Alpha Aviation Group to invest aggressively in Philippine aviation industry

(Manila, Philippines, December 9, 2011) – Global aviation training services provider Alpha Aviation Group Philippines (AAG Ph) will aggressively expand its operations in the Philippines, announced Kunal Sharma, Chief Operating Officer of the multinational flight school based in Clark Freeport Zone.

Sharma said the company, which currently operates and maintains an A320 Simulator at its Philippine-based four-bay simulator facility, is banking on the projected sustained growth of the local commercial aviation industry.  The sector is currently driven by stiff competition among an expanding field of budget airlines, and an equally bullish regional market.

“I’m pleased to announce that we have invested in the state-of-the-art Airbus A320 Level D Full Flight Simulator,” Sharma said today. “This is a multimillion US-dollar investment that demonstrates our commitment to the Philippines, Philippine aviation, and training Filipinos for high-paying, professionally fulfilling jobs,” Sharma said. The new flight simulator will provide AAG Ph the capability to deliver 6,000 hours of training annually, roughly enough to prepare 300 new pilots for certification.

Launched in 2006, AAG Ph is currently the world’s largest provider of Multi-crew Pilot License (MPL) pilots. AAG Ph is one of three academies under the Alpha Aviation Group (AAG), a Singapore-based provider of specialist training solutions to the international commercial aviation community. AAG Ph is also an Approved Training Organization (ATO) and a certified Type Rating Training Organization (TRTO) for the Airbus A320.

“AAG Ph graduates have established successful careers in the aviation industry. The training we provide is based on international standards, which prepares cadets to work anywhere in the globe,” said Andy McKechnie, Chief Training  Officer of AAG .

AAG Ph provides highly disciplined operating efficiencies to ensure “on-time and on-schedule” delivery of training services both to pilots and airlines, according to Andrew McIntosh, AAG Director of Operations.  “AAG Ph has been in the Philippines for just five years. During that period, we have dramatically expanded the courses that we offer as well as our training fleet and facilities,” McIntosh said.

Sharma said Maybank is providing the financing for the acquisition of the state-of-the-art simulator. “Maybank believes in our vision for the Philippines as an emerging center of Asian aviation, especially in the training of the region’s pilots,” Sharma explained.  “The secrets to our success in the Philippines are the abundance of local talent and the competence, ambition and growth of players in the industry. Those are the principal reasons for our decision to expand here.”

As an independent training services provider, AAG Ph counts most airline companies in the Philippines among its clients. About 80 percent of the training it provides is for Filipinos employed by local airlines Airphil Express, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air and SEAir. International clients include Air Arabia and Jet Airways.

About Alpha Aviation Group (AAG)
Alpha Aviation Group (AAG) Philippines is one of the three academies of Alpha Aviation Group, a global group of companies providing specialist training solutions to the international commercial aviation community. With a focus on innovation, AAG is the world leader in Multi-crew Pilot’s License (MPL) training.

An Approved Training Organization (ATO) and a certified Type Rating Training Organization (TRTO) for the Airbus A320, AAG Philippines is the leading training academy in the Philippines capable of providing a comprehensive suite of airline-standard training programmes.