ASIAN SPIRIT under new management
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ASIAN SPIRIT under new management
Asian Spirit has been bought by a certain Filipino-Chinese business man Alfredo Yao, famously known as the Owner of Zest-o Corporation (Tetrapack Juice company). He bought the company's share 100% and is planning to buy five China made XIAN MA60 aircraft to replace the aging Dash7s. Are MA60s reliable?
"God made the world, and everything else is made in China"
"God made the world, and everything else is made in China"
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MA-60?
And what will happen to the flying "junkyard" of 6K? Rumors are saying that a BAe146-200 was sold to the Middle East but who will take their Dash-7s and the YS-11 etc?
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Ma 60 ??
I am not a pro, but all i heard of the MA60 was they are glorified AN 26s (note - not the AN 32 - which is the new gen AN 26 with excellent hot / high performance ..) and are severely weight restricted.
A company I know of did some performance review, and realised that the original AN 26 is better than the MA 60.
That is the bad news, from what I understood ..
For the good news - The good news is MA 60 comes in Airliner interior ... and cost less. And China is offering generous credit terms for the aircraft.
A company I know of did some performance review, and realised that the original AN 26 is better than the MA 60.
That is the bad news, from what I understood ..
For the good news - The good news is MA 60 comes in Airliner interior ... and cost less. And China is offering generous credit terms for the aircraft.
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I checked the airliners website for the pics. It looks like AN24 except for the prop, pratt and whitneys, and avionics.
Dash7 will be phased out they said and YS11s are just on lease so they will not renew the contract anymore.
Dash7 will be phased out they said and YS11s are just on lease so they will not renew the contract anymore.
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Where shall all the pilots come from?
With PAL Express up and running and Asian Spirit getting 5 new MA-60 where will all the pilots are coming from?
I guess soon the Philippines has to have expat low time pilots for the fleet cause the locals are either on contracts with PAL or Cebu Pacific or have left for overseas jobs already.
And where to get all the technician from?
I guess soon the Philippines has to have expat low time pilots for the fleet cause the locals are either on contracts with PAL or Cebu Pacific or have left for overseas jobs already.
And where to get all the technician from?
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You buy them, they will come
Well, I hope that airlines will allow full blooded Filipinos born abroad to meet the growing demand of pilots in the Philippines. I am more than happy to answer the call.
It's time for all balikbayan kids to head home to the mother land and help build a better tomorrow for the Philippines.
It's time for all balikbayan kids to head home to the mother land and help build a better tomorrow for the Philippines.
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How to burn money
Guess the new management will just likes to burn money. PAL and Cebu Pacific have a much stronger management system in place than Asian Spirit.
And I don't believe that that the Philippines will allow "expat" pilots. For this the lobby is to strong in the islands not to hire them.
Maybe they will hire initial check Pilots from the manufacturer but that's it.
PAL Express and Cebu Pacific will give Asian Spirit the run for the money and even if SEAIR is being baught by the Zest-O Group, too and integrated, still their management and their sales and marketing is too weak to compete with the two established carriers.
And I don't believe that that the Philippines will allow "expat" pilots. For this the lobby is to strong in the islands not to hire them.
Maybe they will hire initial check Pilots from the manufacturer but that's it.
PAL Express and Cebu Pacific will give Asian Spirit the run for the money and even if SEAIR is being baught by the Zest-O Group, too and integrated, still their management and their sales and marketing is too weak to compete with the two established carriers.
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Asian Spirit plane's propeller falls off mid-air
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage...StoryId=117413
Asian Spirit plane's propeller falls off mid-air
One of the four propellers of an Asian Spirit passenger aircraft fell to the ground while the plane was mid-air in Masbate province, radio dzMM reported.
Correspondent Zenny Silva said the left wing propeller fell off as the plane with flight number 6K 321 and tail number RPC 2195-7 was made its way to the runway Tuesday morning.
Passengers said the aircraft made it safely to the ground with three propellers. No one was reported hurt among the 49 passengers and two crewmen.
As of last report, the plane is stranded at the airport in Masbate.
Officials at the Manila Domestic Airport said they have yet to receive a report on the incident.
Asian Spirit management, meanwhile, also has yet to issue a statement.
The incident on Tuesday came in the wake of another Asian Spirit plane that overshot the runway also in Masbate in January this year.
No one was hurt among the aircraft's 43 passengers, the airline said.
The new owner might have some real serious problems on hand!
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquire...-delayed-8-hrs
Asian Spirit plane's propeller falls off mid-air
One of the four propellers of an Asian Spirit passenger aircraft fell to the ground while the plane was mid-air in Masbate province, radio dzMM reported.
