Nothing unusual with Chinese plane's refueling stop

MANILA -- There is nothing unusual with the landing and refuelling of a People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Ilyushin-76 turbofan strategic airlifter in Davao City last June 8.

This was bared by Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana shortly after flag-raising ceremonies in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Monday.

Lorenzana said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which is in charge of Philippine airspace has said that the airlifter crew had coordinated with them for landing and refueling on their way to Cairns, Australia.

"Pagbalik niya magrerefuel din ulit. Ganun ang kasunduan, so nothing is unusual there, kahit na ibang mga bansa ginagawa din yan, yung mga Amerikano nagla-landing din dito din dito para mag-refuel," he added.

The DND chief added that Philippine Air Force planes also do this kind of procedures when going abroad.

"In fact pagkapumunta tayo sa ibang bansa at gagamitin natin sa loob (ang) eroplano (natin) at kapusin tayo we can land in another country, refuel, but we will have to have prior coordination, yun ang ginawa nila," Lorenzana said.

The Ilyushin-76 is a multi-purpose four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Ilyushin design bureau.

It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967, as a replacement for the Antonov An-12. It was designed to deliver heavy machinery to remote, poorly served areas. PNA