by Priam Nepomuceno/PNA
The lift and transport missions of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be conducted by its EADS CASA C-295, GAF N-22 “Nomad”, and NC-212i transport aircraft.
“Pwede naman natin gamitin (We can use the) C-295, ‘Nomad’ and NC-212i, (medium transport planes),” Air Force spokesperson, Major Aristides Galang, said Thursday.
The PAF has three C-295 in its fleet, along with two NC-212i planes and two to four “Nomad” transport aircraft.
Galang made the comment when asked what aircraft the PAF would use for its transport missions after the suspension of operations of its remaining Lockheed C-130 “Hercules” cargo planes. One of the planes caught fire as it was about to take off from Clark Air Base, Angeles City, Pampanga on Wednesday morning.
Investigation is ongoing as to the cause of the fire, he said, declining to give an exact date on when C-130 operations would resume.
Fire struck a C-130 plane with tail number 4726 as it was about to take off at about 7:10 a.m. Wednesday.
Upon seeing the flames, the flight crew immediately alerted firefighters at 7:13 a.m., who then managed to extinguish it at about 7:36 a.m.
No one was reported hurt. The C-130 was supposed to transport students from the National Defense College of the Philippines to Palawan then to Pagasa Island.
The postponed trip is part of the curriculum of the students, who are taking up master’s degree at the National Security Administration.
Galang did not give specifics on the exact cause of the fire and damages on the C-130, pending the result of the investigation.
The C-130 is the primary cargo lift aircraft of the PAF. There are five in service, including the damaged aircraft.
