More flights out of Clark approved by the Philippine CAB

THE Civil Aviation Board (CAB) has approved the applications of local airlines to mount more international and domestic flights out of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at Clark Field, Pampanga.
Seair was granted 1,260 seats, the equivalent of daily flights, to service the Clark-Hong Kong route. The CAB further allocated 2,520 seats to Seair to mount flights to Macau from Clark. The seats are equivalent to two flights daily.
Seair will also fly to Thailand out of DMIA. It was awarded 1,260 seats, the equivalent of four daily flights to Bangkok.
Seair told the CAB that it has plans to service Palawan and Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei and another new route from Zamboanga to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.
Zest Air, formerly Asian Spirit, was granted 1,260 seats to service Clark-Hong Kong; 2,520 seats for Clark-Macau and Clark-Thailand with 1,260 seats.
Air Philippines also got two flights to Macau from Clark.
“The latest developments are a result of the success of the series of air consultation talks between the Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau, which granted more air entitlements for Clark,” said Victor Jose Luciano, Clark International Airport Corp. president and chief executive officer.
“Clark will now be linked not only to Mindanao but also to Brunei and Malaysia.” CAB board member Rene Diaz said the Philippine air panel had successfully concluded air talks with Hong Kong, Thailand, Macau, Canada, Finland and Cambodia since the start of the year.
“This is very important because this dramatizes that the policy of President Arroyo of trying to offer more opportunities for the region to attract tourism, trade and investment are beginning to pay off,” Diaz said.
Diaz, at the same time, commended Transportation Undersecretary Doroteo Reyes II, head of the Philippine air panel, for having initiated the conduct and successfully concluding air-consultation talks with Hong Kong, Thailand, Macau, Canada, Finland and Cambodia, among others.
He pointed out that after securing entitlements, more flights could be expected at Clark in the coming months

Yao undertakes Zest Air refleeting plan

ZEST Airways Inc., formerly Asian Spirit, has taken delivery of five new aircraft as part of a refleeting program that aims to capture a 10-percent share of the low-cost air travel market.
Banker and juice magnate Alfredo Yao, who also owns Zest-O Corp. and Philippine Business Bank, told reporters the budget airline will also receive five more brand-new aircraft next year as the airline beefs up its fleet to become a significant player in industry.
“We are rationalizing the fleet. Five MA-60 aircraft were already delivered and two more Airbus jets are coming in next month,” said Yao. All seven aircraft came from Canada.
The Airbus A-320s are ideal for regional and high-traffic domestic destinations, while the five 60-seater turboprop MA-60s will be used for short distance flights.
Yao supposedly earmarked in excess of $200 million for the ambitious refleeting program.
By the end of the year, he said the carrier would have a fleet of 10 to 11 after his group disposed of the aircraft that used to be part of Asian Spirit’s fleet.
The airline has also been adding the number of frequencies to existing destinations as well as flying new routes in recent months as part of its expansion program.
“Hopefully, we can get a 10-percent market share after a year of operations,” said Yao, noting the changes in the airline industry.
He said destinations like Caticlan in Aklan used to be dominated by small carriers like Asian Spirit and SEAIR, but even Philippine Airlines is now flying to that destination.
The company is eyeing the usual regional destinations like Hong Kong after inaugural flights to Inchong, Korea, Sandakan, Malaysia, and Macau. It is also looking at flying new domestic routes like Busuanga in Palawan.

By Elaine R. Alanguilan

My Baby with Mt Pinatubu under the Cloud ...

My Baby with Mt Pinatubu under the Cloud ...

Elmo - I miss my Daddy ..

If you do not know Elmo, he is a cute little chap. I am baby sitting him for Rick, he just sits and stares whistfully out the window over "02" Omni waiting, waiting, waiting, .....

This has nothing to do with Philippine Aviation, but if you know an Aussie, read this ..

An Australian guy is travelling around the Greek Islands . He walks into a bar and, by chance, is served by an Australian barmaid. As she takes his order, a Foster's, she notices his accent.

Over the course of the evening they get chatting. At the end of her shift he asks if she wants to come back to his place. Although she is attracted to him she says no.

He then offers to pay her $200 to sleep with him. As she is travelling around the world, and is short of funds, she agrees. The next night the guy turns up again. Again he orders Fosters and after showing her plenty of attention, asks if she will sleep with him again for $200. She remembers the night before and is only too happy to agree.

This goes on for 5 nights. On the 6th night the guy comes in again, orders Fosters but goes and sits in the corner. The barmaid thinks that if she pays him more attention then, maybe she can shake some more cash out of him. So she goes over and sits next to him.

She asks him where he's from in Australia ..
' Melbourne ', he tells her.
'So am I. What suburb?' she enquires.
'Glen Iris' he replies.
'That's amazing,' she says excitedly, 'so am I - what street?'
' Cameo Street ' he replies.
'This is unbelievable.........' she says, her voice quavering; 'What number?'
'Number 20', he replies.
She is totally astonished. 'You are NOT going to believe this,' she screams, 'but I'm from number 22! My parents still live there!'
'I know...' he says, 'Your Dad gave me $1,000 to give to you'

HE WHO DRINKS AUSTRALIAN, THINKS AUSTRALIAN

Cebu Pacific in Clark ...

This sign is posted at the main gate of Clark Freeport Zone ...

Click on the image to see a larger version ..

Philippine CAAP Aerodrome Standards available for Download

The Philippine CAAP has made available a new set of standards for Aerodromes.

Download the Pdf here!

Philippine CAAP Approved CAR's available for Download

The approved CAR's from the Philippine CAAP (previously the ATO) dated 23rd June 2008 can be downloaded here:

Title
Table of Contents
Part 1 - General Policies, Procedures and Definitions
Part 2 - Personnel Licensing
Part 3 - Approved Traininmg Organizations
Part 4 - Aircraft Registration and Marking
Part 5 - Airworthiness
Part 6 - Approved Maintenance Organization
Part 7 - Instruments and Equipment
Part 8 - Operations
Part 9 - Air Operator Certification and Administration
Part 10 - Commercial Air Transport By Foreign Air Carriers Within Republic Of The Philippines
Part 11 - Aerial Work Aand Operating Limitations For Non-Type Certificated Aircraft

We are still waiting on the implementation date ..

Guards caught stealing PAF fuel

A Lesson for us all ...

ROXAS CITY — The Air Transportation Office (ATO) in the city has ordered the relief of two security guards assigned at the Roxas City Airport Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) after they admitted stealing a drum of aviation fuel from the stock of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) last June. ATO Roxas chief Cynthia Aspera said on Tuesday she asked the Eagle Metrix Security Agency based in Iloilo City to relieve security guards Rex Villanueva and Joenel Cabantug starting Oct. 16, 2008. Aspera said Villanueva and Cabantug both admitted that they siphoned last June 21, 2008 the fuel intended for the helicopters of the Philippine Air Force and sold it, saying that they needed the money for their families. The two, however, refused to disclose who bought the fuel from them. The Air Force delivered some 20 drums of fuel to the airport to be used by their helicopters in the relief operations in Capiz after the Typhoon Frank. The emptied drum was discovered only sometime in July by an Air Force personnel. Cabantug and Villanueva asked Aspera to give them another chance since they were willing to pay for the cost of the stolen fuel estimated at P15,000. But Aspera, a cousin of Villanueva, stood firm on her decision not to allow the two to work at the Roxas Airport again. Aspera said they would not file criminal charges against the two if they would pay for the cost of the fuel.

