“Proving time and again what our partnership can do”
CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga – Alpha Aviation Group’s APP 03-2019 is all-set to take greater responsibilities and raise the bar on their flight training as they were presented with their wings and 2-bar epaulettes during the Ceremonial Pinning of Wings and Changing of the Epaulette Bars, an “AAG way” of celebrating the first solo milestone of its cadets.
The ceremony starts through a processional march of the cadets as a way of formally welcoming the men and women of the hour. An invocation follows right after, lead by Cadet Raphael Crisanto Marquez. AICAT’s Chief Flight Instructor, Capt. Jim Carlo Batalla, delivered a congratulatory and at the same time a motivational message through his opening remarks, reminding the cadets that flight training is not a walk in the park but rather a walk to remember. He ended his speech by leaving a challenge to all the 17 cadets to finish strong until the completion of the final phase of the program.
APP 03-2019 also prepared an AVP to share to everyone a glimpse of the training that the batch had to go through to be able to reach this milestone in their pilot training. The AVP is a testament of how the batch prepared and worked hard to be able to hurdle this crucial and challenging part of their flight training.
Cadet Patrick Jules Ronas, APP 03-2019’s representative, delivered a message of thanksgiving on behalf of the whole batch. In his speech, he thanked their families, loved ones and their AAG family for the support and motivation that enabled them to reach this far on their journey into becoming airline ready pilots. He even took the opportunity to appreciate everyone in the batch for how they’ve supported one another in this crucial part of their flight training. “When you finish your first solo flight and you see your batchmates waiting for you, you know you can make it as long as you are together”, he said as he encouraged his batchmates to continue working together until they finally fulfill their dream of becoming airline pilots.
The Deputy Chief Flight Instructors from various AAG outstations were also present to celebrate this momentous event. Capt. Eric Ortega presented the First Solo Certificates, Capt. Ana De Leon handed the Cessna Aircraft models prepared by the batch, Capt. Shiel Von Aldous Dy assisted in handing over the 2-bar epaulets to the cadets’ parents and Capt. Jim Carlo Batalla pinned the wings of the cadets. One by one, the cadets were called together with their proud parents for the ceremonial pinning of wings.
AICAT’s Accountable Manager, Capt. Estrelito Gutierrez, caps off the program with his closing remarks. He underscored AAG’s initiatives in building its capabilities, specifically in building its fleet size in order to fast track the training of the cadets. He even echoed AAG’s commitment in delivering world-class pilot training in order to continually produce airline-ready pilots and future leaders for the aviation industry.
