Following its closure during the pandemic, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is relaunching its aviation school through a strategic partnership with Airways Aviation Group (AAG), a leading global pilot training institution.
The aviation school, founded during the 1960s, is opening its doors anew for aspiring pilots as PAL moves to capture a strong fleet of manpower capable of meeting its expansion plans.
For more than six decades, it trained over 1,200 pilots—approximately 90 percent of whom were hired directly by the airline.
Amid the then-restrictive health protocols and the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the school was forced to shut down in June 2020.
The airline sold all related assets, only keeping its name with the hopes of a revival.
In a press briefing on Thursday, April 10, PAL President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Stanley Ng said restoring the airline’s in-house training is a step towards its future expansion plans.
He said the airline’s pilots should be armed with a global outlook, exceptional skills, and an innovative spirit to meet the demands of a rapidly shifting aviation industry.
“We expect the revamped PAL Aviation School, fueled by our strategic cooperation with Airways Aviation, to help us realize this important goal,” said Ng.
Ng said AAG, which has trained over 12,000 commercial airports over its 45-year history, met PAL’s requirements on safety culture and competency-based training.
“We are determined to work closely with the Airways Aviation team in unlocking the value of dynamic collaboration that cuts across borders and cultural differences,” he added.
AAG Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Romy Hawatt said the training group opted to partner with PAL to combine “international best practices with local strength.”
Under the revamped aviation school, aspiring pilots who went through a rigorous selection process will be flown to Australia for their ab initio course—training that takes a student from zero experience to a full-blown commercial pilot.
AAG will host the student pilots in its Gold Coast Academy in Queensland, Australia.
The selection process for the aviation school is already underway, with the first batch of 20 aspiring pilots set to begin as early as July.
PAL said the training program will span 18 months, with a total tuition of approximately ₱4.5 million.
While employment at the airline is not guaranteed, the curriculum is specifically designed to cater to PAL’s needs.