Joint RP-US military exercise starts at Clark

An estimated 4,000 Filipino and American soldiers will gather today at Clark Field in Pampanga for the opening ceremonies of the annual Talon Vision and Amphibious Landing Exercises, a bilateral military training between the Philippines and the United States that will end on Oct. 27.
The two-week military exercises, officially called the Philippine-US Bilateral Exercises (Phiblex), are designed to improve interoperability, increase readiness, and continue professional relationships between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and US military, said 2Lt. Cherryl Pontillas, Phiblex spokesperson.
Pontillas said about 2,000 US Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force and American sailors from the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group will join US Air Force pilots in ground, air, and naval integration trainings.
From the Philippine side, an estimated 2,000 soldiers from various AFP units will also participate in the military exercises that will be held simultaneously in military camps in Cavite, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, and Pampanga.
"Aside from these exercises, the Philippine Marines together with other AFP units will join US military personnel in joint community relations activities," Pontillas said.
"Earlier this week, 14 Marine and Fleet Officers left for Okinawa, Japan to participate in training-related activities aboard the USS Essex on Oct. 9," the Phiblex spokesperson added.
Other activities lined up during the joint exercises include medical and dental missions, school construction, classroom repairs and painting, and community beautification projects in selected local communities in Northern Luzon, she said.
Meanwhile, Pontillas said small US boat units carrying Marines and sailors started conducting community relations projects after completing their amphibious landing exercises yesterday in Ternate, Cavite.
"These boat raid exercises form part of the civil military operations that will be conducted in Ternate, Cavite in which the local populace would benefit from the healthcare services and community relations projects," Pontillas said.
"Similarly, the said exercise improves the operational readiness and amphibious capabilities of the Philippine Marines and sailors and their US counterparts," she added.
The Philippines has been receiving a significant increase in US foreign assistance in the East Asia Pacific region, particularly in the field of military training and financial support, since 2001.

CAAP Stronger civil aviation rules issued

THE CIVIL Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Act, which are expected to help the Philippines regain its category 1 safety rating from the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).
The law, which abolished the Air Transportation Office (ATO), is expected to help modernize the country’s civil aviation system to bring it up to par with international standards.
"All powers, duties and rights vested by law and exercised by the ATO is hereby transferred to the" CAA, section 59-C of the IRR read. The provision took effect last March.
Under the new law, the CAA will be an independent regulatory body with quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative powers, and with corporate features.
The implementing rules come six months after the CAA law was signed by President Gloria M. Arroyo last March.
The US FAA last January downgraded the Philippines aviation status from Category 1 to Category 2 over concerns about the safety of the country’s airports and air carriers.
Under the category 2 rating, local carriers are barred from adding more routes to the US, even if these airlines are already flying to the US.
CAAP Director General Ruben F. Ciron was not available for comment as of late yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Manila International Airport Authority Assistant General Manager of Airport Development Tirso G. Serrano said "definitely, the upgrade will be a shot in the arm." "If we get it [FAA upgrade] right away, the airlines will rejoice," he added. "[Airlines] have said this will improve their bookings."
Philippine Airlines (PAL), the country’s only carrier which flies to North America, said the upgrade will allow it to use its new planes, the first of which is expected to be delivered by the third quarter of next year.
"This is a very positive development; this will let us use our new Boeing 777-300s to the US," PAL President Jaime J. Bautista said in a phone interview.
The Lucio Tan-led carrier has daily direct flights from Manila to Los Angeles and San Francisco in California. The company also flies to Las Vegas, Nevada, which stops in Vancouver, Canada.
The airline has said it is considering flying to new routes, which include San Diego in California, and even to New York in the US east coast.
However, Mr. Bautista said the new rules will not solve all of the CAAP’s problems. "If the IRR becomes acceptable to the FAA... mababawasan na issues ng CAAP (the CAAP will have less issues)."
Among the issues that the CAAP has to address, Mr. Bautista said, is recruitment of qualified personnel.
If all goes well, he said, the Philippines’ status may be upgraded by July next year.

RP to build aviation library for FAA compliance

THE Philippines will build a library for the airline industry as part of efforts being made to convince the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) that the country deserves Category 1 status.
Secretary Leandro Mendoza of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said that Malacanang has approved at least P80 million to construct the library.
The FAA has concerns about the library as the Americans want all activities of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) nationwide computerized. “And we’re doing this right now,” Mendoza told reporters.
The library will contain all information the CAAP needs to function properly in doing its job.
Mendoza said the library will contain data on airline companies, crewmembers, as well as periodic maintenance checkups and which aircraft needs period upgrades.
“We have a record of each airplane that includes its airworthiness and number of flying hours,” Mendoza said.
All information the FAA wants “should be contained in an infrastructure or machine that we can access immediately” through the library, he added.
The library would be completed next year, or at the same time flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) would have expanded its fleet.
PAL is waiting for the delivery of two new Boeing 777 planes that are expected to arrive in September 2009. The planes will be used for medium- and long-haul flights. PAL is expected to expand flights to some parts of the US and Europe next year.
The lack of a Category 1 status has impacted on PAL’s expansion plans.
“But we are confident that upon the arrival of PAL’s 777s, we are already upgraded,” Mendoza said.
PAL was supposed to increase flights to the US and its territories early this year but the FAA downgraded the Philippines into Category 2 status that barred the flag carrier from increasing its 33 flights a week and from changing the type and adding aircraft on these routes.
Since January, officials have been hard at work in trying to regain the coveted Category 1 status. They decided not to rush things and targeted compliance with the FAA later this year. It was then decided that the Philippines would have a better chance at meeting FAA standards next year.
The FAA required the Philippines to revamp its system of regulation and for the country to write its own civil aviation law, which lawmakers have already passed. The implementing rules and regulations of the said law have already been published in major newspapers last week. That meant that the new CAAP would soon be fully activated.
The CAAP was created after the FAA downgraded the Philippines last year to Category 2 on safety concerns.
The CAAP aims to establish a regulatory framework for maintaining, enhancing and promoting domestic and international civil aviation, with particular emphasis on aviation safety and security.
The new law that created the CAAP converted the Air Transportation Office into an autonomous body with quasilegislative and quasijudicial powers while possessing corporate attributes. It will be an attached agency of the DOTC.
Category 1 status is given to countries where civil aviation authorities give licenses to and oversee air carriers in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (Icao) aviation safety standards.
Category 2, on the other hand, means a country’s aviation authorities do not exercise safety oversight over airlines in accordance with the minimum safety oversight standards of Icao.
Flaws the FAA found during a safety audit from July 23 to 27 last year include lack of record-keeping, poor and aged equipment and problematic procedures for the licensing and certification of aircraft, airlines and pilots and inspectors.
Philippine officials claimed that the country has already complied with nearly all the requirements asked by US authorities.

Climate Change - It affects all of us! - New NASA Site

NASA has just released its new site on Climate Change. A great Educational Site for your Kids and yourself on the history and where we are headed.

Have a Look ... It is worth it ..

http://climate.jpl.nasa.gov

747 Hit just after takeoff by Lightning

This is worth a look ... Thanks Rick ..


747 Struck By Lightning - Watch more free videos

Heads up for those of you flying out of Omni now ..

The PNP ASG (Aviation Security Group) has an officer at Omni every day now to stamp flight plans. FOBS will not accept them without the stamp. There Officer is conducting inspections of aircraft prior to stamping at the moment ..

