GMA opens $20-million world-class aviation school at Clark

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — President Arroyo inaugurated a $20-million flying school here yesterday.

She also received a P5-million scholarship grant from Alpha Aviation Group, which built Clark Institute of Aviation, that will go to a student chosen by Mrs. Arroyo.

The student will undergo pilot training for international airlines. Mrs. Arroyo received the check from AAG chairman and chief executive officer Mark Pearson.

According to AAG, it is creating a network of world class international aviation training academies from Europe, Middle East and Southeast Asia and providing training for pilots, engineers, cabin crew and other skilled aviation personnel in addition to recurrent and aircraft-specific training support for airlines.

"AAG is a global group of companies providing specialist and innovative training solutions, operational support, together with recruitment and consultancy services to the international aviation community," the company said in a statement.

Mrs. Arroyo was given a tour of the training facility, which included a state-of-the-art airplane cockpit simulator.

"That’s great! A wonderful progress (in aviation training)," she exclaimed after viewing a computer simulation of the facility’s flight management system.

Clark Institute of Aviation is owned by an international consortium of British, Singaporean, French and Indian investors.

It is the first of 10 aviation schools Alpha Aviation Group plans to establish in Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East.

Clark Institute will train pilots for international aircraft in a move to address the problem of pilot shortages, particularly in China, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

The facility, which was completed last month, will have hotel rooms for students by September aside from classrooms, administrative offices and a gymnasium that will be completed in October.

The training center will start accepting enrollees next month.

The establishment of an aviation school in Clark complements the former US Air Force base’s thrust of transforming the economic zone here into the most affordable gateway to Asia and developing its potentials as a logistics hub for the Asia-Pacific region.