Correspondent Zenny Silva said the left wing propeller fell off as the plane with flight number 6K 321 and tail number RPC 2195-7 was made its way to the runway Tuesday morning.
Passengers said the aircraft made it safely to the ground with three propellers. No one was reported hurt among the 49 passengers and two crewmen.
As of last report, the plane is stranded at the airport in Masbate.
Officials at the Manila Domestic Airport said they have yet to receive a report on the incident.
Asian Spirit management, meanwhile, also has yet to issue a statement.
The incident on Tuesday came in the wake of another Asian Spirit plane that overshot the runway also in Masbate in January this year.
No one was hurt among the aircraft's 43 passengers, the airline said.
The new owner might have some real serious problems on hand!
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquire...-delayed-8-hrs
Asian Spirit flights to Bora delayed 8 hrs
Luli Arroyo takes chopper
By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:36:00 05/02/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Holiday travelers lost their cool at the Manila domestic airport Thursday when they found out that they would not be able to make it to Boracay on schedule but would have to wait for hours.
Only two of the usual five Asian Spirit aircraft bound for Caticlan were able to fly, a spokesperson said.
At least 416 passengers, including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's daughter Luli, sat for between four and eight hours inside the crammed and humid terminal building.
Airport security chief Angel Atutubo said that Luli waited from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Restless passengers
Asian Spirit ad and promo manager Trina Francisco said Luli took a helicopter in the afternoon but she did not know where she went.
Commotions broke out from time to time as restless passengers engaged the airline's service desk, demanding to know when they could depart. Discussions became so heated at times that police had to step in to pacify the passengers.
Only 2 planes available
Francisco said only two planes were flying from Manila to Caticlan and back on a heavy travel day.
"Two are working, two planes are down and one was chartered for Macau ... and passenger safety is our priority," Francisco told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).
Diverted
"A lot of people are angry, we understand that and we apologize, we're very sorry for the inconvenience. It's unfortunate for us that this happened on a Labor Day weekend, when a lot of things are going on in Boracay," she said.
The flights had to be diverted to Kalibo, at least an hour by land from Caticlan, as the latter's airport lacked night navigation equipment for landings and takeoffs. Francisco said the airline would shoulder the passengers' shuttle expenses from Kalibo to Caticlan.
"My friends who caught an earlier flight were surprised when the pilot announced that they had landed in Kalibo. They were not even told that they were landing there instead of Caticlan, and that's another hour or so by land," said Jeff Rios, who booked his Boracay flight with seven of his friends in March.
No options given
His group was supposed to be on a five-day holiday but the delays cut their vacation short.
"The delay wasted our hotel booking for today. They should have given us options, like if we wanted to book for another day, instead of holding us here. They just told us not to leave the departure area and that the plane had a delayed turnaround," Rios said.
'Out of control'
Another passenger said: "They keep announcing the planes are having a late turnaround ... are they coming from Taiwan?"
Maritess Serrano, another vacationer, was supposed to leave at 1:30 p.m. but her flight was pushed back throughout the day.
"They said it's out of their control because the flights were full. We were advised at check-in that the flights will be delayed by 30 minutes to an hour, and that was OK with me ... But I didn't realize it was going to be this long," Serrano said.
Cebu Pacific flights bound for several Visayas and Mindanao destinations also suffered delays of between 10 minutes and an hour as power fluctuations slowed down check-in at the old domestic terminal, said airline spokesperson Candice Iyog.
Luli Arroyo takes chopper
By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:36:00 05/02/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Holiday travelers lost their cool at the Manila domestic airport Thursday when they found out that they would not be able to make it to Boracay on schedule but would have to wait for hours.
Only two of the usual five Asian Spirit aircraft bound for Caticlan were able to fly, a spokesperson said.
At least 416 passengers, including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's daughter Luli, sat for between four and eight hours inside the crammed and humid terminal building.
Airport security chief Angel Atutubo said that Luli waited from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Restless passengers
Asian Spirit ad and promo manager Trina Francisco said Luli took a helicopter in the afternoon but she did not know where she went.
Commotions broke out from time to time as restless passengers engaged the airline's service desk, demanding to know when they could depart. Discussions became so heated at times that police had to step in to pacify the passengers.
Only 2 planes available
Francisco said only two planes were flying from Manila to Caticlan and back on a heavy travel day.
"Two are working, two planes are down and one was chartered for Macau ... and passenger safety is our priority," Francisco told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).