I have a number for him if you need to arrange an early departure, etc. Sgt Alipo 0919 9322294

He needs a copy of the flight plan left with him

After it is stamped, you can fax to FOBS at 045 599 2897 ext 625 The FOBS Voice Number is 045 599 2897 ext 603

PAL launches P88-M Mactan fleet maintenance facility

CEBU CITY, Oct. 11 -– Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its maintenance-service provider, Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP), on Friday launched the development of an P88-million maintenance facility at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) for the flag carrier’s rapidly expanding fleet in Cebu.
Top executives of PAL and LTP, along with ranking officials of Lapu-Lapu City and the MCIA Authority broke ground for the facility within the Mactan airport complex.
The facility will rise on a 1.2-hectare lot that is part of LTP’s 2.6-hectare leased area at MCIA, PAL’s statement said.
It is adjacent to the longstanding, 1.4-hectare maintenance facility where PAL’s narrow-body fleet of Airbus A320s and A319s are checked.
When completed in February 2009,the facility will enable LTP to perform line maintenance checks on PAL’s turbo-propeller fleet of Bombardier Q400 and Q300 aircraft that fly under the brand PAL Express.
The expanded area can also, in the future, accommodate PAL’s forthcoming long-range, wide-body flagship, the Boeing 777-300ER.
LTP is applying as a locator at the nearby Mactan Export Processing Zone to gain “ecozone” status that will enable it to ship aircraft parts and materials directly to Mactan.
On hand for the ceremony were PAL deputy chief executive officer Henry So Uy, senior vice president for operations Capt. Beda Badiola, vice president for airport services Francisco Yngente IV, and special assistant to the chairman Emilio Yu.
LTP was represented by its president Bernhard Krueger Sprengel and chief finance officer Edison Que.
MCIAA general manager Danilo Augusto Francia and Lapu-Lapu city administrator Teodulo Ibanez also took part in the ceremony.

RP and US Joint Military Exercises in Clark Start Soon ....

The Philippines and the United States will hold a two-week joint bilateral training exercise from Oct. 15-28 called the "Talon Vision and Amphibious Landing Exercise" in various parts of Northern Luzon.
The opening ceremony will be held on Oct. 15 in Clark Field, Pampanga.
It will improve interoperability, increase readiness, and further deepen the relationship between US and Philippine security forces, the United States Embassy in Manila said in a statement emailed Friday night.
The two-week training exercise will be participated in by US Marines from the Japan-based 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force and US sailors from the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group.
They will participate in ground-air and naval integration training with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the US Embassy said.
US and Philippine military personnel participating in the exercise will also conduct joint community relations activities in selected local communities, it said.
Among them are medical and dental missions, school construction, classroom repairs and painting, and community beautification projects, the US Embassy added.

RP expects FAA to upgrade safety rating

MANILA, Philippines -- The US Federal Aviation Administration is expected to reverse the downgrade it slapped on the Philippine aviation safety rating by early next year, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said Wednesday.
During a budget hearing, Mendoza told Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Edgardo Angara, chair and vice chair of the Senate finance committee, respectively, that the country had already “substantially complied” with the international safety precautions suggested by the FAA.
Mendoza said this after Enrile inquired into the status of the downgrade of the Philippine aviation rating from Category 1 to Category 2, which was imposed by the US aviation watchdog on January 8 over concerns about the safety of the country's airports and air carriers.
“Once upon a time, we were being rushed to pass the law to create the Civil Aviation Authority in order to address the problems at the time. What happened to that problem?” asked Enrile.
“The major one is the passage of the law,” Mendoza answered, referring to the legislation creating the CAA which was signed into law by President Gloria Arroyo on March 4.
“We have a team that went to FAA headquarters in Washington early this month. We were given some checklist on some recommended action programs. We are complying with it, and by early next year, we believe that we can be upgraded already,” said Mendoza.
The downgrade prevented Philippine carriers from expanding operations in the US.
Aviation systems of a country given Category 2 status are subjected to heightened FAA surveillance.
A Category 2 rating shows that the country lacks laws or regulations necessary to support the certification and oversight of air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards.
The Philippines also lacks the technical expertise, resources and organization to license air operations, does not have adequately trained and qualified technical personnel, among other steps to ensure enforcement of minimum standards.
With this assurance from Mendoza, the committee approved the proposed P23.6-billion budget of the Department of Transportation and Communications for 2009, a mere 3-percent higher than this year's P22.9 billion.
Angara reminded Mendoza of the need for qualified test pilots.
“We got to have more test pilots which we lack. It's one of the safety precautions that the FAA is requiring us,” said Angara.
Mendoza replied, “With the new law and the new budget for CAA, we are already hiring competent, check pilots.”
Angara earlier stressed the need to create the CAA after US aviation officials expressed concern over the Air Transportation Office's inability to conduct consistent, effective safety checks, thus failing to meet the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Senator Mar Roxas, chair of the trade and commerce committee, had said that the FAA downgrade was “a critical issue that affects all Filipinos worldwide.”
“Aside from examining what went wrong, we also need to discuss how to cushion the effects of the downgrade, among them the potential loss in revenues for private airlines and concurrent decline in investments and tourism," Roxas added.
Roxas said that a slow and incoherent response to the requirements set forth by the US FAA would further exacerbate the problem and may cause irreparable harm to the country's image abroad.
"Government needs to exercise enormous political will to resolve this problem. The repercussions are too great, and the damage to the country's image is very serious," he had said.
President Arroyo signed into law the CAA Act of 2008 to update and strengthen the international framework of the country's civil aviation industry and meet the standards set by the ICAO.
CAA is now an independent regulatory body with quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative powers with corporate attributes.
But the CAA shall be an attached agency -- for the purpose of policy coordination -- of DOTC.

By Michael Lim UbacPhilippine Daily InquirerFirst Posted 21:53:00 10/08/2008

A plane with doors? What Now?

A Good read ... enjoy ......

By George E. Beetham Jr.
The last time I had flown in a commercial aircraft was in 1964, when I returned from the Philippines while serving in the Army. With all the security issues, I was more than a bit nervous when I went through the security check down at the airport on my way to Alaska.The gentleman manning the metal scanner was patient and seemed to sense my nervousness.
"Is this your first flight?" he asked as I held my pants up with my hands and walked in my stocking feet through the detector.
The first time through set off the alarm. I had to remove my belt because of the buckle.
"No, I flew back in 1964," I said. "I think the plane had two wings and the pilot wore a leather helmet."
He chuckled and waved me through.
I was amazed at how professional and friendly the Transportation Security Agency people were. The security check is one of the necessary things we do to deal with the terrorism threat. We may not like it, but we really need to blame Osama bin Laden for the process. The TSA folks are doing a necessary job.
My flight from Philadelphia to Atlanta was pleasant with no problems. At Atlanta, the captain of the next flight to Seattle addressed the passengers before boarding the plane.
It seemed the fellow operating the jetway had some problems getting it to the plane's door, which was damaged and off its hinges. Flying a plane without a door is not exactly a good idea, so the airline was scrounging around the Atlanta hangars to find a plane that had all its doors, wings, wheels, and a working tail.
They finally found one, and off we went to Seattle.
I was boarding the Alaska Airlines plane in Seattle when the captain joked that I could not take flash photos with my camera. I responded by asking him if the plane had all its doors.
When he looked at me quizzically, I told him about the plane in Atlanta.
"You're kidding," he said. "No, not kidding at all. That's why I got to Seattle so late and barely made this flight on time."
Things went fine the rest of the way, and on the return trip for most of the way. Going into Atlanta, we encountered turbulence that tossed the plane around like a cork riding through rapids.
Even the flight attendants had to strap in as the plane heaved and bounced. A glass of water sitting on the fold down table tipped and doused the woman who had unthinkingly left it there.
Only the seat belts kept us from hitting the ceiling of the plane.
As we disembarked, I told the captain, "You bounced that sucker in nicely." He thanked me for the compliment. Nobody was more concerned about wind shear smacking the plane down too hard than him.
The next leg proved uneventful all the way to Philly. The plane taxied up to the jetway, and there we all sat waiting for the jetway to come out and get the door opened.
It turned out the plane was too far from the jetway. They had to get the tractor that tows planes to come out, back us up, and pull us in closer to the jetway.
As we disembarked about a half hour later, passengers razzed the folks manning the jetway. It turned out the operator was long gone. He had beat a hasty retreat as soon as the door opened.

F-35B-B1-F First Flight - Cool Video

This is Cooooool

Flight Instructors/Pilots in Asia, once like Hens Teeth, now, seems the Hens have plenty of teeth to go around!

