The Lanmei Training Centre (LTC) – in collaboration with the Royal Cambodian Air Force – has launched its first flight from a Cambodian air force base.
Kong Mony, the Air Force’s chief of staff and deputy commander, said at the launch ceremony on September 29 that the flight was part of a long-term strategic plan for the training of Cambodian human resources in the field of aviation as well as technical repair and aircraft control in Cambodia.
“This contributes to building human resources – especially pilots – in the Cambodian aviation sector to achieve the same relative quantity and quality as other countries in the region and beyond,” he said.
Chan Chee Seng, chairman of the board of LTC, also said the opening of the Pilot Human Resource Training Centre was in response to the lack of Cambodian human resources in this field, which can hold back progress for Cambodian civil aviation.
He said the centre is there to serve Cambodian students so that they do not have to study abroad, which is extremely expensive. Instead, they can study locally to meet the needs of the aviation sector. Cambodia now has a shortage of pilots and engineers and those who do work here are mostly foreigners.
“The centre was set up to train Cambodians to become pilots, to help Cambodian pluralism and also to replace foreign workers in the future to meet the needs of local aviation using Cambodian pilots,” he said.
Khan Vanna, director-general for technical operations at the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), said LTC and CAF will have a specific programme to develop a strategic plan for training aviation human resources in Cambodia to a greater extent than most other developing countries in the world.
He said the programme of cooperation between LTC and CAF would not be limited to pilot training but would also expand into aircraft engineering, inspections and maintenance services – all jobs currently occupied mostly by foreign workers who need to be paid more and are often in Cambodia on a relatively short-term basis.
“Therefore, the programme is a strong priority because skilled human resources are really the key factor that is missing in Cambodian aviation right now so we’re working to be able to meet those needs in the future,” he said.
