Affluent Burmese can opt for career as pilot

by Phoe Zaw
Monday, 28 September 2009 21:23

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Ambitious and well heeled Burmese people, who might be in search of a career in flying, can now apply at a flying school in the Philippines by paying 35,000 US dollars.

An official of the Myanmar Golden Bridge Co. Ltd, in Rangoon’s Yakin Suburban Township said they have linked up with “The Cyclone Flying School” in Lyzon City in Philippines, offering admission to young Burmese people, who have passed Matriculation, and are looking at a career as a pilot.

“The applicants are required to have healthy lungs as they will be flying at high altitudes and should not be colour-blind. We provide services linking the school and provide pick-up to and from airports, and paying the school fees,” said the company official.

The training, which will be for seven to ten months, will be conducted by former Philippine pilots and will include theory and 200 hours of flying time as practical training.

The official said, the total fee of US$ 35,000 must be paid in three installments but students are required to pay extra for their food during the training, which is estimated to be around US$ 5,000.

On completion of the training, students will be ready to fly small planes and cargo aircraft but would still require 1,500 hours of flying time before they can fly big aircraft.

But so far, the Myanmar Golden Bridge Co. Ltd., which began operations in 2008, has been able to send only three students to the pilot training course in the Philippines.