AVIATION: Admissions halve as airlines cut back recruitment citing low deployment.

Gautam Nair (name changed), a doctor, quit his profession and got a commercial pilot’s licence in February last year. He was absorbed by a Delhi-based low-cost carrier within two months.
His brother Siddharth, however, was caught on the wrong side of the aviation business cycle. He completed his training in January this year and is still looking for a job.
The downturn in the aviation sector has led to significantly lower demand for pilots. This has adversely affected the businesses of more than 50 flying training schools, which had come up during the last two years on the back of an unprecendented growth story. Admissions to these institutes have now hit an all-time low.
Mamta Kota, director, Flytech Aviation Academy, Hyderabad, says: “It is a cyclical trend. There was a similar trend after 1998 which lasted up to 2000, when aviation was on a downturn.”
Flytech imparts an 18-month course in flying training and conducts admissions twice a year. Kota said that admissions this July have been at least 50 per cent lower than in July 2007. Flying school agents who have tie-ups with foreign schools also have similar numbers to narrate.
Anand Mishra, chairman, Griffin Aviation India, says: “Last year, we sent 20-25 students every month. Now we are happy to get even one.” The institute has a tie-up with the Griffin Flying School in the Philippines.
Mishra adds that though the course fee will not be slashed, it will have to compromise on the commissions from the foreign institutes.
“We used to charge around Rs 14.5 lakh for a full course. Of this, our commission was around Rs 50,000. We have had to slash this to around Rs 20,000 now,” says Mishra.
Airlines maintain that pilot recruitment is low as capacity deployment is low. Sandeep Chalke, human resources head, Jet Airways, says: “We recruited our last batch of 40 officers in May. Last year, we recruited around 20 pilots per month. Now, we recruit every three or four months.”
The supply of pilots exceeds supply. Jet Airways received 600 applications this May, for 40 vacancies. In 2006, the airline had received 30 applications in all.
Jobless pilots are keeping their fingers crossed. They are taking up jobs as flying instructors. They want to gain experience by teaching in a flying school before there is an upswing and they can apply for jobs again.
Flytech now gets one application everyday from commercial pilot licence holders wanting to become assistant instructors. Indore-based Yash Air has received around 60 such applications in six months. The instructors have begun to offer their services relatively cheaply, a major change from last year, when salaries were almost on a par with airline pilots.
“A year back, instructors demanded close to Rs 3 lakh per month, level with an airline pilot. Inability to pay would make us lose them to airlines which were recruiting pilots in huge chunks then,” says Kota.

Open Skies - Myth or Reality

Here is a whole bunch of commentary showing the different positions of the many parties who will win or lose with ASEAN Open Skies to be implemented soon ..


Cab: Asean open skies coming soon
By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter Whatever the President decides on whether there should be open or closed skies, the open-skies policy will prevail in the end because under the Asean all the carriers of the countries of the association will be allowed unlimited rights.
Porvenir P. Porciuncula, Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) deputy executive director and head of economic planning, told this to The Manila Times for this special report.
He said:
“In the Asean roadmap for integration, the agreement has been made ready for the members to sign. The agreement will allow flights between capital cities in Asean without limitations.”
The Philippines will have to sign the agreement. Then it has to ratify and carry it out.
He said the Department of Foreign Affairs told the CAB that ratification is entirely within the power of the Executive branch because it is only an executive agreement, not a treaty that requires Senate action.
Porciuncula said the agreement is part of the “Asean roadmap” that was presented to the leaders and the ministers of the Asean countries in the Asean Summit in Cebu.
“There was a timeline set. And it will take effect in December. This December 2008,” he said.
“This has been discussed in the previous working group and ministerial meetings. However, in the Asean tradition, sometimes the implementation will also depend on the readiness of the member countries. This is part of the flexibility that was agreed when the roadmap was crafted,” he said.
“This is because the member countries also recognize that there are differences between countries in terms of infrastructure, the airlines, etc. But we expect that our airlines, having acquired new aircrafts, especially starting to expand their flights to a lot of Asean countries, will not take long to agree with our government to ratify and go ahead and implement the open-skies agreement.”
“Of course the industry players will all be consulted,” he said in answer to The Times’ question. “There are some issues that worry various segments of the travel and tourism industry.”
One of the issues, he said, is that some Philippine airlines worry that other countries’ airlines are government-owned and heavily subsidized.
“Unlike in our case we have private-sector owners of our airlines. They feel they would not be playing on a level playing field. Then government airlines have a lot more capital,” he said.
“Of course, our airlines would then want to see that our government will give them all the support they need.”
There are other questions: the competition mechanism, for example.
“Unlike in Europe where they have a single aviation market. There is a general competition policy in Europe to balance everything, there is a competition framework. Here in Asean, we are integrating but we don’t have competition policy among Asean countries. But air travel is in the top priority for Asean integration. So we had to inject a lot of competition policy issues. But in future Asean will tackle a general competition framework, policies and laws that will form part of the Asean integration mechanics.”


