The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) on Thursday announced the inauguration of new air traffic control simulators that will be used in training aviation personnel as part of efforts to address the shortage of staff in regional airports.
In a statement, Caap said its new Aerodrome, Enroute, and Approach Simulators will help strengthen its Comprehensive Air Traffic Service Training Program by providing ‘highly realistic, scenario-based simulation training.’
‘The Caap, especially the Air Traffic Service, have long wished for new and top-of-the-line simulators, and now, we see that their dream has come true. This is a world-class, state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line [simulator]-it is a market leader, so we can say we are no longer being left behind,’ said CAAP Director General Raul del Rosario.
Caap noted that its training program is ‘designed to replicate the different phases of an aircraft’s flight’ and utilizes systems and tools that are used in actual air traffic control environments, allowing trainees to experience ‘realistic operational scenarios in a controlled setting.’
The new simulators, which cost P253 million, will help trainees develop skills such as ‘situational awareness, sound decision-making, effective coordination, precise communication, and management of complex traffic situations.’
‘The simulators will likewise reduce reliance on live operational traffic as the primary training environment, providing a safer and more structured transition from classroom instruction to actual operations,’ said Caap.
Del Rosario added that upgrading Caap’s training system will help improve aviation safety and address the shortage of air traffic controller personnel in regional airports, noting that many of them are choosing to leave the country for ‘lucrative jobs’ overseas.
In the same statement, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez explained that Caap provides free specialized air traffic training to students under its air traffic controller program.
Those who aspire to be air traffic management officers are also guaranteed to get employment in the country’s airports once they pass a qualifying exam, he added.
‘Those who enter and want to train here, they do not pay any tuition fee to our government or Caap. They just need to finish their four-year course as well as a written exam and aptitude test,’ said Lopez