CNN Philippines interviews AsBAA's Patrick Roa on Aviation Safety

On 5 March 2023, CNN Philippines interviewed Patrick Roa, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Philippine Chapter Chairman of AsBAA. Patrick shared his thoughts on aviation safety, accident investigation and prevention, and helicopter vs fixed-wing flying. He also discussed some of the measures the government can take to minimize accidents, including allowing the passage of the independent PTSB bill, investing in better equipment such as ADS-B, and improving joint interservice SAR operations. Patrick emphasized the importance of continuous improvement in the aviation industry to ensure safe and efficient operations.

Context:

In light of the recent multiple fatal GA accidents in the Philippines over the last two months, of which at least one may have been another illegal charter flight, AsBAA is currently working on helping revive the PTSB bill. To recap, last year AsBAA lobbied actively in support of the unification of two bills in the Philippine Congress that, if ratified by Congress and signed into law by former President Duterte, would have created the Philippine Transportation Safety Board (PTSB). AsBAA reviewed both bills and formally corresponded with the Philippine House of Representatives and Senate, and conveyed the importance of having a national transportation safety board independent of the Department of Transportation to carry out independent accident investigation to facilitate the continued, sustainable growth of the Philippine's aviation industry and economy. The two bills, House Bill 9030 and Senate Bill 1077 were successfully ratified last year, but was later vetoed by the former President.