Diverted
"A lot of people are angry, we understand that and we apologize, we're very sorry for the inconvenience. It's unfortunate for us that this happened on a Labor Day weekend, when a lot of things are going on in Boracay," she said.
The flights had to be diverted to Kalibo, at least an hour by land from Caticlan, as the latter's airport lacked night navigation equipment for landings and takeoffs. Francisco said the airline would shoulder the passengers' shuttle expenses from Kalibo to Caticlan.
"My friends who caught an earlier flight were surprised when the pilot announced that they had landed in Kalibo. They were not even told that they were landing there instead of Caticlan, and that's another hour or so by land," said Jeff Rios, who booked his Boracay flight with seven of his friends in March.
No options given
His group was supposed to be on a five-day holiday but the delays cut their vacation short.
"The delay wasted our hotel booking for today. They should have given us options, like if we wanted to book for another day, instead of holding us here. They just told us not to leave the departure area and that the plane had a delayed turnaround," Rios said.
'Out of control'
Another passenger said: "They keep announcing the planes are having a late turnaround ... are they coming from Taiwan?"
Maritess Serrano, another vacationer, was supposed to leave at 1:30 p.m. but her flight was pushed back throughout the day.
"They said it's out of their control because the flights were full. We were advised at check-in that the flights will be delayed by 30 minutes to an hour, and that was OK with me ... But I didn't realize it was going to be this long," Serrano said.
Cebu Pacific flights bound for several Visayas and Mindanao destinations also suffered delays of between 10 minutes and an hour as power fluctuations slowed down check-in at the old domestic terminal, said airline spokesperson Candice Iyog.
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stick to making orange juice
Another rich dude with no experience in aviation. They never learn...look at Transglobal, Taair, Pacific Pearl and in the late 90's ..Star Asia.
Where are they going to get Pilots? Even newly minted 250-hour cpl's know an ATR or a DASH-8 rating is much more marketable world-wide than a China-made MA-60's.
Well at least if it doesn't work out , they can convert all those aluminum to zesto in cans?
Where are they going to get Pilots? Even newly minted 250-hour cpl's know an ATR or a DASH-8 rating is much more marketable world-wide than a China-made MA-60's.
Well at least if it doesn't work out , they can convert all those aluminum to zesto in cans?
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MA-60
Guessing from "industry rumors" Asian Spirit is getting the MA-60 just because it is cheap and it probably a political "deal".
No Pilot in his right mind will pay for his conversion training for a MA-60. Who will take him with the rating? There are maybe just a handful of MA-60 operating outside China and which of these are paying well?
According to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xian_MA60 there are the following operators outside China:
Merpati Nusantara Airlines
Lao Airlines
Zambian Air Force
unknown carrier in the Republic of Congo
Air Zimbabwe
and than Asian Spirit.
the homepage of the MA-60 is super noisy http://www.ma60.com/, hope the aircraft is not.
The two Pratt&Whitney PW-127J turboprop engines rated at 2880 eshp each are very common engines and maybe the avionics look Western.
Nobody knows anything about flying characteristics etc.
The cockpit looks like a 80's cockpit
I just can not make up my mind if the design looks like a Y-7 or an old Herald.
No Pilot in his right mind will pay for his conversion training for a MA-60. Who will take him with the rating? There are maybe just a handful of MA-60 operating outside China and which of these are paying well?
According to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xian_MA60 there are the following operators outside China:
Merpati Nusantara Airlines
Lao Airlines
Zambian Air Force
unknown carrier in the Republic of Congo
Air Zimbabwe
and than Asian Spirit.
the homepage of the MA-60 is super noisy http://www.ma60.com/, hope the aircraft is not.
The two Pratt&Whitney PW-127J turboprop engines rated at 2880 eshp each are very common engines and maybe the avionics look Western.
Nobody knows anything about flying characteristics etc.
The cockpit looks like a 80's cockpit
I just can not make up my mind if the design looks like a Y-7 or an old Herald.
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Competition for Asian Spirit and A320 for them???????
Just got this news from a friend in the Philippines:
And on with it:
Industry sources said Gatchalian’s interest might have further been stirred by the entry of another Filipino-Chinese, banker and fruit juice maker Alfredo Yao, into the airline business via low-cost carrier Asian Spirit, the country’s fourth-largest airline.
Yao is the owner of Zest-O Corp. and RC Cola. He also owns Philippine Business Bank and sits as director of Export and Industry Bank.
Donald Dee, who has been designated as chairman of Asian Spirit, confirmed rumors that Yao was in China to meet with traders for the acquisition of seven brand-new aircraft for the airline’s refleeting.
