Asia Pacific Flight Training

Name:	Asia Pacific Flight Training
Slogan:	Dreams Realised
Based:	Sultan Ismail Petra Airport
Location:	Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
Website:	http://www.apft.edu.my

Asia Pacific Flight Training Sdn. Bhd., or known as APFT, is a renowned flying academy in Malaysia. APFT is a commercial pilot training academy based at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in north east of Malaysia, and besides the Thailand border, in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The flying academy started its training back in 2005 and was officially launched in February 2007 during the first batch graduation ceremony.

Air Traffic Controller tower at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport

News and History

In 2005, the school sent few batches to Australia for training and finished their training in APFT. APFT, the aviation academy was officially opened by His Highness KDYMM Tuanku Ismail Petra Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Yahya Petra on 8 February 2007. His Royal Highness was accompanied by Her Highness the Sultanah of Kelantan, Tengku Anis. APFT Chairman, Dato’ Faruk presents the Kelantan Menteri Besar with a token of appreciation after he officiated the opening of the new hangar and also pinned graduation wings on 63 cadets. The afternoon of 16 February 2009 marked the opening of APFT’s new hangar together with the graduation ceremony of batches 7,8,9,10

Courses

APFT has multiple courses to offer such as follow:-

• AFI Course
• PPL Course
• CPL/IR & Frozen ATPL Course
• ATPL Course

Other than the above, the school also has an interesting diploma program for students undergoing the pilot course in APFT where non other flying schools in Malaysia provide. Such course are approved by Malaysian Qualifications Agency and also comes in a package with the CPL/IR with frozen ATPL course.

• Diploma in Aviation (Pilot Training)

Besides fixed wing flight training offer by the school like any other flying school, the school also offers rotary wing flight training with their new Robinson R44 helicopter.

APFT Designation

Designation	Person
APFT chairperson	Dato’ Faruk Othman
School principal	Dato' Maj. (Rtd) Mohd Khalid bin Ali
Chief Instructor	Capt Syed Abdullah bin Syed Ariffin
Chief Flying Instructor (Fixed Wing)	Capt Mokhyiddin Abu Bakar
Chief Flying Instructor (Rotary Wing)	Colonel Koo
Chief Simulator Instructor
Chief Ground Instructor	Capt. VJ Kumar
Manager Engineering	Toni (Mr Maximilian Anton Schilling)
Chief of Discipline	Capt. Thalji
Senior Executive Operations	Syed Ramdzan Bin Byros Khan

APFT Workforce

APFT workforce consist of:-

• Administrative staff
• Publication staff
• Ground School Instructors
• Flying Instructors
• Flight Simulator Instructors
• Flight Operation staff
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and Technician
• Security staff
• Technician
• House master

Intakes

The academy welcomes cadet from all over the world to join APFT. Its current students are not only from Malaysia, but from other countries as well such as Syria, Nepal, and Indonesia. APFT has a scheduled intake for private cadets each year rather than every one or two months. In 2009, APFT has eight intakes as follows:

• February
• April
• May
• June
• August
• September
• November
• December

Other than private cadets, the flying academy also caters to major airlines which include international airlines to train cadet pilots. Airlines which have sent their cadets to APFT so far are Malaysia Airlines (MAS), AirAsia, and Garuda Indonesia. Other airlines are looking at possibilities to send their cadets to APFT.

Other than airlines, government agencies such as Royal Police of Malaysia are planning to send their cadets for training in APFT.

Batch

Every intake is assigned a batch number. E.g. M15/08 where M stands for MAS batch, 15 is the batch number and 08 is the year number. The prefix can be P for private batch, M for MAS batch, A for AirAsia batch, and G for Garuda Indonesia Batch.

Even though if assigned M or other prefix, the batch can still contain private cadets.

Currently in April 2009, the academy has a total of 24 batches, including those which graduated.

Below is a list of batch status.

Batch number	Status	Sponsor
Batch 1	Graduated	MAS
Batch 2	Graduated	MAS
Batch 3	Graduated	MAS
Batch 4	Graduated	Private
Batch 5	Graduated	Private
Batch 6	Graduated	MAS
Batch 7	Graduated	Private
Batch 8	Graduated	Private
Batch 9	Graduated	MAS
Batch 10	Graduated	Private
Batch 11	Graduated	AirAsia
Batch 12	Graduated	Private
Batch 13	Twin Flying	Private
Batch 14	CPL Flying	Private
Batch 15	PPL Flying	MAS
Batch 16	PPL Flying	Garuda Indonesia
Batch 17	PPL Flying	Private
Batch 18	PPL Flying	MAS
Batch 19	CAA2	Private
Batch 20	CAA2	Private
Batch 21	CAA6	Private
Batch 22	CAA6	AirAsia
Batch 23	CAA6 + Flying	Private
Batch 24	CAA6 + Flying	Private
Batch 25	Grounded	Private
Batch 26	DCAT	MAS & Private
Batch 27 (August intake)	PPL	Private

Callsign

APFT has its own unique callsign, which is APAC.
Instructors callsign is assigned as APAC followed by their number. E.g. APAC 04

As for cadets callsign, they were issued a temporary callsign before their first solo. Their temporary callsign are usually issued according to their name. E.g. APAC AC

After cadet went for their first solo, they will be issued a new callsign according to the sequence of first to solo.

The callsign issued has information about his batch number. E.g. APAC 1057

The first 2 numbers, 10, is his batch number, and 57 will be his sequence number. The sequence number starts from 51 as 1st to go solo. In the example, 57 is number 7th to go for first solo.

Facilities

• Ground School
• Library
• Old Hangar
• New Hangar, apron and maneuvering area, aircraft parking bay, taxiway holding point C
• Flight Simulator
• Crew Residence
• Cafeteria
• Gym

Eagle 150B & Piper PA-28 Warrior fleet of APFT on apron

Fleet

Robinson R44 at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport New Apron

APFT has a wide fleet of aircraft which include fixed and rotary wing. The school owned aircraft such as Diamond 40 fitted with glass cockpit and also advanced flight simulator by Alsim.

Aircraft	Fleet	Seats	Engine
Piper PA-28 Warrior		4	Single Piston
Piper PA-34 Seneca		6	Twin Piston
Diamond DA-40		4	Single Piston
Diamond DA-42		4	Twin Piston
Eagle Aircraft 150B		2	Single Piston
Robinson R44		4	Single Piston

Diamond DA-42 & Diamond DA-40 owned by APFT on display in morning breeze

Simulator	Fleet	Engine
AL200MCC	2	Single/Twin Piston/Turbine

Events and activities

First solo

External links

• Official website
• pilotschools directory