PNP revives helicopter pilot training course

MANILA, Philippines  — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has revived its basic helicopter pilot training course as it moves to strengthen its aviation capability.

The announcement comes after PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa survived a helicopter crash in March while on official visit at Camp Vicente Lim in Laguna that left two police generals critically injured.

One of the ranking police officials, Maj. Gen. Mariel Magaway, was discharged from the hospital last month.

The other police official,  Maj. Gen. Jose Ma. Victor Ramos, remains in a coma.

In a statement yesterday, Gamboa said the 228-hour course has so far produced 11 new pilots, three women and eight men, who are are now part of the the organization’s core of aviators under the Special Action Force’s air unit.

“Our graduates will be issued private pilot licenses and will be qualified to become co-pilots and soon pilots-in-command to operate the PNP air assets,” he said in a statement.

The new pilots completed the 228-hour training program that began last December 2019.

Fourteen student pilots will undergo the same training for six months, according to Gamboa.

The SAF air unit provides support to all PNP units during police, tactical, disaster relief, search and rescue operations, and other field and staff flight operations.

Gamboa said the PNP will have seven air stations in major airports in the country by February next year.

The 55-year-old Gamboa has since moved on from the crash, visiting police regional offices across the country in past weeks.