Dee, Ortiz-Luis and Varela are closely affiliated with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
Dee said the first phase of the refleeting program involved the acquisition of two Airbus A-320 for regional and long-haul domestic flights and another five 60-seater Jetcraft ideal for short distance flights.
He said the refleeting would start next month up to early 2009. The first batch of new aircraft will be delivered from June to July this year. Dee added Asian Spirit had a fleet of more than 10 aircraft, most of them specially designed for short take-off and landing.
Bus drivers in the Philippines unite yourself! Better paid and greener pasture seem to come up on the Horizon!
More airlines, more Airbus, less pilots means higher salary!
Gatchalian eyes new airline
Plastics king William Gatchalian wants to go back to the airline business two decades after he sold Air Philippines to taipan Lucio Tan, who also owns Philippine Airlines.
Industry sources said Gatchalian had tapped close associate Sergio Ortiz-Luis as chairman for his new airline venture, while another ally, Miguel Varela, will sit as board director.
Ortiz-Luis confirmed the report but said talks were preliminary.
Ortiz-Luis, president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, is also a director of Gatchalian’s Waterfront Group.
Gatchalian plans to make a comeback in the airline business on a personal capacity.
Ricky Ricardo of the Waterfront Group’s corporate affairs office issued a disclaimer that the businessman’s hotel and leisure company had nothing to do with the plans.
“As far as I know, the idea of going back to the airline business was never brought up in the Waterfront Group level. The group remains focused on its core business on hotels, leisure and services. We have exited the airline business a long time ago, and it makes more sense for us to continue staying out of that business,” said Ricardo. Gatchalian in earlier interviews signified a continued interest in the airline business after he sold his shares in Air Philippines, which now flies missionary routes, or those not serviced by its bigger affiliate, Philippine Airlines.
Plastics king William Gatchalian wants to go back to the airline business two decades after he sold Air Philippines to taipan Lucio Tan, who also owns Philippine Airlines.
Industry sources said Gatchalian had tapped close associate Sergio Ortiz-Luis as chairman for his new airline venture, while another ally, Miguel Varela, will sit as board director.
Ortiz-Luis confirmed the report but said talks were preliminary.
Ortiz-Luis, president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, is also a director of Gatchalian’s Waterfront Group.
Gatchalian plans to make a comeback in the airline business on a personal capacity.
Ricky Ricardo of the Waterfront Group’s corporate affairs office issued a disclaimer that the businessman’s hotel and leisure company had nothing to do with the plans.
“As far as I know, the idea of going back to the airline business was never brought up in the Waterfront Group level. The group remains focused on its core business on hotels, leisure and services. We have exited the airline business a long time ago, and it makes more sense for us to continue staying out of that business,” said Ricardo. Gatchalian in earlier interviews signified a continued interest in the airline business after he sold his shares in Air Philippines, which now flies missionary routes, or those not serviced by its bigger affiliate, Philippine Airlines.
Industry sources said Gatchalian’s interest might have further been stirred by the entry of another Filipino-Chinese, banker and fruit juice maker Alfredo Yao, into the airline business via low-cost carrier Asian Spirit, the country’s fourth-largest airline.
Yao is the owner of Zest-O Corp. and RC Cola. He also owns Philippine Business Bank and sits as director of Export and Industry Bank.
Donald Dee, who has been designated as chairman of Asian Spirit, confirmed rumors that Yao was in China to meet with traders for the acquisition of seven brand-new aircraft for the airline’s refleeting.
Dee, Ortiz-Luis and Varela are closely affiliated with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
Dee said the first phase of the refleeting program involved the acquisition of two Airbus A-320 for regional and long-haul domestic flights and another five 60-seater Jetcraft ideal for short distance flights.
He said the refleeting would start next month up to early 2009. The first batch of new aircraft will be delivered from June to July this year. Dee added Asian Spirit had a fleet of more than 10 aircraft, most of them specially designed for short take-off and landing.
More airlines, more Airbus, less pilots means higher salary!
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Bananacue Mentality
It looks like the above article demonstrates the typical Filipino "Bananacue" mentality- i.e. if a neighbor suddenly makes money selling bananacues, not long every one is selling bananacues!
Just makes me wonder why nobody has thought about doing a feeder system for one of the more established foreign airlines?
Just makes me wonder why nobody has thought about doing a feeder system for one of the more established foreign airlines?
