The Kota Kinabalu Industrial (KKIP) Park Aerospace Training Centre is set to be the top aerospace nation in Southeast Asia under the Malaysian Aerospace Industry Blueprint.

Located within KKIP, about 30 minutes away from the state capital, the training centre will secure a significant share of revenue from the aerospace industry by developing a skilled manpower capacity.

The training centre will give Sabah a position to tap into the high value-added aerospace industry, further propelling Sabah into a high-income state.

Looking at the projected revenue from the aerospace industry, the return is expected to reach RM55.2 billion in 2030. It is an increase of 245 per cent from the RM16 billion revenue in 2019.

Yesterday, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal made an official visit to the training centre, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister cum state Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.

Also present was Deputy Chief Minister cum state Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew, KKIP Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Melvin Disimond, and KKIP Aerospace Sdn Bhd chairman Dr Ei Sun Oh.

During the opening speech, Madius congratulated KKIP Aerospace Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of KKIP Sdn Bhd as well as its JV partner Lembaran Asia Sdn Bhd for the development of KKIP Aerospace Training Centre.

“I understand that this is going to be the first approved aircraft maintenance training centre in Malaysia that is having dual approval – the first being the local Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), as well as an international endorsement under the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 147 to conduct Category A1 Aircraft Maintenance Technician training.

“The graduates of KKIP Aerospace Training Centre will be equipped with comprehensive skills, spaced out into twelve (12) modules.

“Amongst others, training will commence in the areas of avionics, engine, body and composite works both in theory as well as on-the-job-training in this hangar building and also hangars of collaborating MROs (maintenance and repair organisations),” he said.

Madius added those graduates of Category A1 Aircraft Maintenance Technicians will be accorded with the said dual licensing to work in the aerospace industry.

The dual licensing is important because the graduates will not only be able to work within the local aerospace industry but also internationally.

Madius also noted a technician graduating from the training centre with dual licensing would fetch a monthly salary of up to RM5,000 locally. For experienced aerospace graduates seeking employment in Dubai, they could get a starting monthly salary of USD8,000 (RM34,088), he added.

KKIP Aerospace is also in the process of establishing an aerospace training hub which it will have collaborations with MASwings Sdn Bhd, Layang- Layang Aerospace, Mega Aerospace Sdn Bhd and CAAC Malaysia Sdn Bhd for on-the-job trainings; as well as with Bataras Sdn Bhd and the Department of Industrial Research and Development for anchor-vendor development programmes.

The KKIP Aerospace Training Centre is equipped with hangar, classrooms and workshops, 120 air-conditioned hostel rooms furnished with bed sets, study tables and wardrobes, as well as shared washroom and laundry room.

The state’s aerospace training centre also has Autogyro Cavalon 915 and Hawker Siddeley HS-125-400A live aircrafts. The Autogyro Cavalon is the first aircraft to operate in Sabah.

It operates with a minimum of 100 litres RON95 fuel for six hours at the speed of 17 knots or 130 kilometres/hour. At the maximum take-off weight of 500kg, the aircraft using a piston engine could go up to 12,000 feet.