CLARK FREE PORT, Pampanga—The country’s aviation industry, particularly at the 2,200-hectare civil-aviation complex here, will get a much-needed boost after an Italian defense contractor and a Filipino aviation firm signed an agreement for the manufacture of training aircraft here.

The development comes on the heels of an assembly-and-parts manufacturing agreement signed on April 25 by Alenia Aermacchi of Italy and Aerotech Industries Philippines Inc. The deal also covers 18 new SF-260F basic trainer aircraft for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The development of the 18 training aircraft will cost $13.8 million. The amount covers the SF- 260F piston engine, pilot and technician training and technical assistance, as well as the supply of ground support and spare parts.

Teresa Parian, Aerotech Industries’ chief operating officer, said the agreement “will definitely boost the aviation industry of the country.”

She noted the general agreement is up to 2015, “which means that all orders that Alenia Aermacchi will receive in the next years worldwide will be assembled in and supplied out of the Aerotech Philippines facility.”

“Considering that 27 armed forces use SF- 260 trainer aircraft all over the world, with about 1,000 units in operations, Alenia Aermacchi estimates 100 new units of this aircraft type to be sold in the next five years,” Parian said.

In a statement, Alenia Aermacchi said the delivery will start one year after the April 25 agreement signing and will be concluded within 18 months.

Aerotech Industries, a registered locator based in the civil-aviation complex of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, has pioneered the commercial support program of the PAF through in-country major structural inspection of the S211 aircraft fleet, Parian said

She added that Aerotech Industries has conducted maintenance and leasing of SF-260M for the PAF’s military pilot training for the past seven years and the inspection and servicing of Martin Baker ejection seats on S211 jets.

The firm provides representation and technical support to Singapore Technologies Aerospace Engineering’s 20 refurbished UH-IH helicopters and has aircraft spare parts inventory of about 5,000 line items, Parian added.

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CLARK FREE PORT, Pampanga—The country’s aviation industry, particularly at the 2,200-hectare civil-aviation complex here, will get a much-needed boost after an Italian defense contractor and a Filipino aviation firm signed an agreement for the manufacture of training aircraft here.

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