PAF's 5th C-130 aircraft to be formally handed over to 220th Airlift Wing Monday

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 23): PAF's 5th C-130 aircraft to be formally handed over to 220th Airlift Wing Monday

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) will formally turned over its fifth Lockheed C-130 "Hercules" cargo aircraft to the 220th Airlift Wing after a short blessing ceremony in Villamor Air Base, Pasay City Monday.

The C-130, with tail number 5040, is the second T-model acquired from the US Excess Defense Article Program aimed at beefing the PAF's humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is the event's guest-of-honor and speaker.

The latter aircraft arrived at the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu 7:56 p.m. last October 9.

The C-130 aircraft took off from Guam's Andersen Air Base at 2:50 p.m. on the same date for the final leg of its flight to the Philippines.

PAF spokesperson Col. Antonio Francisco said the pilots who flown the C-130 back to the Philippines are Lt. Col. Joey Inacay, mission commander; Lt. Col. Jason Rom Lacida, aircraft commander; Major Anthony Amora, test pilot and pilot-in-command; Major Meritto Jay Quijano, pilot-in-command; Major Marjorie Mukay, pilot-in-command and Major Ronel Salas, pilot.

The PAF spokesperson also said that Mukay is the first female to be certified as a pilot-in-command of a C-130.

”Please take note that Major Mukay, the other pilot-in-command, is the first female pilot to be checked out as pilot-in-command of a C-130 aircraft,” Francisco said.

The PAF’s fifth C-130, which was acquired through the US Excess Defense Articles Program, took off from Tucson, Arizona (Davis-Monthan Air Base) last Oct. 6 (American time).

The Air Force’s fifth C-130 as well as the fourth belong to the "T" model of the class and original configured as a airborne tanker.

The fourth C-130 arrived in Benito Ebuen Airbase, Mactan, Cebu last April 5.

It was flown by Filipino pilots headed by Col. Alejando Baclayon, Lt. Col. Ian Earth Lamzon, Major Ian Dexter Danes, Major Anthony Amora, and Major Ramil Daet.

The two C-130Ts are worth USD61 million and were acquired through the US Excess Defense Article Program.

Francisco said the additional C-130s will boost the PAF's transport and logistic capabilities.

Aside from the four C-130s, the PAF has three Airbus Military C-295 medium and three Fokker F-27 transports for its logistics and lift missions.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=933830