number of PAF aircraft which have been repaired in the past two years.

PAF commander Lt. Gen. Nestor Santillan said by next year, he expects to refurbish a C-130 Hercules, two S-211 Marchetti training jets, an F-27 Fokker, a Black Hawk and a Huey 2.

"The Huey 2 is our very own experimental aircraft," he said. "Let us be grateful that we have such fine wing commanders, project officers and maintenance personnel like those of the 410th and 15th Strike Wing."

PAF maintenance people armed the Huey with an engine that generated greater thrust, agility and capability of climbing to higher altitude, he added.

Santillan said a fully restored Huey costs $1 million (P55 million), while a brand new MG-520 is valued at $1.3 million (P71.2 million).

The savings on the Huey alone amounted to P2 million, and the PAF spent P12 million repairing the MG-520, representing savings of P59 million, he added.

Santillan said Hueys are repaired at the PAF 410th Maintenance facility at Clark Air Base in Pampanga, and MG-520s are re-assembled at the 15th Strike Wing at Sangley Point in Cavite.

By year’s end, PAF would add six more refurbished aircraft to its fleet: three Hueys, a T-41-D, an SF-260 TP and a Mentor trainer plane, he added.

The PAF maintenance production group is headed by Lt. Col. Alonzo Cañete, with Capt. Tom Tibayan as project officer and M/Sgt. Clarito Bucsit as overall supervisor.