Why PAL, Cebu Pacific don’t like the open skies policy
By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter We interviewed Rolando G. Estabillo, vice president of Philippine Airlines for Corporate Communications.
Are you in favor of open skies?
Reply: “We are in favor of a fair and meaningful open-skies arrangement within Asean that allows PAL and the Philippine aviation industry to grow in a healthy and sustainable way, and tap new opportunities in the Asean region.
“The Asean open-skies regime is a step forward in opening up some opportunities, but it suffers from the lack of a level playing field. Philippine carriers are private citizens that operate as business enterprises for profit, but the major airlines of the other Asean member countries are state-owned companies, many of which enjoy strong governmental backing and even financial assistance. That can distort competition, which does not help either our local airlines nor the airline customers.
“We would have preferred the Asean regime to incorporate stronger safeguards against market distortions and anti-competitive practices by dominant or subsidized airlines. If Asean is serious about aviation liberalization, then all Asean member countries should commit to privatize their flag carriers and allow truly fair competition to flourish—no bailing out of sick national airlines, no subsidies, no special favors, no coddling of anti-competitive predatory market practices. That would pave the way for legitimate liberalization, where everyone has a fighting chance, where success goes to the worthy competitor.
“We will stay on track with our current steady expansion program within Asean and offer attractive schedule choices on prime routes. In recent months we have added flights to the point that we are the only airline offering up to four flights per day from Manila to Singapore on some days of the week, one daily flight to Jakarta, a daily service to Vietnam [Ho Chi Minh City], and soon two daily flights to Bangkok.
“Overall, we now offer 50 [soon 53] flights weekly to Asean destinations, offering more flights and more seats [over 8,500 per week, to increase soon to 9,000] than any other airline between Asean and the Philippines.
“Since the Asean open-skies regime applies only to capital city airports, we see an opportunity in attracting more Asean citizens to venture beyond the capital to visit Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Palawan and other tourist spots.
“In our international and domestic markets, PAL is competitive. We are thriving in competition with mega-carriers, low-cost airlines, global alliances, you name it. Apart from Asean, we have a strong presence in the US market, in Canada, Japan, Korea, and in China, the market of the future. We opened up new Korea routes when there was still no Korean tourist market to speak of, seven or eight years ago. We ventured into Shanghai when prospects looked dim after 9/11. We gambled on Las Vegas after much bigger Asian airlines abandoned that route. And we are doing well on all these routes.
“The challenges are great, especially in this era of skyrocketing fuel prices and economic setbacks, and especially when we are competing with subsidized and sheltered Asean airlines. But we will face the challenges squarely. We will be dynamic and innovative. We must continually tap new markets and seek opportunities. No policy will help boost tourism if airlines are not prepared to do the actual day-to-day hard work of promoting the Philippines as a business and leisure destination. We assure you that PAL will do its part.
“We would like to see a reciprocal liberalization policy for Clark that gives Filipino airlines equal access and opportunity. We don’t believe that unilateral open-skies declarations are good for the country, whether it’s the current E.O. 500-A policy or the E.O. 500-B policy being considered.
“It won’t work to have virtual open skies for foreign airlines while the policy is ‘closed skies’ for Philippine carriers. Sure, foreign airlines are welcome to serve these developmental airports, but there should be a guarantee of equal access and equal opportunity for the Filipino airlines as well. As you’ll note, the Philippine carriers are embarking on huge investments to build up air service hubs at Clark airport.
“We won’t just fly in and out of Clark, we will be making it our second home. It would be terribly counterproductive for us to be shut out of international routes to and from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. This is why we welcome the recent series of air services negotiations with countries like Macau, Hong Kong, Thailand and New Zealand, where the Philippines negotiated reciprocal air rights that both Filipino and foreign airlines may use to serve Clark.”
Cebu Pacific also has reservations
We also interviewed Cebu Pacific’s vice-president for Marketing and Products. Candice Iyog.
She said:
“Cebu Pacific advocates open skies as long as the rights are reciprocal to carriers of both countries. Unilateral grant of open skies often turns out to be ‘one-way skies’ because it undermines the Philippines’ negotiating position in terms of gaining equal or equivalent traffic rights to other countries for its carriers.
“Cebu Pacific supports Asean open skies because it is a multilaterally negotiated agreement that allows for reciprocity. Cebu Pacific already competes with foreign airlines on the international routes that it serves, and it will continue to operate in the same manner that it is operating now by offering year-round low fares and a fun on-board experience.
“We have a successful product as evidenced by our rapid growth in the past three years since we converted into a full LCC model. We believe that the open-skies policy will bring about more seat capacity in the Asean region. This will allow the Filipino traveler to have more choices and it will compel local airlines to be more competitive.
“Open skies, however, is only one of the factors that influence growth in the tourism industry. We must remember to improve on other factors as well [i.e. infrastructure, hotel rooms, perception of peace and order].
“Cebu Pacific favors bilaterally negotiated open skies, which means the Philippines grants another country the rights under an open-skies regime after having negotiated for the same rights for itself. The most important determinant of such negotiations is that the tradeoffs to be obtained by both parties are of equal or equivalent realizable value. In any negotiation, the main objective should be to achieve a level playing field.
“Our view is that E.O. 500-B as it is currently drafted is anti-Filipino and discriminatory because it allows foreign carriers to enjoy air rights that are not available to Philippine carriers.
“We believe that liberalization should not be achieved at the expense of Philippine carriers and other stakeholders in Philippine civil aviation industry. Ironically, E.O. 500-B, rather than encouraging liberalization and competition, is actually anti-competitive.
“Allow us to cite an example: Earlier in the year, Hong Kong Express, a Hong Kong-based carrier, was able to operate to Clark through E.O. 500-A. Cebu Pacific had wanted to fly the same route, yet we were unable to because the cap on flights between the Philippines and Hong Kong under the existing Air Service Agreement had already been reached. Thus, unilaterally allowing international airlines entry into Clark without their home governments granting Filipino carriers the same rights and had prevented Cebu Pacific from doing so.
“Fortunately, the Philippine government, during bilateral talks with Hong Kong, amended the Air Service Agreement, allowing Philippine carriers to begin servicing the Clark-Hong Kong route. As earlier stated, operating in an open-skies regime will compel us to be more competitive. We will have to constantly improve our products and services as we compete with the global carriers from other Asean countries.”


Why seair is in favor of open skies policy
By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter We asked Avelino Zapanta, president of South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR), “Are you for the so-called open-skies policy?”
He replied, “Yes.”
“The open-skies regime envisioned provides for unlimited third and fourth freedom traffic rights with all other traffic rights subject to negotiation. This conforms with my own definition of open skies.
“The Asean one is still limited though in the sense that it covers only the capital cities of the member countries. I would go so far as covering any and all points any airline would like to serve. Why curtail the opportunity of other Philippine cities by preventing foreign airlines to fly there?
“We should all the more ask for it because we should like the tourist to fly from their true origins in their countries to the true destinations in the Philippines without having to go through the hassle of connecting flights in Manila or Cebu.
“I also believe that you open the door and people are liable to enter. It benefits the country. For every individual who enters is bound to generate some income for the country: transport, hotel, food, entertainment, etc., industries will benefit. Therefore let’s make it easy for them to enter by relaxing entry rules.
“We should also improve our infrastructure, our facilities, machineries, materials related to product and service offerings.
“Do proper and sufficient level of marketing. By this the airline must produce the products and services designed to satisfy the needs and wants of the target markets in sufficient volume and priced within the acceptable limits by the target markets and distributed to places closest and conveniently accessible to the target markets.
“Finally, there must be sufficient promotion to communicate that the product/service exists, at prices that suit the pocket of the customers and found/available at specific places.
“Today our airlines and our country are doing half-hearted marketing. The product and the service might be good, the prices right but there is insufficient distribution and hardly any promotion.
“Other countries have big budgets in promoting via global TV channels. For a brief shining moment WOW Philippines was in CNN and elsewhere. It could not be sustained because of the limited budget.
“Watch how Malaysia, Thailand and the others saturate advertising and promotion in all media particularly the global TV channels.
“Anybody who says open skies is not going to boost tourism is deceiving himself or wants to keep the market for only himself. And will do everything to monopolize the market.
“If foreign airlines are competing openly in a route the likelihood of airfares going down is positive. A monopoly on a route results in very high airfares, and why not? There is no competition. Where airfares are low traffic volume goes up. If the volume is up more players are encouraged to operate. And the country must not care whoever carries the traffic, local or foreign airlines. What counts is the number of tourist arrivals is up because that number multiplies many times and benefits many other sectors of the economy.
“Local vs. foreign for as long as it is open skies, the field of competition is fair. Anyone may field any amount of capacity and the customers will never complain.
“Surprisingly, the lack of fairness is in the local vs. local competition. For example: Airline designation is a form of collusion that favors the major carriers. There should be open, multiple airline designation in all air services agreements with all countries.
“Another example: No carrier must be allowed to rent out traffic rights of the country in the guise of codesharing. When an airline codeshares the traffic rights of the country and does not launch actual flight operation and allows only the foreign airlines to operate then the local airline is renting out traffic rights which belong to the Filipino people and which might be operated by other local carriers.”
Are you for the EO 500-B? We asked Mr. Zapanta.
“It is difficult to say because EO 500-B is reportedly being drastically amended. Until we get to know what would really come out we would never know if it is acceptable or not. If it would open up the skies of Clark even on third and fourth with negotiated fifth and other freedoms, plus multiple airline designation, plus no unilateral codesharing, that should be acceptable.”
He cited how an airline like Cebu Pacific has become a world player.
“Cebu Pacific is now boasting that it’s been recognized as the third fastest growing airline in the world and it is not even open skies yet. Remove the obstacles, the obstinacies of the major carriers in the issue of open skies and you will find Philippine carriers fighting it out in the open arena.”
Aging population
“The world around us is suffering from aging population, depopulation and shrinking population of cities. They need migrants to augment the labor force, give care to the aged, support the economy through consumption. This is estimated to create traffic in the hundreds of millions in the decades to come. More startling is the subsequent wave of travelers which will be three or four times more than the migrants.
“This is what the industry is calling VFR traffic. These are family members and friends who visit their OFW family member wherever he is residing instead of the other way around. This is made possible by the LCC phenomenal pricing that contributes to create new and voluminous aviation traffic.
“A big part of this will come from the Philippines. And this is perhaps an argument for non-imposition of birth control if we suffer the same fate as Singapore and China who have junked their controlled family size due to the developing concern of shortage of people to churn the economy.”


