ULTRALIGHT SPORTS FLYERS TO SET UP NEW CLUB BASE IN M’LANG AIRPORT

The Ultralight Sports Flyers of Davao, an exclusive club of wealthy businessmen who own the Ultralight Sports Planes now based in the Mati Airport in Davao Oriental, are planning to put up new Club Base in the M’lang Airport.

Capt. Rey Acosta, a retired Air Force pilot, and Capt. Sam Mente, also a retired Boeing 747 pilot of Australia’s Qantas Airline, both said they found the location of the Central Mindanao Airport in Barangay Tawantawan, M’lang ideal for sports flying.

The Ultralight planes are usually powered by Bombadier engines and most are equipped with automatic parachutes which could open even at 300 feet in case the aircraft suffers engine trouble.

The brand-new Ultralight plane costs about P2.5 to P3-M.

Col. Sammy G. Afdal, my friend who lent his Ultralight plane for the 1st Tulabong Festival, owns five units of Ultralights.

Since these are sports planes, the pilots do not need a commercial pilots license.

“We can even start an instructional school here for sports flying,” said Capt. Acosta.

“The sky is very calm here and the view of the landscape from the sky is simply amazing,” said Capt. Mente, an Australian national married to a Filipina from Davao Oriental.

Yesterday, before Capt. Acosta and Capt. Mente flew back to Mati, I had another chance to fly over my hometown, the wide ricefields and the serene and vast Liguasan Marsh.

Looking at the vast greenery below, I cannot help but be amazed by the beauty of the blessings that God has given His people.

But I also realized that many more things have to be done to lift our people out of poverty.

I thank God for giving me the opportunity to reach greater heights so I could see the vastness of the plains and the needs of our people.

The beauty of the plains of Central Mindanao is definitely the reason why the Ultralight Sports Flyers would like to set up a new base in the M’lang Airport.

(Photo caption: Capt. Sam Mente poses with me, Mayor Lito Pinol and Congressional Candidate (3rd District, North Cotabato) Dr. Rod Escudero.)