16 FUTURE PILOTS GET CHANCE OF A LIFETIME
Fourteen men with a set of identical twins and two women in their 20s were seated at two tables in the front of the room.
Goodlooking, well-built and articulate, and honor graduates at that, they are the pioneers of the Cebu Pacific Cadet Pilot Program.
In the times they had taken Cebu Pacific flights, they had not imagined that middle of next year, they could already be flying Cebu Pacific planes themselves.
THE CADETS
Introducing the pioneers of the Cadet Pilot Program: Janine Alyssa Marie Bautista (Cainta, Rizal); Martha May de Leon (Sta. Rosa, Laguna); Ian John and Ivan Kevin Satentes (Noveleta, Cavite); Rydale Pintor (Cebu City); Dexie Jay Aljas (South Cotabato, studied at the Cebu Institute of Technology-University in Cebu City); Aaron Jhun Bernabe (Santiago City, Isabela); James Kevin Chua (Sta. Cruz, Manila); Paulo Martin Concepcion (Sta. Rosa, Laguna); Darryl Dave Ditucalan (Iligan City); Geronimo Miguel Mantes (Fairview, Quezon City); Lorenzo Miguel Montinola (Malate, Manila); Ardeen Bernabe Reguyal (San Jose, Occidental Mindoro); Kayrwin Kirch Remolona (Mabalacat, Pampanga); Jose Angelo Santos (Cainta, Rizal); and Juan Carlo Wage (Bamban, Tarlac).
They were presented to journalists at the Cebu Pacific corporate offices in Pasay City last April 10, a day before they were sent off to Adelaide, Australia.
For 52 weeks at the Flight Training Adelaide (FTA), they will undergo intensive aviation training that will transform them to become licensed commercial pilots of Cebu Pacific.
$25-M PROGRAM
Cebu Pacific launched its US$25-million Cadet Pilot Program in October 2017 in a bid to deepen its bench of trained pilots as it strengthens its fleet and flies to more destinations.
Airlines worldwide are faced with the shortage of trained pilots as the steep cost of flying schools prohibits young cadets from enrolling.
In one of the aeronautics schools in Cebu, for example, flight training can cost at least P7,500 per hour. During training, 150 flying hours have to be logged, one of the cadets said.
At FTA, the cadets get 173 flying hours without cost to them.
DREAMS COMING TRUE
Rydale Pintor, who graduated from an aeronautical course in Cebu, said he cannot afford to pay for the training that will move him up to cockpit from engines.
He had worked as an aircraft mechanic in Saudi Arabia and as an aircraft technician in Singapore.
He feels blessed to get accepted into the Cadet Pilot Program of Cebu Pacific.
At 27, Pintor is the oldest in the batch. The youngest is Aaron Bernabe, 21. Average age for the first batch of cadets is 24.
All 16 recruits have college degrees, a requirement to enter the Cadet Pilot Program. Most of them graduated with engineering degrees. One was taking law but had to quit when he got accepted to the CPP.
48 CADETS A YEAR
Two more batches of 16 recruits are scheduled this year.
In partnership with FTA, the Cebu Pacific Cadet Pilot Program picks 48 candidates per year between 2017 and 2022, or a total of 240 candidates within five years. Each candidate gets an allotment of US$100,000 for the entire program.
The first batch had 12,562 applications but after series of tests and panel interviews, only 16 received email informing them of their acceptance to the program.
The second batch is being screened, and Cebu Pacific will open online applications for the third batch next month.
WHAT’S IN STORE
What’s up for the 16 cadets at FTA in the 52 weeks ahead? They have 32 weeks to earn a diploma in aviation and get a commercial pilot license, eight weeks to earn another diploma in aviation this time for instrument training, and 12 weeks to get an advanced diploma in aviation pilot in command.
Then they return to the Philippines to complete type-rating and licensing requirements to become commercial pilots.
These done, they become First Officers at Cebu Pacific and can now fly either domestic or international routes.
With their guaranteed employment with Cebu Pacific, they are to pay back the program cost through salary deduction in 10 years maximum. GRATEFULNESS, DISCIPLINE Dexie Aljas, who is from South Cotabato but studied electronics and computer engineering at Cebu Institute of Technology-University, said he is not giving any ill thought of the 10-year payback.
“I’ve always wanted to become a pilot but my family couldn’t afford it so that’s why I took up ECE. Here is this opportunity of free training and I will always be grateful to Cebu Pacific for this,” Dexie said.
Capt. Samuel Avila, vice president for inflight of Cebu Pacific, sent the 16 cadets off with an advice: Instill discipline in yourself, in all aspects of your field. Discipline helps you soar.