The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is looking to fix one of its aircraft which lost a front landing gear tire while transporting relief goods to typhoon-hit Batanes over the weekend.
The subject aircraft, a Philippine Air Force (PAF) C-295 cargo plane, is “repairable”, AFP Chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Monday, Nov. 4.
“Yes, our C-295 in Batanes is repairable. Last night, we already towed it to the side of the Basco airport so we can resume the airport operations. We can now preposition relief goods in anticipation of the arrival of [Tropical Storm] Marce,” Brawner said.
The cargo plane had to be sidelined after its front landing gear was detached upon landing at the Basco airport last Friday, Nov. 1, while delivering relief goods for the victims of Super Typhoon “Leon”.
No one was hurt in the incident.
The AFP is continuously sending relief aid to Batanes and other provinces in Luzon that were struck by Leon and Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” as it prepares for the impact of Tropical Storm Marce, which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday.
The military also used Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija to preposition relief goods from other countries.
“We still have other airlift assets. Aside from that C-295, we have C-130s and other C-295 aircraft. But when it comes to humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations, if we will be hit by another big disaster or calamity, we might need additional help from other countries,” Brawner said.
Relatedly, the PAF and the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), executed a a joint aerial relief operation on Nov. 2 to deliver critical aid to Kristine-hit Calaguas Island in Camarines Norte.
Mobilizing their Black Hawk helicopters, the PAF and RBAirF transported family food packs provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to the island's residents, who have been severely affected by recent severe weather conditions.