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MANILA – The new head of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines aims to return the country to Category 1 status before the end of the year.
"Hopefully, we might have some good news by Christmas time. I cannot say outright whether we will get into Category 1," retired Lt. Gen.William Hotchkiss III, CAAP director-general, told reporters.
The Department of Transportation and Communication earlier said only two out of the 22 actionable items identified by the US Federal Aviation Authority as safety concerns remain unresolved.
These are the lack of qualified safety personnel and the absence of an integrated IT system to modernize the sector’s database.
In 2008, the US FAA downgraded the Philippine rating to Category 2.
Hotchkiss said good governance will be part of his agenda as new director-general of CAAP.
“Air (security) operations are not new to me, but I need some time to fully understand the pressing issues facing CAAP before I can make the right decision to institute reforms,” he said.
Hotchkiss was the former commanding general of the Philippine Air Force, managing more than 15,000 personnel to carry out the primary mission of securing the national air defense.
Other PAF missions that Hotchkiss III supervised include search and rescue, transportation, and communications for all services, as well as securing the nation’s airports.
Hotchkiss headed the Special Aircraft Accident Investigation Committee that investigated the tragic Air Philippines crash in Davao City in 2001.
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