Brand new plane for PH Air Force arrives in Clark

MANILA, Philippines – Finally, a brand new transport plane for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The first of 3 brand new C-295 medium lift fixed-wing aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) landed at Clark Air Base on Sunday, March 22. It is undergoing inspection and tests before it is formally accepted.

Capable of short field landing and takeoff, the C-295 can transport within the country up to 71 passengers, 50 paratroops, 24 stretchers with 5 to 7 attendants, or up to about 20,000 lbs of cargoes.

It looks like the F-27 Fokker plane in the current inventory of the PAF, but it has a rear ramp door similar to the C-130 cargo planes – a feature specifically required by the military for easier access and loading or unloading of passengers and cargoes.

The back-to-back natural and man-made disasters of 2013 highlighted the need for a better lift capability for the Air Force, which maintains 3 operational C-130s. In the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), the Philippines had to rely on foreign militaries to tranport relief goods and evacuate typhoon victims.

Spanish firm EADS/CASA-Airbus Military won the P5.3-billion aircraft contract. Delivery of the two other C-295 planes is expected in 2016. – Rappler.com