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^you're crazy to attribute that to filipinos only. have you ever heard of the "bandwagon effect" or "herding instinct"? this happens worldwide, not just in the philippines.
this is actually very good as it will promote competition among airlines which means lower prices for travellers and higher income for pilots.
this is actually very good as it will promote competition among airlines which means lower prices for travellers and higher income for pilots.
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Front man
Since this is a rumour network, there is a rumour that Yao is only a front man for Lucio Tan. Some pilots in A.S. are already thinking that they are out to destroy them to eliminate competition.
Only one of the 2 BAE146 is flying. The other is seriously grounded, 2 of the 4 x DHC7s' are also not flying. This leaves them with only 3 aircrafts and the purchase of the MA60 has been postponed to September ??? Asian Spirit is already nearing to just being a charter company instead of being an airline.
And buying an airbus ????......... I'll believe it when I see it.
Who's next on the target cross hairs ??... SeaAir ?
Only one of the 2 BAE146 is flying. The other is seriously grounded, 2 of the 4 x DHC7s' are also not flying. This leaves them with only 3 aircrafts and the purchase of the MA60 has been postponed to September ??? Asian Spirit is already nearing to just being a charter company instead of being an airline.
And buying an airbus ????......... I'll believe it when I see it.
Who's next on the target cross hairs ??... SeaAir ?
Last edited by Eight Ball; 4th Jun 2008 at 15:26.
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Question
Maybe the Chinese bird makes sense? Since it will have no "N" reg number, The chances of getting shut down for paperwork problems like numerous US airlines have suffered lately is greatly reduced. The FAA is on a which hunt to restore it's credibility since it was revealed by the USair exec that FAA had a deal going to not enforce inspections at big airlines. This lead to groundings of the American MD-80's, United 777's and others earlier this year.
Is that Russian turboprop machine still flying between Indonesia and General Santos?
The Russians used to make pretty good copies of Western aircraft. Since the price of Jet fuel is killing everybody, maybe it's a good idea to kill off the lease costs. (Beats killing off pilot salaries.) And wasn't the Japanese YS-11 really an copy of the Lockheed Electra? I know it used to catch fire a lot with electrical problems, but it was still safer than road or ferry transport.
Is that Pacific Pearl B732 still flying? United says they are going to get rid of another thirty 737's. Thirsty machines indeed! (down low.) But the airframe can be had for a couple of million as opposed to making monthly lease payment on an airbus. But an aging classic like that has got to have lots of costly AD's right? How about the fuselage insulation AD's? What about cold-lapp metal bonding (rivet corrosion) issues? If it's high cycle, you might wind up spending the purchase price of the airplane every couple of months. FAA certification and N-numbers are not necessarily a good thing imho.
Does having some jet-lagged paper-pusher with no real world experience shutting you down all the time improve air safety? Better to lease Chinese birds with experienced Chinese mechanics for a while and offer high pilot salaries if you ask me.
And time to drill more in the Sprattlys! The only way to bring down the cost of Aviation fuel is to drill it domestically without the big hand of the Big Transnational Oil companies in the pinoy cookie jar. (Of course to do more of that means protection from the US Navy offshore, so may have to reopen the bases. Not sure that's going to work.)
What do ya think?
pac
Is that Russian turboprop machine still flying between Indonesia and General Santos?
The Russians used to make pretty good copies of Western aircraft. Since the price of Jet fuel is killing everybody, maybe it's a good idea to kill off the lease costs. (Beats killing off pilot salaries.) And wasn't the Japanese YS-11 really an copy of the Lockheed Electra? I know it used to catch fire a lot with electrical problems, but it was still safer than road or ferry transport.
Is that Pacific Pearl B732 still flying? United says they are going to get rid of another thirty 737's. Thirsty machines indeed! (down low.) But the airframe can be had for a couple of million as opposed to making monthly lease payment on an airbus. But an aging classic like that has got to have lots of costly AD's right? How about the fuselage insulation AD's? What about cold-lapp metal bonding (rivet corrosion) issues? If it's high cycle, you might wind up spending the purchase price of the airplane every couple of months. FAA certification and N-numbers are not necessarily a good thing imho.
Does having some jet-lagged paper-pusher with no real world experience shutting you down all the time improve air safety? Better to lease Chinese birds with experienced Chinese mechanics for a while and offer high pilot salaries if you ask me.
And time to drill more in the Sprattlys! The only way to bring down the cost of Aviation fuel is to drill it domestically without the big hand of the Big Transnational Oil companies in the pinoy cookie jar. (Of course to do more of that means protection from the US Navy offshore, so may have to reopen the bases. Not sure that's going to work.)
What do ya think?
pac