Philippine Air Force C130 aircraft INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) 220th Airlift Wing, the unit which flies light and medium-lift planes, has clocked a total of 11,420 flight hours in 2017, the highest for the unit in recent years.
In its Facebook page, the Air Force said the 220th Airlift Wing’s flying hours in 2017 reached more than the supposed program of 6,000 flight hours for the year.
The relentless transport of troops and assets during the five-month Marawi battle and the maritime patrols over Benham Rise and the West Philippine Sea were among the reasons for the increased flying rate.
“This substantial increase in the actual flight time was largely brought about by the heavy airlift operations of the Wing such as troops deployment and reinforcements most particularly in the military campaign in Marawi; AFP and PAF Logistic flights; humanitarian and disaster relief missions in the aftermath of typhoon Vinta; support to fighter aircraft operations or territorial defense operations; aero-medical evacuation sorties; maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea and Benham Rise; support to national development efforts and socio-economic initiatives; frequent international flight missions most particularly in Guam and Arizona; VVIP/VIP flights including Presidential sorties and the recent holiday sorties,” the Air Force said.
A total of 77,600 man-hours were recorded to complete the 3,160 scheduled and unscheduled maintenance inspections for the aircraft.
The air assets under the Mactan-based 220th Airlift Wing include the C-130 cargo planes, C-295 and Fokker transport planes, and Nomad. /jpv
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