C-295 sets maiden mission to Palawan, Mactan

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 30): C-295 sets maiden mission to Palawan, Mactan
 

The country's first ever Airbus Military C-295 medium transport, which was formally commissioned Monday, will have its maiden mission in Philippine Air Force (PAF) colors by flying supplies to Palawan and Mactan Tuesday.

"We will have our logistic flight tomorrow (Tuesday) and we were informed that we will be flying to Palawan and Mactan," said Capt. Geraldine Matienzo, one of the first pilots to qualify to fly the Philippines' latest transport aircraft.

Matienzo is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 2005.

She said that the aircraf's payload consisted mostly of supplies needed by military manning the airbases in Palawan and Mactan.

Matienzo said that having the C-295 in PAF inventory will greatly enhance the Air Force's capability.

"Now (that) it has been enhanced and we are very happy for that and we are honored to be part of the pioneer aircrew to perform such missions that will enhance our capability," she said.

The PAF has an existing order for three C-295s at Airbus Military.

The contract is worth Php5.29 billion. It was signed last year.

Training for the first batch, composed of four PAF pilots and 24 maintenance crew, was done in Seville, Spain and was completed last March 10.

"Succeeding training for pilots will continue this year in anticipation of the delivery of two more C-295s," Canaya said.

The first C-295 arrived at Clark Air Base, Pampanga on March 22. Its arrival was five months earlier than the scheduled August delivery date.

The two remaining planes are expected to be delivered in the last quarter of 2015.

The C-295 is categorized as medium lift aircraft equivalent to the Fokker F-27 aircraft being maintained by the 220th Airlift Wing. C-295s have rear ramp door similar to that of the C-130s for easier access and loading/unloading of passengers and cargoes.

It can carry as much as 71 passengers, 50 paratroops, 24 stretchers with five to seven attendants or up to about 20,000 pounds of cargoes. It is capable of short field landing and takeoff and has a top speed of 358 miles per hour.

The aircraft departed from Seville, Spain last March 16 where it was assembled. It was flown into the country by civilian pilots and crew of Airbus Military.

Airbus won the Department of National Defense medium lift aircraft program after offering Php 5.29-billion bid for three aircraft last year, considerably lower than the Php5.3 billion stipulated in the contract.

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