Closed skies policy wins
Philippine Travel Agencies Association, SEAIR lose fight to PAL
By Rene Q. Bas, Editor in Chief THE debate is over: The “closed skies” policy has won over “open skies.”
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told The Times: “There is no such thing as EO500-B. There was a draft. But the President did not sign it.” (See related story “‘No such thing as EO 500-B. President never signed it’” by Angelo S. Samonte.)
For more than a year now, until today’s revelation by the Executive Secretary, there has been a fight between those segments of the aviation and the entire tourism industry over which policy should prevail.
The Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS) have been waging a war against open skies.
Ranged against them are the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), most of the members of the Hotel and Restaurants Association, SEAIR and even the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). The last-named has the duty of making the country ready for the Asean opens skies policy as part of Asean economic­ integration.
Open skies is supported by the experience of every country that has succeeded in getting scores of millions of tourists. It is purely an arithmetical formula. The more seats there are in incoming flights, the more tourists arrive.
But of course local airlines may end having less of those seats.
The philosophical arguments for the policy of restricting open skies only to countries that give similar rights to Philippine carriers are articulated best by lead convenor of the Fair Trade Alliance, former Senator Wigberto Tañada in a speech he gave last year at the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) forum on “Save our Skies or Open Skies: A View from Both Sides.”
Tañada and the Fair Trade Alliance sided with the local aviation industry not because they are “against economic liberalization per se” but because they are “for an economic liberalization that is calibrated, measured, progressive and synchronized with our own development priorities and the capacities of our industrial and agricultural producers…”
Calibrated protection
He explained that FTA’s policy of “calibrated protection” is exactly what “our neighbors – Japan, South Korea and now China and Vietnam – have done and are continuing to do. The problem is that our economic technocrats, from the time of Marcos to the present, have a very limited concept of attaining economic growth – that is, opening up of the economy in an accelerated, one-sided and even lazy and reckless manner.”
He cited how in the “l980s and 1990s, we opened up our manufacturing in a wholesale manner in accordance with a World Bank timetable, making us one of the ten most open economies by l997, this according to the Bank of International Settlements of Switzerland. The result? Many of our industries producing textiles, tires, tiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts and so on have been decimated by the unilateral trade liberalization, aggravated by a culture of smuggling in the country and the anti-Filipino attitudes of our own technocrats. We did the same in agriculture, from the mid-1990s to the present. The result? From a net agricultural exporter, the Philippines is now a net agricultural importer of almost everything — from rice and corn to onion and garlic, from fruits and vegetables to meat and milk. Thus, if a food crisis will break out in Australia, Thailand and Vietnam simultaneously, this country will go hungry, as many of our displaced Filipino farmers have already been experiencing.”
“And now, from unilateral industrial liberalization and unilateral agricultural liberalization, we want to open up unilaterally our skies, our aviation market, without any equal reciprocity. My God, what is happening to this country?
“This brings me to the second fundamental belief of the Fair Trade Alliance – there should be a level playing field for Filipinos and foreigners alike. Why in heaven’s name should foreigners be treated like kings and Filipinos like beggars in their own country by their own government? Under Article 2, Section 19 of our Constitution, it is expressly provided that the State should provide a self-reliant and independent national economy effectively controlled by Filipinos. Does this have no meaning at all? Even one of our native songs call for kaunting pagtingin for Filipinos from their own government. But unfortunately all this has been rendered meaningless by the continuing colonial mentality of some of our policymakers.”
Clark issue
“Thus, in the Clark’s open skies issue, we are shocked to hear outright proposals for the Philippines to unilaterally open up our skies and abandon the globally-accepted norm of aviation trade negotiation, which is bargaining bilaterally for equal or reciprocal flying rights. Moreover, some arrogant foreign carriers want to have more rights than the Filipino air carriers such as the privilege of operating even without any permit from the Civil Aviation Board (CAB) and the privilege of using Clark as a hub to fly to other destinations.
“The unfairness is most evident when Macau denied the application of Asian Spirit to fly from Clark to Macau and back, whereas Tiger Air of Singapore has been allowed to fly freely from Clark to Macau and Singapore. As the CEO of Cebu Pacific himself was quoted, ‘we might as well as register as foreign air carriers’. A unilateral aviation liberalization policy clearly contradicts the Constitutional mandate that ‘the State shall protect Filipino enterprises against unfair foreign competition and trade practices’ (Sec. 1, Article XII).
“Thirdly, we believe, if this country has to progress and soar, we must get our act together as a nation. But what some of the Clark open skies proponents have done are to divide us and confuse society because of some of the issues being raised are highly exaggerated if not false. For example, those questioning the proposal have been labeled as rent-seekers, protectionist and supporters of a failed Filipino-First policy. And yet, as clear as the blue sky, our unilateral economic liberalization of the last three and a half decades is what has failed this country.
Government support
“They have also conveniently ignored the inconvenient fact – most of the big air carriers in Asia are supported by their respective governments and are even owned wholly or partly by these governments, for example, Singapore Air is majority-owned by Temasek, a government investment corporation, while Thai Air is 70 per cent owned by the Thai government. In the Philippines, the industry players are now all private and do not get any assistance from the government.
“So who is rent-seeking? Who is protectionist? And yes, who is the anti-Filipino? Have you heard about what happened in the recent RP-Korea air talks in Davao? How about the expanded air agreement with Canada which has been pending for almost two years.
Another argument being raised by the proponents is that the entry of the foreign carriers in Clark has been a boon to tourism. Yes, it has been a boon to Macau tourism, a boon to Singapore tourism, a boon to Kuala Lumpur tourism and a boon to other tourist destinations outside the Philippines. Please take a look at the list of those taking the foreign air carriers, many of them are middle-class Filipinos herded at the pick-up point at Mega Mall in Metro Manila. Of course, we are not against Filipinos traveling and taking advantage of cheaper plane rates. But please, let us not exaggerate too much by saying that the Clark arrangement is a big boon to Philippine tourism when the fact is many of the tourists are flying outward, not toward our fabled 7,100 isles.”
Well, the “calibrated open skies policy” has won at last.

‘No such thing as EO 500-B; President never signed it’
By Angelo S. Samonte, Reporter President Gloria Arroyo has never supported a proposal calling for the “open-skies policy” liberalizing the local aviation industry because she was persuaded that it could have adverse effects on the operations of local carriers.
“There is no such thing as EO 500-B,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told The Manila Times. “There was a draft but the President never issued the executive order. She made the decision after getting several feedbacks from the aviation industry. The President came to believe that it’s not wise to issue such an order.”
Ermita said that the only existing order is EO 500-A, which is an amendment to EO 500. He added, as far “he knows there is no EO 500-B.”
Companies operating at the Clark Economic Zone urged President Arroyo early this year to sign the executive order that allows unlimited freedom rights to foreign air carriers.
Locators in the Clark economic zone said the implementation of EO 500-B would help not only Clark but the entire Central Luzon in developing the economy since the opening of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) will bring in more foreign tourists and investments.
But local airlines, especially PAL, opposed the move citing unfair competition, as EO 500-B will not automatically give them the same unrestricted flying rights in different countries.
Hotel and restaurant operators in Central Luzon on the other hand supported the implementation of EO 500-B, saying it is important to allow the entry of investment and foreign carriers into the DMIA (pronounced “Damia” and meaning “Diosdado Maca­pagal International Airport”) and into Subic Bay International Airport because it will bring in more tourists from Asia but also from other parts of the world.
Clark locators even signed a manifesto in May calling for the immediate passage of EO 500-B, the scheduling and successful conclusion of air talks with major and new partners in tourism, trade and overseas employment and the acceptance of proposals by other countries for liberal air access including “pocket open skies in Clark and in Subic.”
They stressed that opening Clark to foreign carriers will also solve the problem of the delays in the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) due to lack of airline seats especially for those bound for the Middle East.

Yaaaaaaahooooo! CebuPac is finally flying out of Clark

Yaaaaaaahooooo! CebuPac is finally flying out of Clark in a serious way.

