APFT to start academy in Indonesia

KUALA LUMPUR: Aviation training provider, APFT Bhd targets to begin its flight academy in Indonesia before the end of this year, said its executive director Datuk Faruk Othman.
"We hope to put schools in Surabaya, Indonesia by third to fourth quarter of this year," he said after after the signing ceremony between APFT and Lufthansa Technical Training GmbH (LTT) yesterday.
APFT formed a joint venture with PT Transnusa Aviation Mandiri in February last year to set up the first Malaysian flight academy in Indonesia, PT Transasia Pacific Aviation Training (TAPAT).
"We started last year in Indonesia but until today we have not got the approval yet. Hopefully by the fourth quarter we should get the approval," said Faruk, adding that currently the group owns 39 aicraft and three helicopters.
Previously the group has ventured into India to set up a flight academy in the Hyderabad airport with local partner GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited.
Faruk said to date, the group has 20 cadets in Hyderabad and planning to send two additional aircraft to India by next month.
Other than operating its flight academy, the group also provides maintenance training program and chartered commercial services for unscheduled flights and leisure seekers to travel by light aircraft.
Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony with Lufthansa Technical Training (LTT), Faruk said the group is expanding its aviation segment into engineering training through its maintenance training school, starting in January 2015.
"We believe that this agreement with LTT will benefit not only the students but also the aviation industry in Malaysia as well as the region," he said, adding the five-years contract targets to train and qualify 400 trainees as aircraft mechanics according to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) specifications.
"With this collaboration today we should be able to increase the contribution of the aviation side," he added.
On another note, Faruk said APFT Bhd will deploy two aircraft for its charter services next year which would contribute positively to its earnings in future.
"We have secured necessary approval from the DCA (Department of Civil Aviation) to operate flight charter services as early as next year. Our routes are currently being finalised and we are targeting to provide local connectivity in the east coast, especially Kelantan and Terengganu," he said.
Currently, APFT have three helicopters and 39 aircraft used for flight training purposes, with fleet age ranging from five to 10 years.
The group's aviation segment contributes 25 % to its revenue, while its main contributor oil & gas (O&G) segment contributes 75% in its financial year ending 2014.