PAF studying phaseout of ‘deadly’ training jets

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is studying the possibility of removing its S-211 trainer jets from its inventory following last week’s crash of a similar type of aircraft in Bataan province, killing the jet’s two pilots. “They are studying that, that’s why they’ve grounded all [S-211s]. The Air Force is conducting that (study) itself," said Armed Forces spokesman Commodore Miguel Jose Rodriguez at a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo on Monday. An S-211 jet was on a proficiency training flight last Thursday when it crashed at the waters of Bagac town, resulting in the deaths of Maj. Ephraim Soyum, the valedictorian of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1997, and Capt. Raymond de Leon. Last week’s accident was the second crash involving S-211 planes in less than a year. Last July, an S-211 aircraft also crashed in Concepcion town in Tarlac while also on a training flight. The two pilots were able to eject from the plane before it hit the ground. Last week’s accident prompted the Air Force leadership to ground the two remaining operational S-211 trainer planes pending a thorough investigation on the crash. The Air Force has three other S-211s but they are under maintenance. Apart from attending to the training needs of Air Force pilots, S-211s are also used to provide firepower to troops on the ground and also used in the conduct of security patrol operations. Told that S-211s may be too valuable to be phased out, Rodriguez said, “All aircraft have their value, depending on their use but basically our S-211s are okay. But there are other aircraft that we can also use." Rodriguez said the Air Force would be making recommendations to the AFP Weapons Modernization Board regarding what type of aircraft should be procured under their modernization program in the event that S-211s are phased out. “They are studying that (phase out of the S-211s), what are the risks. If they think that the risk is high, then we have to think of something," said Rodriguez. - KBK, GMA News