ANDREW DOYLE / MANILA
Bidders' conference will take place in Manila in April after contract signed with owners of former air base
Plans to establish a military flying school at the former Clark AB in the Philippines are gathering pace after a contract was signed with the Clark Development Corporation.
The main proponent of the proposed International Flying School (IFS), Garsol Management Innovators (GMII) president and chief executive Sean Gerard Volloria, says manufacturers and other suppliers are being invited to a bidders conference in Manila in late April. Attendees will present responses to request for proposals (RFP) due for release by the end of March.
GMII wants to equip the IFS with a squadron each of primary and basic trainers, 12 twin-engined Raytheon King Airs, up to 26 jet trainers and 20 helicopters. It plans to evaluate the Aermacchi MB339, M346 and SF260, Cessna 172, Embraer Super Tucano, Pilatus PC-9 and PC-21, Raytheon T-6A and Zlin 242. A memorandum of understanding has already been signed with Pacific Aerospace to acquire CT/4E primary trainers.
The jet requirement could be met with used Northrop F-5s sourced from Saudi Arabia, Switzerland or Taiwan. Under consideration for the helicopter requirement are the Bell 206 and UH-1H, but discussions with Eurocopter are also planned.
Longer term, Villoria envisages IFS possibly acquiring Lockheed Martin F-16s. Another possibility is the purchase of ex-New Zealand air force McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawks to be flown as "enemy" aircraft during training exercises.
The Toronto Dominion Bank has pledged to invest $300 million in the IFS. Villoria is also looking for industry partners to take equity stakes (Flight International, 22-28 January). He says BAE Systems or Bombardier could be signed up to run the IFS at first.
GMII is negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines defence department with the aim of securing the former US Air Force Crow Valley Gunnery Range for the IFS. The 17,800Ha (44,000 acre) Crow Valley would provide 340km3 (81.5 cubed miles) of training airspace, says Villoria, who aims to sign the MoU within "the next 60 days".
Talks are, meanwhile, under way with EADS, ITT, Lockheed Martin and Thales for the supply of air traffic control and long-range surveillance radars for the IFS.
Villoria believes establishing the IFS in the Clark Special Economic Zone will enable it to offer overseas air forces pilot training at a cost "25-50% lower" than comparable schools such as the Bombardier-led NATO Flying Training in Canada centre.
Source: Flight International