Received a marketing email yesterday form CebuPac telling me tat as of November 8, 2008 they start regular flights to Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Bangkok

Lets hope it works out and it attracts other destinations.

The Press Release is Below ..

Cebu Pacific starts Clark Hub on November 8
Offers ZERO fare from Clark to HK, Singapore, Macau, and Bangkok

Cebu Pacific (CEB), the country’s leading airline to the ASEAN, will start operating international flights out of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga starting November 8, 2008.

CEB president and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei said, “Clark is the gateway for central and northern Luzon and CEB’s fourth operational hub. With aircraft based in Clark, Manila, Cebu and Davao, we can now offer the convenience of flying at affordable fares to every Juan across the Philippine archipelago.”

“Airline service will play a pivotal role in economic growth in Clark and CEB is committed to being a catalyst for this growth. Trade and tourism, among other things, generally prosper with increased accessibility,” Gokongwei said.
CEB will base an Airbus A319 aircraft in Clark and will operate daily flights from Clark to Hong Kong and Singapore; four times weekly to Macau; and three times weekly to Bangkok. CEB will also operate its Cebu-Clark flights daily starting October 1, 2008 using its ATR 72-500 aircraft.

The new international services are introduced with a zero fare. The seat sale will run from September 4 to 10, 2008 and is valid for travel from November 8 to December 17, 2008. Passengers will only pay for the applicable taxes and surcharges, which are nonrefundable. More than 10,000 seats have been allocated for the Clark hub seat sale.
CEB is the only Filipino carrier operating international flights out of Clark and is the only airline offering a direct Clark-Hong Kong and Clark-Bangkok service.

After the seat sale, the lowest year round ‘Go’ fare for Clark flights start at P499 to Macau, P999 to Singapore, P1,499 to Hong Kong and P1,999 to Bangkok,

Passengers may book their flights via www.cebupacificair.com, or call 70-20-888, or visit their nearest travel agent.
Now in its 13th year, CEB has the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines, comprised of 10 A319s, eight A320s, and two ATR72-500 aircraft.

A Crime Against Future Generations

I worked in Cebu (Mactan) for over a year as a Dive Instructor many eons ago. I have had the unfortunate experience of being in the water when  dynamite was being used. I was at over 100 feet with a student when it went off on a wall and I believe that the overhang above us saved us from most of the pressure shock. Needless to say, it hurt a great deal and it is an experience I do not wish to repeat. 

Upon surfacing (suitably red faced and put out), I saw my banka boy with wide eyes (yes we had a dive flag up) and the perpetrator chugging rapidly off in the distance. Obviously my banka driver had been asleep and was awoken with the loud bang (he probably got wet form the water spout) and told the guy who dropped the bomb that we were down there so he left rapidly! 

Me being me, I did not particularly want to let this rest so I started digging around and found the family responsible. It did change my view quite a bit. A few of the male family members had lost hands in the practice of their fishing method which meant they then had to be supported by the rest of the family. I did get an apology regarding my incident and they showed me their living conditions. Turns out that they resorted to dynamite fishing when there were no fish left to catch, only garbage. You should see the layers of the garbage in the thermo-clines off the walls in Cebu, absolutely amazing. Layer after layer of plastic bags and very few pelagics swimming by. 

The family gave me a simple explanation, dynamite fish or stave. They were not selling their catch, such as it was, but using it to survive. How can you ask a family to stave. None of us would allow our kids to stave. 

What I did was to hire some of that family as workers in our operation that gave them money to go and buy what they needed at the market. They turned out to be great employees. Problem in that area solved!!

I also had a number of experiences in Coron (Northern Palawan) where we used to take the Coast Guard with us (they did not have their own boat) in an attempt to apprehend people using dynamite. On the odd occasion we were successful, it turned out to be the same story, just a guy trying to feed his family and no fish around to catch by traditional methods.

The lack of education with the local population about the damage (long term) that it dynamite does definitely does not help. I know a number of dive shops have started education programs with Kids to show them that if they leave it alone, the fish will come back.

Another more sinister experience involved Cyanide Fishing (generally used to take live fish) This is 100% commercial and absolutely the dregs of society are involved. It takes out vast patches of reefs, kills everything. We used to dive on a beautiful reef called Coron Reef. One day, we jumped in and we were greeted by this vast forest of white Coral, and no fish. It was eerie. It actually took my stunned mind several minutes to comprehend what had happened, Cyanide!  The good news is that several years later, I was passing through on a boat and took the time to have a look. The reef was regenerating, new coral, small fish, which bring in the bigger fish. Nature can be very resilient if given a chance. The Cyanide left all the building blocks intact so the Coral could regenerate and there were lots of hiding places for the small fish. The Cyanide fishers (incidentally from Samar and Leyte, they had destroyed all their fish stocks, according to the coastguard) moved on. This is commercial rape of the reef in its worst form. 

There are many sides to this story, commercial rape, corrupt officials, cash provided for regeneration projects (too tempting to many), men trying to feed families and survive, a very complicated set of circumstances and the chain of events has to be broken. I believe it is with education of the kids. The big question is, will there be anything left other than in an aquarium for the kids to look at on our reefs?? Is there still time?? I really feel that it is running out for the Coastal reefs of the Philippines ..

Reference.com On This Day On Hold

After several unsuccessful attempts to deliver the Reference.com On This
Day to your address, we have put your subscription on hold.

To resume your subscription, please send a blank message to
unhold@lists.lexico.com.

If you do not do this within 14 days, your address will be removed from
the list.

Regards,

--
Reference.com On This Day
http://www.reference.com/thisday/list/

Tuesday August 26, 2008: Reference.com On This Day

You told us you wanted more and here it is! FREE audio pronunciation! FREE illustrations! Click here to experience an even better Dictionary.com! ADVERTISEMENT
On This Day: Tuesday August 26, 2008 This is the 239th day of the year, with 127 days remaining in 2008. Fact of the Day: women's equality day Women's Equality Day was first celebrated in in 1971, marking women's advancements toward equality with men on the anniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment (1920) which granted American women full suffrage. Annually since then, women have observed the day with events that celebrate women's progress toward equality. Holidays Feast Day of St. Bergwine, archbishop of Canterbury, St. John Wall, St. Mary Desmaisieres, St. Pandonia, and St. Teresa Jornet Ihars. Namibia: Heroes' Day. United States: Women's Equality Day. Events 55 B.C.E. - Roman forces under Julius Caesar invaded Britain. 1429 - Joan of Arc made a triumphant entry into Paris. 1791 - John Fitch was granted a United States patent for the steamboat. 1847 - Liberia was proclaimed an independent republic. 1883 - The volcano Krakatoa erupted in the largest recorded explosion. 1939 - WXBS of New York City televised the first major league baseball games. 1957 - Ford Motor Company unveiled the Edsel. 1968 - As the Democratic National Convention began in Chicago, thousands of antiwar demonstrators protested the Vietnam War and its support by presidential candidate, Vice President Hubert Humphrey. 2002 - Earth Summit 2002 begins in Johannesburg, South Africa. 2003 - Columbia Accident Investigation Board releases its final reports on the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Births 1743 - Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, French chemist, known as the "Father of Modern Chemistry." 1874 - Lee De Forest, American physicist, inventor, considered the "Father of radio." 1906 - Albert Sabin, Polish-born American polio researcher. 1920 - Brant Parker, American cartoonist. 1940 - Don LaFontaine, American voice actor. 1960 - Branford Marsalis, an American jazz and classical saxophonist. Deaths 1930 - Lon Chaney, Sr., American actor. 1974 - Charles Lindbergh, American pioneer aviator and first person to fly solo, nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. 1978 - Charles Boyer, French-born American actor. 1980 - Tex Avery (born Frederick Bean Avery), American cartoonist.
Reference.com On This Day http://www.reference.com/thisday/ You are currently subscribed to Reference.com On This Day as: markcupitt1.markcupitt@blogger.com To unsubscribe via email, send a blank message to: leave-13078609-6420464X@lists.lexico.com To subscribe to the list by email, send a blank message to: join-thisday@lists.lexico.com ©2008 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. 65 Pine Ave, #319 Long Beach, CA 90802 Subscriptions to On This Day can be turned on and off via the Web at http://www.reference.com/thisday/list/ Tell a friend about On This Day!

