COVID-19 Recovery: The Outlook of the Philippine Aviation Industry

In 2019, the aviation sector of the Philippines was at its peak. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) recorded 737,812 aircraft movements that year alone. It was attributed to the increasing flight frequencies to both international and domestic sectors as more airports cater to the needs of the flying public. As an archipelagic country, it added connectivity around the Philippines, making it even smaller. The aviation sector was gearing towards a brighter and promising future, full steam ahead.

Dangerous Crosswind

They say the less, the better.

Being an air traffic controller and a frequent traveler is not a good combo at all. You see, when your flight suddenly halts in the middle of the taxiway, you'd groan, "Oh no, give us some ample spacing for each arrival. I need to fly ASAP!" or, "Why aren't we taking off yet? There is no inbound traffic at the final approach runway 06?". Then, you'll check FlightRadar24 to monitor the traffic around the aerodrome traffic zone. But, I stopped doing it because it's stressing me out, to say the least.

5 Things You Should Know About Singapore Airshow 2018

Singapore Airshow 2018 is just around the corner, and I can no longer contain my excitement. Happening this February 6-11, 2018, the Singapore Airshow 2018 showcases both commercial and military fixed and rotary aircraft. Four years ago, I attended this event, and I was pretty much blown away by it.

For those who are watching this airshow for the first time, here are the five things that you should know about this event.

My Offload Experience with Cebu Pacific

Disclaimer: Before anything else, this is not a rant post about the airline. Rather, this experience was actually the highlight of my recent trip in Bali, Indonesia!

We were scheduled to fly back to Manila from Denpasar at around 8:45AM. Since our hotel is conveniently located right in front of Denspasar's Ngurah Rai International Airport, we left our hotel at quarter to seven in the morning. Besides, we have already checked-in online, so we were pretty much confident with the check-in procedure. The process was quite slow but we didn't care. Besides, we're flying home.

The moment we presented our passports at the check-in counter, we received a disheartening news from the airport ground staff.

Understanding Aviation Jargon: Aircraft Situation

They say that a mile of highway will just take you a mile, but a mile of runway will take you anywhere. In this day and age, more and more people can afford flying, thanks to the low fares of low-cost airlines. The demand for air travel is skyrocketing but majority of the major airports in the Philippines aren't expanding at all.

Flight delays are common these days due to air traffic congestion. But sometimes, announcements made by the ground crew are quite ambiguous. You often hear them saying, "your flight will be delayed due to aircraft situation. Our sincerest apologies for the inconveniences brought about by this delay."

So what does 'aircraft situation' really mean? Here, we dissect these two words into four possible scenarios.

Travel Tips: What is Air Traffic Congestion?

Mr. Delay will see you.

John can no longer contain his excitement. It will be his first time to ride an airplane. It will also be his first time in Manila and ultimately his final destination, Baguio City together with his college friends. They had already planned this trip for a very long time. For two years, they haven’t seen that much due to their busy work schedule, even if they were all assigned in Davao.

After completing their security check-in, they made their way to the pre-departure area and waited for their flight. It was almost eleven in the morning and their flight, Philippine Airlines PR 1814 was scheduled to depart on time as their turnaround aircraft arrived 10 minutes ahead of their scheduled arrival. He had already pictured himself inside the bus en route to Baguio, enjoying the picturesque landscape of Central Luzon.

Then came their boarding announcement. Once inside the plane, John religiously followed the safety protocols of the aircraft: seatbelt is securely fastened, window shades up, and tray tables stowed. Several minutes later, the cabin crew closed the door, and they were now ready for departure, or so he thought. For the next fifteen minutes, they were still stationary. Then, the pilot gave an announcement, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are now fully ready for departure, however, due to air traffic congestion in Manila, we are given a departure clearance time of 1:40PM. This is beyond our control. We sincerely apologize for the inconveniences brought about by this delay.”

More than an hour of delay spells a total disaster on their tight itinerary. John and his friends can’t really believe that this is actually happening.

A Day in Life as an Air Traffic Controller

It all started in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 

The cool breeze of December had already been felt by the people living on this quaint town of the eastern seaboard. Folks from different walks of life were busy preparing for Christmas. But for Wilbur and Orville, they were about to make history.

