CAAP gets back on track: Flying high

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has its own version of Hollywood’s “The Expendables” tasked to do the “Mission: Impossible” of unburdening the country’s civil aviation industry from all the sanctions and restrictions that it has endured over the past couple of years.

Dubbed as “The Retirables,” Lt. Gen. William Hotchkiss III plucked several officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) out of retirement to bring the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) back to its standing in the international civil aviation community.

Hotchkiss, who served as the 24th commanding general of the Philippine Air Force from 1996 to 1999, took over CAAP as director general in June 2012 and brought in Capt. John Andrews, Capt. Beda Badiola, Maj. Gen. Artemio Orozco, Brig. Gen, Rodante Joya and Col. Jesus Rey Avilla.

“When I assumed the management of CAAP, I put in place a team of experienced and competent aviation professionals known to me for their commitment, integrity and professionalism, whom I fondly refer to as The Retirables. Our goal has been to lift CAAP from its doldrums and regain its reputation as a credible civil aviation authority in the world,” he said.

According to him, he let go of at least six foreign consultants and brought in some retired airline captains and air force pilots with a lot of flight experience.

“We needed their practical knowledge and skills and not the views of foreign consultants. I was able to get the President to approve it because the majority of them were beyond retirement age. But these retirees were still willing to help, to get the aviation upgrade for the Philippines,” he added.

Mission: Accomplished

True enough, barely two years after taking over CAAP, the new team merited the renewed trust and confidence of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the European Safety Commission, the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (US-FAA) and other global civil aviation organizations as being compliant with strict international aviation regulatory standards.

Since 2008, Hotchkiss said CAAP sought to persist despite the significant safety concerns of ICAO, the European Union Aviation Safety Ban and its downgraded aviation safety rating to Category 2 by the US-FAA.

“It has hampered the growth of the country’s civil aviation sector in general, and the commercial viability of its stakeholders in particular. In a rather oblique way, we may credit the resiliency of the Filipino spirit to survive in spite of this debilitating environment,” he said.

ICAO lifted the remaining significant safety concerns of CAAP in February 2013, paving the way for the lifting, in July last year, of the ban imposed by the European Union on national flag Philippine Airlines (PAL) preventing the airline from entering the European airspace. All Philippine carriers were banned from entering the European airspace in March 2010 due to the safety concerns raised by ICAO.

In April this year, the EU likewise lifted the ban on budget airline Cebu Pacific, while the US-FAA upgraded the country’s aviation safety rating back to Category 1 after being downgraded to Category 2 in 2008, preventing local airlines from expanding and mounting additional flights to the US.

“We were able to remove all the sanctions and restrictions that have hampered Philippine civil aviation since 2008 in a record time of 21 months since we took over the stewardship of CAAP,” Hotchkiss said.

The feat, he added, was achieved after a series of audits conducted by representatives of the US-FAA. In February 2013, CAAP flight operations head Franciso Juliano suffered a stroke in his office as he was preparing documents needed for an audit to be conducted by ICAO.

“Our accomplishments have brought CAAP well-earned accolades of esteem and admiration from both domestic and international civil aviation organizations and stakeholders. Our reputation of credibility is bolstered by the seals of approval and trust we have regained from the international civil aviation community,” he said.

The regulator has participated in global aviation events such as the EU-ASEAN Aviation Summit recently held in Singapore, its active involvement in the evolution of the ASEAN Single Aviation Market (ASAM) starting January, the hosting of major ICAO Asia Pacific regional meetings on aviation safety this April 2014 and the holding of an ASEAN Air Transport Integration Project (AATIP) Seminar.

Flight Plan 2020

Hotchkiss said CAAP is crafting a roadmap called Flight Plan 2020 to sustain the country’s aviation safety ratings and at the same time define the long-term possibilities for CAAP.

“We want to upgrade our equipment, such as our radars, communications and navigation systems. With these new systems we will have the possibility to monitor the air traffic much better, which will mean that we use less fuel in the skies,” he added.

He pointed out that the new radar, communications and navigations systems would provide more efficient slotting, particularly in the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“With this new radar system our flight navigators will be able to do a better job handling the traffic,” he said.

According to him, CAAP continuously improves and upgrades provincial airports on top of the developments being undertaken by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

He revealed that CAAP has allocated P1.1 billion for various infrastructure projects to improve the operations of provincial airports.

Hotchkiss pointed out that the amount would bankroll 62 projects to address congestion in terminal buildings, safe aircraft operations, security and comfort of passengers in 33 provincial airports.

These projects include the installation and upgrading of lighting system in airports in Cotabato, Dipolog, Ozamiz, Roxas, Tuguegarao and Busuanga, as well as the upgrading of meteorological instruments in the airports in Dipolog, Roxas, Ozamiz and Busuanga.

Likewise, Hotchkiss said CAAP has earmarked P160 million to allow night landing operations in seven airports including Butuan, Cotabato, Dumaguete, Tuguegarao, Dipolog, Roxas and Ozamiz.

Passion to help

Hotchkiss, a fighter pilot and member of the famed Blue Diamonds precision aerobatic team, founded the William Knowles Hotchkiss Foundation after retiring in 1999 as PAF commanding general.

The Foundation’s main advocacies are education and environmental protection. Its projects include the establishment of the Hotchkiss Learning Center in 2000 and the school’s Ecoscouting program, the preservation of Bill’s Sanctuary in Inijakan, and the development of organic and sustainable farming practices.

It has also launched the Costa del Surf project to raise awareness of the environment and the potential of Cantilan as a surf and eco-adventure destination.

Hotchkiss, an American educator, journeyed to Cantilan, Surigao del Sur from America in 1906 to pursue a dream. The foundation and learning center aim to establish a living and dynamic tribute to his memory, to continue and perpetuate his vision and ideals and to finally bring to full fruition his lifelong dream to educate, enlighten and uplift.

The learning center also aims to share his love for the English language, to instill a sense of community and social responsibility, to promote a heightened awareness of the environment and the importance of its preservation and to impart values essential to becoming a responsible and dedicated citizen of the local and global community.

To make available the universal right to education to those who can least afford it and for whom education is a dream just barely within reach, he sought to establish a school accessible to the needy by extending support and scholarships to those who are economically disadvantaged.

Hotchkiss held numerous significant positions such as flight commander of the 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron from 1970 to 1971 and 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron from 1971 to 1972; commandant of the PAF Flying School in 1981; deputy commander of the Western Command in Palawan from October 1991 to June 1993; wing commander of the 570th Composite Tactical Wing in Palawan from October 1991 to June 1993; chief of Air Staff from June 1993 to June 1994; wing commander of the 205th Helicopter Wing from 26 June 1994 to 20 January 1996; division commander of the 1st Air Division from January to April 1996; vice commander of the PAF from April to November 1996; and finally as commanding general of the Philippine Air Force from  November 1996 to January 1999.

He is a recipient of various awards and decorations such as Distinguished Service Stars, Gold Cross Medal, Silver Wing Medal, Military Merit Medals, and “Kahusayan” Awards, among others.

Prior to getting into government service, he joined Cantilan Bank Inc. (a rural bank) as the president and chairman.

Hotchkiss is guided by his passion and commitment to serve the community and protect the environment. He also continues to serve as a trustee in the Philippine Eagle Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to wildlife and forest conservation.