Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Negocia set to take Kingdom’s aviation sector to the skies

Negocia set to take Kingdom’s aviation sector to the skies

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Negocia Ventures plans to develop human resources in Cambodia’s aviation sector by providing pilot training amid an increase in the number of new airlines operating in the Kingdom. Heng Chivoan

Negocia set to take Kingdom’s aviation sector to the skies

A company has unveiled plans to develop human resources in Cambodia’s aviation sector by providing pilot training as the number of new airlines in the Kingdom grows, its founder said on Monday.

Negocia Ventures last week signed a memorandum of understanding with Philippines-based pilot training providers Alpha Aviation Group.

Thierry Tea, Chairman and CEO of Negocia Ventures, said on Monday that the partnership has been formed at a time when the number of new airlines has surged in Cambodia with an increasing number of Airbus A320 aircraft in operation.

He added that these aircraft will require a large number of new pilots which is why his firm and Alpha Aviation Group aim to establish a pilot training school in the Kingdom to support domestic airlines by training Cambodians.

Investment opportunities

Acknowledging that market scale is still small while the pilot training school will need a huge investment, French-born Cambodian, Tea, who has more than 10 years experience as CEO of Airbus Helicopters Philippines said he is looking for long-term investments.

“We want to work with the Kingdom’s youth. We believe Cambodian pilots can potentially fly overseas. I believe that for the next 10 to 20 years, it should be Cambodian pilots who fly in Cambodia and then [they] can also go overseas [to places such as] the Middle East or Southeast Asia,” he said.

Tea declined to give further details of the pilot training project, citing confidentiality. Nonetheless, he said even though the main target is to set up the training facility in Cambodia, the project will start gradually by setting up a representative office for Alpha Aviation Group in Cambodia and sending students for training in the Philippines.

The new flight training school will be under the supervision of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA).

SSCA spokesman Sinn Chanserey Vutha welcomed the news. He also said that there will be a big challenge as the market scale is small while the investment required is large.

“In the last few years, investors have come to explore business opportunities for a pilot training school in Cambodia, but after completing a feasibility study, the project was not practical due to the small market scale.

“The investment needs a lot of capital, while the number of students is still limited,” he said.

Vutha said there are currently nine fixed-wing locally-registered airlines in Cambodia, using about 20 aircraft. But there are only some 12 Cambodian pilots.

Cambodia’s existing aviation sector training centre, located at Phnom Penh International Airport, was built with an investment of $10.1 million and funded and supervised by South Korea’s International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Its courses were designed for airport security, air navigation services, air traffic controllers and airport management, but the training centre is not designed for pilot training.

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • PM to open new Siem Reap int’l airport December 1

    Prime Minister Hun Manet and Chinese leaders would jointly participate in the official opening of the new Chinese-invested Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport on December 1. The airport symbolises a new page in the history of Cambodian aviation, which will be able to welcome long-distance flights to