The world had since changed after the Wright Brothers proved to humankind that we can fly. In this day and age, flying is the fastest and still the safest way to get around from one point to the other, all thanks to the current technologies installed in modern aircraft, the skilled pilots who control it, and to the Air Traffic Controllers, the guiding voices of the sky.

Five Misconceptions about Flying

Taxiway Charlie at NAIA

Flying, without a doubt, is the safest and the fastest way of transportation. It makes the economy of the state, and the lives of the people running at a steady pace. I couldn't imagine life without air transportation. Today, more and more people choose to fly due to lower airfare, most especially when airline tickets are on sale.

Working in the aviation field gave me an opportunity to understand on how this industry really works. More so, as a frequent flyer, I always encounter or hear a LOT of scuttlebutts about flying. Here are the five misconceptions and facts about flying.

The Jumpseat Experience: Inside the Cockpit of A330-300

Cleared for take-off.

Last May, I availed a free flight to Davao from Tacloban (via Manila) through our yearly DFR (Domestic Familiarization Route) privilege. For those who didn't know, Philippine Air Traffic Controllers are entitled to have two free domestic trips plus one emergency every year. Well, at least we have this cool privilege from giving air traffic services to airlines.

As a new ATC of the country, it was a humbling experience to be there.

A Flight to Remember: AME4542

Fuerza Aerea Española

Weeks ago, we received a note coming from the Spanish Government. The Foreign Minister of Spain along with his cohorts will be visiting Tacloban City for one day, utilizing the Spanish Airforce's Airbus A310. That note didn't really catch my attention until the day of its arrival. Heck, I did not expect that I'd be the one who would handle this aircraft - from giving initial instructions during its initial descend up to its landing clearance.

It was such an honor to handle this VIP flight. Indeed, it was a first in my career as an Air Traffic Controller. And with that, my experience got even featured here! Thanks Darryl for the feature! Great write-up!

Now here's the article, lifted from the blog of Philippine Flight Network:

The Singapore Airshow 2014 Experience

As a die-hard fan of the aviation industry, attending a major airshow has been on my bucket list. Just last week, the dream went into reality when I became part of this momentous event. I didn't expect that I'd join this event most especially that I have an unpredictable work schedule. To cut the long story short, I traveled all the way to Singapore with my friends who are also into this obsession passion and had a blast!

The Singapore Diaries: Prologue

Like any other travels, going home will always be the hardest part. I still can't get over with my recent trip in Singapore and there's no remedy to it at all! That was exactly how I felt when I came back from my Kota Kinabalu adventure almost two years ago. Anyway, hola! I am finally back. It was a good thing that I came home without paying any hefty fines in Asia's finest city-state, Singapore.

Now, where do I start?

Planespotting in Manila

It's the month of February and that means I am going to celebrate Valentine's with my first love - aviation! Yesterday, after my duty, I went to the PPSG (Philippine Plane Spotter Group) HQ located at Multinational Avenue, Parañaque near the end of NAIA's runway 06 to meet up with my #ProjectSingaporeAirshow2014 friends (gee, what a long sentence). By the way, we're going to Singapore this February 13-16 to attend the Singapore Airshow 2014, plus a little bit of side trips. It's going to be my first time in Singapore and I'm going to make the most out of it! I can no longer contain my excitement!

Now back to the topic. Since last year, I have posted a few entries about my planespotting activities in Davao International Airport (ICAO: RPMD). It sure is an exciting activity most especially if there's a high volume of air traffic. But I admit that it gets boring if (1) there's only one or two arrivals/departures, and; (2) all aircraft are of the same type/model - example, the famous and best-seller Airbus A320-200. It was my first  time to spot in Manila with my DSLR. Without minding the scorching heat of the sun, I went near the perimeter fence and took a lot of photos... as if there's no tomorrow! Heh.

Random Shots: Plaridel Airport

Upon learning that I'm going to be permanently assigned in Tacloban Tower/Approach Control facility, I together with my five other classmates who were also assigned to different provinces of the Philippines such as Kalibo, Busuanga, Subic, and Tuguegarao, will temporarily stay in Plaridel Tower. We still have to wait for our travel orders and some important documents before leaving Manila.

