News update Omni Aviation welcomes CAAP probe on aviation schools in RP

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga - Omni Aviation Corporation, the country's No. 1 flying school based in Central Luzon, welcomes the move of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to investigate alleged irregularities of flying schools in the issuance of pilots' licenses.

Capt. Ben Hur Gomez said he fully supports this move by CAAP as this would eliminate unscrupulous flying schools that destroy the reputation of the Philippines as producer of best pilots in the world.

CAAP, together with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), found that some flying schools allegedly certify pilot's license course for $30,000 to $50,000.

Some flying schools, according to the NBI, padded their flying hours by logging flights that were not flown.

But this scheme has no place at Omni Aviation as Gomez emphasized that his policy of 100 percent compliance with all the CAAP requirements before issuing a certificate of completion of a pilot's license course to its students that qualifies them to get a pilot's license from the CAAP.

''At Omni, we have a policy of no cheating. Flight time padding is strictly prohibited and Solo flight time means the student is alone in the aircraft,'' said Gomez, who served with the Philippine Airlines for 38 years, and capped his career as vice president for safety and security.

In fact, Gomez disclosed that Omni was the first one to be investigated unannounced by a seven-man team led by a foreign ICAO consultant.

''We are now 100 percent compliant with all the requirements,'' Gomez said.

As testament of patronage to Omni's quality and honest service, foreign students continue to flock to its Clark Field main branch, prompting Gomez to shortly open another branch in Subic which aims to accommodate more students and to decongest its main branch at Clark Field, Pampanga.

According to Gomez, Omni has five Cessna 152s, one Cessna 172, and one Piper Seneca twin-engine planes deployed to its Subic branch.

Gomez emphasized that Omni's Subic branch could serve as back-up for its Clark Field School in case of bad weather and other unexpected events.