Flying said to be safer than ever

Airline passengers throughout the world are safer today flying around the globe than at any previous time in aviation history, according to a newly-released study.

Six million passengers travel by air daily, and are reported to be 22 times safer traveling in an airplane than they are in a car on the road, according to a joint study published by Boeing and the U.S. National Safety Council.

Air safety records have seen steady improvement since 1960, from 45 fatal accidents for every one million departures to a rate currently that stands at less than one for every million, as the industry has learned from accidents and technology has made significant strides.

Topping the areas of the globe where it is safest to fly are the U.S. and Europe, while Africa had a somewhat worse safety record.

Qantas has consistently rated as of the world’s safest airlines, and until July of this year, had an unblemished safety record.

An incident that occurred on a Qantas flight between Hong Kong and Melbourne on one of the carrier’s Boeing 747s left a huge hole in the side of the fuselage and forced the jet into an emergency landing at the Manila International Airport, in the Philippines.

A380 in Flight with the Gear Down

A380 Being towed out over a Bridge in Singapore

Thankfully we only have Trikes to deal with on runways in the Philippines ..

Thankfully we only have Trikes to deal with on runways in the Philippines ..

1917 Flying Corps newsletter (Hilarious)

Excerpts from Royal Flying Corps monthly report of December 1917.

The report was signed C. St. John-Culbertson, Royal Flying Corps Colonel and was dated 21 December, 1917.

INTRODUCTION

Another good month. In all, a total of 35 accidents were reported, only six of which were avoidable. These represented a marked improvement over the 
month of November during which 84 accidents occurred, of which 23 were avoidable. This improvement, no doubt, is the result of experienced pilots 
with over 100 hours in the air forming the backbone of all the units.

RESUME OF ACCIDENTS

Avoidable Accidents

There were six avoidable accidents this last month.

1. The pilot of a Shorthorn, with over 7 hours of experience, seriously damaged the undercarriage on landing. He had failed to land at as fast a speed as possible as recommended in the Aviation Pocket Handbook.
2. A B.E.2 stalled and crashed during an artillery exercise. The pilot had been struck on the head by the semaphore of his observer who was signaling to the gunners.
3. Another pilot in a B.E.2 failed to get airborne, by an error of judgement, he was attempting to fly at mid-day instead of at the recommended best lift periods, which are just after dawn and just before sunset.
4. A Longhorn pilot lost control and crashed in a bog near Chipping-Sedbury. An error of skill on the part of the pilot in not being able to control a machine with a wide speed band of 10 MPH between top speed and stalling speed.
5. While low flying in a Shorthorn the pilot crashed into the top deck of a horse drawn bus near Stonehenge.
   
6. A B.E.2 pilot was seen to be attempting a banked turn at a constant height before he crashed. A grave error by an experienced pilot.
   

Unavoidable Accidents

There were 29 unavoidable accidents from which the following are selected:

1. The top wing of a Camel fell off due to fatigue failure of the flying wires. A successful emergency landing was carried out.
   
2. Sixteen B.E.2's and 9 Shorthorns had complete engine failures. A marked improvement over November's fatigue.
   
3. Pigeons destroyed a Camel and 2 Longhorns after mid-air strikes.
   

COST OF ACCIDENTS

Accidents during the last three months of 1917 cost 317 pounds, 10 shillings sixpence, money down the drain and sufficient to buy new gaiters and spurs 
for each and every pilot observer in the Service.

ACCIDENT BRIEFS

No. 1 Brief
No. 912 Squadron, 3 December 1917
Aircraft type B.E.2C, No. KY678, Total Solo - - 4.20 Pilot Lt. J. Smyth-Worthington, Solo in type - - 1.10

The pilot of this flying machine attempted to maintain his altitude in a turn at 2,500 feet This resulted in the airplane entering an unprecedented 
maneuver, entailing a considerable loss of height. Even with full power applied and the control column fully back, the pilot was unable to regain 
control. However, upon climbing from the cockpit onto the lower mainplane, the pilot managed to correct the machines altitude, and by skillful 
manipulation of the flying wires successfully side-slipped into a nearby meadow.

Remarks: Although, through inexperience, this pilot allowed his airplane to enter an unusual attitude, his resourcefulness in eventually landing without 
damage has earned him a unit citation.

R.F.C. Lundsford-Magnus is investigating the strange behaviour of this aircraft.

No. 2 Brief
No. 847 Squadron 19 December 1917
Aircraft Type Spotter Balloon J17983, total solo 107.00 Pilot Capt. ***, Solo in type 32.10

Capt * * * of the Hussars, a balloon observer, unfortunately allowed the spike of his full-dress helmet to impinge against the envelope of his balloon. There was a violent explosion and the balloon carried out a series of fantastic and uncontrollable maneuvers, while rapidly emptying itself of gas. The pilot was thrown clear and escaped injury as he was lucky enough to land on his head.

Remarks This pilot was flying in full-dress uniform because he was the Officer of the Day In consequence it has been recommended that pilots will not fly during periods of duty as Officer of the Day.

Captain* * * has requested an exchange posting to the Patroville Alps, a well known mule unit of the Basques

No. 3 Brief
Summary of No. 3 Brief dated October 1917
Major W. de Kitkag-Watney's Neuport Scout was extensively damaged when it failed to become airborne.

The original court of Inquiry found that the primary cause of the accident was carelessness and poor airmanship on the part of a very experienced pilot.

The Commandant General, however, not being wholly convinced that Major de Kitkag-Watney could be guilty of so culpable a mistake ordered that the court should be re-convened.

After extensive inquiries and lengthy discussions with the Meteorological Officer and Astronomer Royal, the Court came to the conclusion that the pilot unfortunately was authorized to fly his aircraft on a day when there was absolutely no lift in the air and could not be held responsible for the accident.

The Court wishes to take this opportunity to extend congratulations to Major de Kitkag-Watney on his reprieve and also on his engagement to the Commandant Gereral's daughter, which was announced shortly before the accident.

FLYING SAFETY TIPS

Horizontal Turns
To take a turn the pilot should always remember to sit upright, otherwise he will increase the banking of the aeroplane. He should never lean over.

Crash Precautions
Every pilot should understand the serious consequences of trying to turn with the engine off. It is much safer to crash into a house when going forward than to sideslip or stall a machine with engine trouble.
Passengers should always use safety belts, as the pilot may start stunting without warning. Never release the belt while in the air, or when nosed down to land.

Engine Noises
Upon the detection of a knock, grind, rattle or squeak, the engine should be at once stopped. Knocking or grinding accompanied by a squeak indicates binding and 
a lack of lubricant.

WATCH THAT FIRST STEP

The First Marine Air Wing had this write up in their safety publication, Wing Tips of an AAR board's comments some 40 years ago:

It was conceded by all that the pilot had accomplished a brilliant piece of work in landing his disabled machine without damage under the circumstances. It is not with intent to reflect less credit upon his airmanship, but it must be noted that he is a well experienced aviator with over 40 total hours in the air, embracing a wide variety of machines, and this was his seventh forced landing due to complete failure of the engine.

It was doubly unfortunate that upon alighting from his machine he missed the catwalk on the lower airfoil and plunged both legs through the fabric, straddling a rib, from which he received a grievous personal injury.

Some thought should be devoted to a means of identifying wing-traversing catwalks to assist aviators in disembarking from their various machines