It was also an opportunity for me and my favorite toy (ehem, Canon EOS 1100D, we meet again!) to bond here in Plaridel. I have almost abandoned it during my training last year and my parents seldom used it.

Well, it feels so great to be reunited again with my favorite toy in the world!

The Cessna 172 Experience

Inside the Cessna 172

Controlling air traffic at a particular facility (whether aerodrome, approach, or area control), is not a piece of cake. Before giving clearances, the ATC must be knowledgable about the local traffic procedures to ensure the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic, the different aircraft performances, and a whole lot more. Pilots, on the other hand, rely on the voice of an air traffic controller before executing such actions.

But I've always wondered what it feels like to be inside the cockpit of an aircraft.

The Radar Out Experience

Keeping the sky and ground safe 24/7

If you think you have already seen the whole scenario of the radar out last week, well... think again. The media have only reported the scenes from the airport terminals where thousands of passengers got stranded due to delayed and cancelled flights brought about by the radar outage. What I am going to share is my experience at the control tower.

When I was still an ATC Trainee, we were taught on how to handle unusual air traffic situations. During our dry runs in Approach and Aerodrome Control, our usual scenarios were always out-of-this-world - an aircraft reported heavy tailwind during the approach and executed a missed approach procedure, quasi-emergency due to the departing Kalayaan 1 (Presidential flight), and an aircraft over Manila declares an emergency. All of these happen in one air traffic situation. I deemed this situation to be absurd and it will never, ever, happen in real life. Because if it does, you are the luckiest person in the whole world. The gods must be damn crazy!

The outage last week made me realize that I was wrong. In air traffic, always expect the unexpected.

Radar Under Maintenance: Expect Flight Delays this Week

24/7 Public Service

If you are flying in and out of Manila this week, expect intermittent flight delays due to the unservicable radar of Manila Approach. The radar is currently under maintenance and will last for about a week. But, before you complain about this inconvenience, let me explain how the ATCs, particularly assigned at Manila Approach, handle this kind of situation.

The Plaridel Tower Experience

Ramp of RPUX

We're almost done with our first OJT rotation and for our fifth facility, our group went all the way to Plaridel Airport in Bulacan. I still can't believe that we controlled LIVE air traffic and talked to REAL pilots through radio. I was really looking forward for this week to come. According to the previous groups, their Plaridel Tower experience was one-of-a-kind and exciting.

What Made Me Decide To Become An Air Traffic Controller?

Aviation

Back in our preschool days, our teachers would always ask us to fill out this statement: When I grow up, I want to be a/an ________. Most kids would have these answers: a doctor, a police, a firefighter, a nurse, a lawyer, a pilot, an engineer, or a scientist. And I bet no kid in the world would have this answer: to be an air traffic controller.

Most people think that the job of an air traffic controller is to just wave the neon 'fan' to guide the plane to its designated parking bay. No, that's not the job of an ATC. There is more when you enter the realm of air traffic.

Of Ruined Vacations: Cancelled and Delayed Flights

The Art Of Waiting. Photo taken at Mactan-Cebu Int'l Airport

Janelle Tan (not her real name) had already planned to have a grand vacation in Boracay with her college friends. It has been years since their last adventure. She and her friends availed a promo fare to Caticlan months before their Boracay escapade. As the date of their vacation drew nearer, Janelle couldn't contain her excitement. She had already packed her things, and updated her social media accounts.

"Boracay, see you in three days! #vacation #MyLife #MainggitKa", her Twitter account said.

The day of their flight came. They were scheduled to leave Manila at three in the afternoon. At 1PM, they were already inside NAIA Terminal 3. Everything went well; they did not encounter any problems. After 20 minutes, they were already at the pre-departure area. It was rather full of people, as expected. Every summer, there is a significant increase of flights in and out of Manila, mostly coming from the domestic sector.

They were expected to board at 2:40 PM, as indicated on their boarding passes. It was already 3PM and there were no any advisories regarding their flight. Janelle was expecting this, maybe a 15 to 20 minute delay. At 3:30 PM, they were advised that their new ETD (Estimated Time of Departure) will be at 3:40 PM due to air traffic congestion over Manila.